Cast minie info.?

[arcticap]

I bought this box of 100 cast minies that were marked .454 at a gunshow.
They weigh between 155 - 158 grains and their diameter is .452 at the base and narrows slightly toward the nose.
Very soft lead was used to cast them.
I intended to shoot them out of a C&B revolver because they're so light, but I'm not sure if that's what they were intended for or if they would shoot better out of a .45 rifle.
I don't think that they would make a very good deer bullet since there's better ones to use. Maybe they could be used for smaller game, target shooting or self-defense out of a revolver.
Has anyone seen this minie before or know where the mold may have come from?
Any info. or opinions about their use in a revolver or rifle would be appreciated.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g159/arcticap/gunshow/P1050148a32.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g159/arcticap/gunshow/P1050151a45.jpg

[brassell31]

Just an opinion here on using them in rifles for deer hunting. They are plenty big enough for deer hunting, as long as you are not going to try 200 yard shots with them. A soft lead minie is not going to stand up to a lot of pushing anyway. I used a .433 roundball for the first time this year deer hunting ( I usually hunt with a .54), and it went straight through a medium sized muley broadside at 90 yards. I was using 60 grs. of Goex 3f, the deer ran about 50 yards before he piled up. I don't have a clue about using them in pistols.

[Maven]

Lyman once offered a mold that cast hollow base bullets very similar to those that you have. I used to use them in my replica Remington New Model Army with ~30grs. FFFg. It was accurate enough for plinking, but not a tack driver as the cylinder that came with the pistol was considerably undersized, thus swaging the bullets smaller than the bore diameter. It wasn't easy to seat those HB CB's either.

[mooman76]

I don't really think you will be able to get them started in a revolver without getting it cockeyed in there crooked or damaging the base which would make it shoot bad but what the heck. Give it a try. If you can get them in they should shoot well, I would think. They might be a little too big to load in a rifle too but some rifles have a little extra free space so you never know . Did you measure them to see if they are actually .454?

[Doug Bowser]

I have a Lyman mould that casts this bullet. It is a hollow based design. They are very accurate in my .44 Remington revolver. You probably won't be able to load these bullets into a .45 rifle.

[StrawHat]

That looks like the Lyman/Ideal 450229 bullet.

I use mine in the 44 cap and ball revolvers, the 45 Long Colt, and the 45 S&W. I may try it in the 45 AR but have not yet done so.

I have not used it in a 45 rifle, good luck.

[StrawHat]

Lyman once offered a mold that cast hollow base bullets very similar to those that you have. I used to use them in my replica Remington New Model Army with ~30grs. FFFg. It was accurate enough for plinking, but not a tack driver as the cylinder that came with the pistol was considerably undersized, thus swaging the bullets smaller than the bore diameter. It wasn't easy to seat those HB CB's either.

Maven,

If you still have the revolver, the chambers can be bored out to make it a better shooter. During the last half of the last century, a lot of revolvers were opened up to make them better shooters.

Measure the bore and have the cylinders opened to .001 or .002 bigger.

[arcticap]

It's great to hear that these have produced some good results.
If they shoot decently for me too then I'll want to find one of these molds for myself.
Thanks everyone!

[Maven]

StrawHat, If I knew of a competent machinist or gunsmith (didn't trust the local one), I'd have taken that route. However, it was much easier to telephone the importer in Winchester, VA, obtain the manufacturer's code (on bottom flat of the bbl. under the loading lever) and purchase the correctly dimensioned cylinder at a very reasonable price. Unfortunately, I sold the HB mold by that time, but it groups .451" RB's rather impressively @ 25 yds.

[richbug]

That picture is great. I have a 450229 here that is missing the plug. Now I know what it looks like so I can make one.

[StrawHat]

Maven,

Glad to hear the cylinder worked out for you. Sorry to hear you sold the mold.

richbug,

Here is a photo of the plug.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc194/StrawHat/Lyman450229001.jpg

[richbug]

Maven,

Glad to hear the cylinder worked out for you. Sorry to hear you sold the mold.

richbug,

Here is a photo of the plug.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc194/StrawHat/Lyman450229001.jpg


thanks, I'll probably try to make a copy of that one, and one with a thicker skirt for use in a rifle.