Minie ball lubing & sizing

[Pistolero]

Hi Guys,

Just got myself a .58 rifle marked 'US Springfield 1864' made I believe by Mirouku of Japan. :bigsmyl2:

I'm gonna use minie balls but not sure what mold/lube combo to use. Most likley it will be a Lee mold as that is what is available here in Australia.

Do I need to get a sizer too?

Is it OK to shoot them as cast?

Looking forward to popping smoke!:redneck:

[oldhickory]

Factory repro bores "generally" run between .575-.578, if the mold throws a Minie 1-2 thousands smaller than bore, (land) dia, then no, you don't NEED one. I pan lube, (dip the skirt) and run them through a .001 smaller than bore sizer anyway though, just to have them neatly lubed.

[GabbyM]

Most just hand lube the minie. Some have a gizmo hand tool. Lyman And RCBS sizers only handle fifty caliber and under. I just shoot a 45 caliber so the maxi balls will run through my .454” sizer die and I do keep an RCBS sizer filled with black powder lube so it's no beg deal. I used to prelube a batch then carry them in a plastic tube with caps.

For the Springfield the most aesthetic and original way to carry ammo would be to make up some paper cartridges. For target shooting it's less trouble to just load as you go but for reload rounds in the field the paper cartridges are just as convenient as when they were standard military issue.

Most just hand lube the minie. Some have a gizmo hand tool. Lyman And RCBS sizers only handle fifty caliber and under. I just shoot a 45 caliber so the maxi balls will run through my .454” sizer die and I do keep an RCBS sizer filled with black powder lube so it's no beg deal. I used to prelube a batch then carry them in a plastic tube with caps.

For the Springfield the most aesthetic and original way to carry ammo would be to make up some paper cartridges. For target shooting it's less trouble to just load as you go but for reload rounds in the field the paper cartridges are just as convenient as when they were standard military issue.

You can find recipes on this site for making your own BP lube. Basically just bees wax with either cooking oil or lard mixes in at a ratio yielding the desired viscosity.

[runnin lead]

I don't shoot minnies , I shoot maxis & I pan lube them ,you just need to get a cake pan & set all the bullets base down in the pan around 3/8'' to 1/2 '' apart , melt a BP lube in a double boiler & pour into the pan till the lube groves are covered,after the lube has solidified (I usualy just wait till the next day ) flip the pan over & remove the cake of lube & push the bullets out with your thumb from the nose end

[mooman76]

I use them in my 58 Hawkins. The Lee minie just drops in easy. In a pinch you can just rub some crisco ( vegtable shortning) on it just before you drop it down the barrel. If they run a little tight you can force them down the barrel like a maxie, that's what I do with the 50's since they don't run small.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Er, ah, GabbyM. I used to say similar about lyman sizer sizes, but only thinking that my .515 die was the lyman whopper.

But then one of the experts here posted a picture of his lyman .578 with factory plastic tube for the 450. It should be in the files here somewhere. I mention this only to advance the alchemy of casting . I eat crow when they are small too. BvT

[Hellgate]

One of the handiest lube methods is to just fill the base of the minie with vegetable shortening and smear some in the lube grooves. A sizer/luber die is best for BP lubes. Keep in mind that the thin skirted minies cannot be driven to the same velocities as a thick skirted minie like the Lyman 575213-OS or 577611 minies. 40-60grs powder for the thin skirted LEE molds and 60-100grs for the thick skirted molds above. A thin skirted minie will flare out like a shuttlecock and lose accuracy if loaded too heavily. The LEE would be great for target work or close range hunting whereas the Lyman molds would be for bigger game hunting. I'm not sure what to use for kangaroos! ;>)

[GabbyM]

Er, ah, GabbyM. I used to say similar about lyman sizer sizes, but only thinking that my .515 die was the lyman whopper.

But then one of the experts here posted a picture of his lyman .578 with factory plastic tube for the 450. It should be in the files here somewhere. I mention this only to advance the alchemy of casting . I eat crow when they are small too. BvT

New News to me. I just looked and .512" is the largest they list right now.
Suppose you could always anneal one and bore it out then re heat treat it.
If the Minie cast the size you want to shot pan lubing would be expedient.

[59sharps]

2 or 3 diffrent sizes made one is a push thru that fixs a std reloading press, a custom made that fits lyman or RCBS luber sizer. I have both types. one in 576 and several 577- 581 the other is a push thru that you put on a block w/ a hole in it and use a push stick. Notheast trader sells the push thru for the reloading press and may also have the lubersizer ones. I do not remember the gentlemans name that dose the custom ones. But check the N-SSA board.