58-caliber Minié/Maxi/R.E.A.L.?

[Naphtali]

I have a .58-caliber muzzleloading rifle with barrel that has: 1:48 twist; .580-inch lands; and .592-inch grooves. What production molds drop .58-caliber Minié/Maxi/R.E.A.L. bullets that stabilize in it?

[2shot]

I shoot the R.E.A.L. in my 58 cal Pedersoli Kodiak and it shoots the best out of all my molds in this cal. It has a 1/48 twist and the R.E.A.L. shoots in the order of 2" at 70 yards with both barrels hitting to the same point. I didn't have much luck with the Lyman O.S. Minie, it was too much undersized to work well in my Kodiak.

85 grains of FFg behind the Lee R.E.A.L.

[Hellgate]

LEE makes an oversize minie mold but it has a fairly thin skirt so a heavy load (I'm guessing over 60grs) might be it's maximum load. Rapine may also make oversized minie molds.

[Buckshot]

..............I have a Parker-Hale P58 Enfield 2 band with the 48" twist.

http://www.fototime.com/2F3AB89A064CE52/standard.jpg

That's relatively fast for a 58 cal.

http://www.fototime.com/C75E453AEFB1E35/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/DB4FE73A84BEB8B/standard.jpg

These 2 five shot groups were done at 50 yards using the modified Lyman 575611 @ 624 grains. Please forgive the Pyrodex try :-). I was GIVEN a pound of the stuff. Check out the charge weight, velocity and accuracy differences! Both 5 shot targets.

The rifle has progressive depth grooves. Bore is .580" but the grooves are .013" deep at the breech (.606" groove to groove) and .005" deep a the muzzle.

.................Buckshot

[NickSS]

I have a custom mini mold that casts bullets that come out at .579" and weigh in at 340 gr of pure lead. It has a thick skirt and I have used it in my Parker Hale Musketoon for a long time. The mold originally cast bullets that were .577 but accuracy was not as good as I wanted so I lapped the mold until it got to where it is now. I ground the center pin down some to increase skirt thickness. This bullet shoots well in my carbine with a 100 gr of FFG powder charge.

[StrawHat]

..............I have a Parker-Hale P58 Enfield 2 band with the 48" twist.

http://www.fototime.com/2F3AB89A064CE52/standard.jpg

That's relatively fast for a 58 cal.
.................Buckshot

Buckshot, Didn't you use the Collar button boolit in the Parker Hale? I am getting your guns a bit jumbled in my mind but I thought the CB in the 1/48 worked out for you.

[Buckshot]

Buckshot, Didn't you use the Collar button boolit in the Parker Hale? I am getting your guns a bit jumbled in my mind but I thought the CB in the 1/48 worked out for you.

.............No, I'm sorry t'warn't me :-) I don't have that mould.

..............Buckshot

[oldhickory]

The same common basic cast boolit rules apply to muzzle loaders when using Burton boolits, (what most call Minnie' boolits).

Size, (in reverse) just like your favorite centerfire cartridge likes a boolit 1-2 thousands larger than groove dia...A riflemusket likes a Burton boolit 1-2 thousands smaller than land dia. Properly sized and lubed, they'll five you surprising accuracy and easy loading, even with a fouled bore. A snug fit is not only essential for accuracy, but also helps to keep fouling down, (scraping bands) and if you're on the move, a snug fit will insure the boolit stays on top of the powder where it belongs.

Alloy, soft lead alloy is best to insure proper expansion in the bore to grip the rifiling when the powder charge explodes and "bumps" the boolit on it's way down the bore, the sooner the skirt expands, the better. A thin skirt is fine for target shooting, but something heavier may be desired for hunting where heavier charges of powder may be used. Rule of thumb with a Burton boolit is, 20-22% over service charge should be o.k. without deforming the boolit when it leaves the muzzle. A service charge being about 60gr. or around 80gr. max. using FFg as a guide.

I find that 55gr. of FFFg. with a Lyman 575213OS is all the medicine needed for deer at, or under 100yds. with a riflemusket. It Chronys at around 1050fps. from my Windsor Enfield and will give complete penetration on deer, in fact the wound channel is very similer to a .30 high velocity expanding bullet.

I don't use MAXIES, REALS, or round balls in a rifle musket as it kind-of defeats the purpose and design of the gun. If more power or a flatter trajectory is desired, turn down the base pin for a thicker skirt and have at it.

A Lyman 575213OS will stabilize just fine in a 1:48 twist barrel.

[StrawHat]

.............No, I'm sorry t'warn't me :-) I don't have that mould.

..............Buckshot

Must have you confused with Dromia, thought you also got one of Red River Ricks 59 Paradox molds.