Stability?

[Skipper]

Does anyone know if a hollow base Minie bullet will stabilize in a smoothbore?

Will it fly like a shuttlecock, or just tumble out of control?

http://leeprecision.com/graphics/shoppingcart/minie.jpg

[brassell31]

It will tumble. It needs spin to stabilize.

[mooman76]

I'm not positive but I thought during the civil war the shot minies out of smooth bores sometimes. Allot of the old minies were very top heavy or more or less a RB with a skirt on it. It might be possible that something like that would work marginally. I've never shot a smooth bore so I don't know for sure but maybe someone like Waksupi will chime in. I know he shoots smooth bores.

[stubshaft]

it would depend on the center of gravity of the boolit. If the front half was heavier that the rear half it would fly like a shuttlecock. If the rear portion was heavier then the front then it would tumble. The 12ga slug is an example of weight foreward CG as well as the Lee .50cal TARGET Minie. Although they do not tumble in flight they not exhibit the greatest of accuracy.

[Tom-ADC]

Not sure about smoothbore but my .58 Zouve likes them. I do fill the skirt with bore butter and it seems to keep fouling way down.