sizing Minies???

[rmcc]

I have a Lee 360 gr Minie mold. Casts great bullets. My question is this, my friend and I both have T/C Hawken 50s. My cast bullets load easily (in clean barrel) and his we have to start with a mallet and they ram home HARD!! Who makes the best size die for a 50?

Thanks,
Rich

[idahoron]

I size my Lee 45 cal minie's to .444 and then Paper Patch them. Lee makes a .501 sizer. I use them with my Paper patched 500 S&W bullets. Here is what the 45 cal Minie looks like after it is sized. Ron

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/Muzzleloaders/316grMinisized444.jpg

[mooman76]

I don't believe anyone makes the correct size die for a minie. You would have to have one custom made. I can't for the life of me understand why Lee makes their minies this size. They should be a hair under bore size so they slide in easy. I have 3 for the 50 and had a 4th hoping it would be better. They make the ones for the 54 and 58 smaller han bore size so why not the 50. I was going to either make or get one made but just never have. I might add I have 4 50 calibers and they don't fit any of them except at the start when they are dead clean. You could check with Buckshot here. He will make a sizer at a reasonable price and a few others here do too.

[Maven]

Get in touch (via a PM) with Buckshot about your sizing die needs.

[rmcc]

Thanks all, will do that. The bullets shoot well, as long as you have a hammer!! Did some more testing:
1) clean vs dirty barrel> clean barrel easier to load with some, still have to use mallet on others.
2) was worried about bullet upset after loading so hard> used T/C Hawken and T/C Black Diamond> no significant difference in shot to shot or group to group performance..was really surprised at this!! Conclusion for me is the inherent Minie desgign. The "skirt" covers some defects in loader and rifle.