Where To Go From Here?

[Guy La Pourque]

Today I became an official boolit caster! And - I did pretty good for a hare lipped retard!

I am flying by the seat of my pants and learned everything I know from you guys here, the fellas over on the black powder geek forum and youtube. I bought a Lee bullet mold that throws 300 grain R.E.A.L. bullets and they came out OK.

Now - these things either have to be lubed or patched, right? I went to the paper patch section and tried to use the paper around the house with terrible results - can't seem to get a tight roll like the fellas do...

Are there other options? What would you fellas recommend? Your two bits are sincerely appreciated.

[wgr]

lube them they are bore size boolets. lots of black powder lubes out there.

[mooman76]

Crisco will work for a lube. Just wipe some on.

[idahoron]

Guy, Your 50 cal REAL boolit is going to be about .517 give or take .002
Depending on what paper you use it is just going to be bigger like at least .523 or more so I can see your paper probably stripped right off the boolit am I right? Paper Patching the REAL is not impossible it is just not the right boolit for that job.

I have shot REAL boolits. You can smear on some bore butter on them or you can use Hornady great plains lube they both work. I have used BPCR lube with very good luck. That lube is designed for black powder and at the velocity you are going to have.

I also have to ask what is the weight of your REAL's? I know you said what the mould was but what did they actually come out at? Also is your mould a 54? Ron

[Boerrancher]

Paper patching is a whole new game especially with a muzzle loader. I agree with Mooman, get you a small can of Crisco Veg shortening and you will have enough boolit and patch lube to last a life time for a muzzleloader.

Best wishes,

Joe

[Guy La Pourque]

Thanks guys!

Idahoron it is a .54 mold. I have a Spaghetti Plains rifle with a 1:48 twist. The damn thing won't shoot round ball accurately when charges go past 60 gr. FFg. I figured if I went to a short bullet and drove the pig as fast as I can I should be able to stabilize it in my rifle. I just went down stairs to weigh a few and they seem to come in around 300 grains - plus or minus 5 grains.

I have some old lead cable insulators that I have been melting down and they are pretty crappy. I don't know if I did it right but I melted them down, threw in a few shavings of beeswax and stirred up the melt vigorously. I scooped off the dross (it looked like dirt floating on top of the melt) - but I don't know if I got rid of all of it. There seemed to be this scummy gray film on top of the melt and I don't know if it was just impurities or cooler lead...?

Anyhow...the fit to the bore is really loose. I have tried 'store bought' REAL bullets before and I swear they were a tighter fit on starting...

So I just smear some bore butter or Crisco on them and fire them? Is it that easy?

Hey...can you guys recommend a different mold by any chance...? Just curious, I would like to try a few...

[idahoron]

Most of the REAL's are over sized to the point that a guy has to smack them hard to start them.
When your pouring boolits out of pure lead they will be a little heavier than the target weight. My 320 gr REAL mould throws 324 gr. I would grade them by sight and then by weight. I grade them +- 1 grain. +- 5 grains is too much. Some of the lighter ones might not have filled out or they might even have a hole in them. Make sure the mould and lead is HOT.
The Gray film is lead oxide and that is normal. I am curious how soft the lead is.
Besides smearing on some bore butter I would also use an over powder wad. REAL's seem to like over powder wads.. Ron
I don't use a 54 so I don't have any info on moulds for them. Good luck, Ron

[mooman76]

You could actually go to the heavier REAL with that twist in a 54. I would think you could do better than 60gr with a patched RB even with that twist. Try a tighter patch if you can or a stronger one. Examine your patches after firing. That will tell you allot.

[tomme boy]

Try some 3F. Every rifle is differant on what it wants. Try it even with the RB's.

[Guy La Pourque]

Well thanks again guys. I will sort them and grade them and see what happens. They won't go rattlin' down the pipe - but they will slide down with very little effort. I suppose they will deform under pressure and acceleration...? That is what I HOPE will happen anyways.

Thanks for the other suggestions too. I have tried 3F, heavier bullets, tighter patches and I got pretty anal about it too. The 400+ grainers key hole on me - and to me that means they aren't stabilizing...if I understand things correctly. My best accuracy came from some 325 gr. (approximately) from the Buffalo Bullet Company. I could drive those babies at top speed and they shot like a dream. Unfortunately the company went out of business or something because I can't buy them anymore - hence my newfound boolit casting hobby.

I really appreciate all the info fellas! Good shooting and take care!