Lee R.E.A.L.bullet mould

[wap41]

I'm new to casting and need all the help I can get.Lee makes a mould for it's R.E.A.L.muzzel loader bullet that doesn't use a patch and is good for light or heavy loads.Has anyone used one and what do you do about lube?

[docone31]

My .50cal Hawken wannabe loves them!
It has a 1/48 twist and it is very accurate up to 90gns. I just had to do it once. Actually several times. Kinda fun.
At any rate, you smear lube on the casting prior to loading.
I make my lube.
Beeswax, and Olive oil. Start out at 60%, and 40%. Let it cool. If it is too loose, add more beeswax.
I get no fouling to speak of. I use Pyrodex RS. The R.E.A.L. scrapes the crud down the tube as the casting is loaded. Some come out large. I have to tap them in the bore with the starter then, rather than push them like a patched ball.
I have used wheel weight, wheel weight/lead, and pure lead. They all print the same.
It hits hard, and flies straight!
Sometimes, they get tipped on loading. When that happens, I use the ball starter to hit them straight as I pound them down the bore. It doesn't take much effort.
I found the load data that Lee provides is good for at least 100yds. There is slush in the data. Start at the bottom and work up. For my .50, it calls for 20gns to start. I started at 60gns.
I really like it.
Easy to load, fires well, a little gooey to get in the bore but what the heck. If you do not have old jeans on, bring a rag. The hands get really slippery with that one.
I did put valve lapping compound on one when I first fired my Hawken. POI did not change, but it slides slightly easier down the bore.
I reccomend it.

[idahoron]

Most of the REALS I have seen shoot amazing at 50 yards and can't hit a bull in the @ss at 100 yards. I don't care for them. Ron

[piwo]

No luck with my .54 R.E.A.L experiment. Tosses them around. I've tried many different load combinations, but guess I could try to drop it WAY down to see what happens. I've read where many here have had great success, especially with the .50...

[mooman76]

The REALs should real good with the right twist rate. Not enough twist and they shoot all over and unpredictable. My 45 shoots them close but has fliers. It has a 1/66 twist and obviousely is just past the edge of being stable. My 50 has a 1/48 and shoots them very well. Too tight a twist and you can't push them very hard or they strip and you loose accuracy there too.

[Stonecrusher]

I started using the 325 grn .50 cal REAL last hunting season because I didn't want to fool with the really tight patch and ball combo needed to get my TC Hawken shooting well. This was my first with conicals and I was very impressed. My Hawken has 1-48 twist and will touch bullets at 50 yards and sub 2" groups at 100yds. This is with tang mounted aperature sight. I am using max load of 110grns of Goex FFG and get about 1600 fps over the chrono. Sighted about 1" high at 50 and about 1 1/2" low at 100. They are impressive on game also. Farthest any critter went last year was about 20 feet. The last doe I shot was hit in shoulder and ball exited about halfway up neck. She was DRT. This was at about 40 yds. Only problem is the rifle does thump you. With that narrow crescent buttplate it feels like a 12 Ga 3" mag slug going off. I just bought a pistol scope to mount scout style to help with seeing at dusk and dawn. For $17 cost of mold, you don't have much to lose and will probably be very pleased with the results.

[Hurricane]

Lee makes the REAL bullet in two lenghts for 45, 50, and 54 caliber and only one size for 58 caliber. If your rifle has the round ball refiling of 66 inches per revolution the short (lighter weight) bullet would be best. If your have a faster twist such as the Thompson Center 48 inch per revolution the heavier bullet would be best. Good luck and good shooting.

[wap41]

Has anyone tried bore butter for bullet lube?

[badgeredd]

wap41,

I lube my REALs with a 60/40 beeswax/Crisco lube panlubed. works well for me.

Edd

[Larry Gibson]

I use both weights of REALs in my TC Black Mountain Magnum with a 28" twist. One thing I found also was accuracy was excellent at 50 yards but horrible at 100 yards. It is the same with RBs. However, further experimenting found that when velocity was loawered with both the REAL and RBs accuracy was excellent out to 150 yards. Best bet is to work up the load at 100 yards. If the REAL shoots well at 100 then it will also shoot well 50 yards and at 150 yards. With the slower 48" twist accuracy has been really good across the board with REALs in my friends 45 and .50 cals.

I also make my own lube same as daconne31. I use a mix of 5/4 beeswax and olive oil. I've also used Bore Butter 1000 with equal success. I just hand lube a quanity of bullets by hand while watching TV before the trip to the range or hunting. REALs are quik and easy to load/use especially with a BP substitute such as FFF triple 7. Many, many shots can be fired before any cleaning is required and then it is quick and easy.

Larry Gibson

[2shot]

I shoot R.E.A.L. out of my Remington Zouave and Kodiak double barrel both in .58 caliber and they shoot good at 50 yards. Zouave I shoot 40-60 gains of FFg BP and in the Kodiak I shoot 100 grains FFg BP lubed with TC Maxi-ball lube.

If your rifle twist can hadle them I would suggest patched round balls as an all around bullet for both light and heavy loads. I shoot a 50 caliber with RB and 85 grains of FFg and have shot deer from stem to stern and recovered the ball under the skin on the off side. On broadside shots I have never recovered a ball and get complete penetration. RB shoots good at low and high velosity's. And as a plus if you didn't know, round lead ball DO expand when they hit living tissue.

2shot

[Geraldo]

REALs shoot very well out of my .50, but not as well out of a 1:28" GM .45 barrel. I lube them with a little Bore Butter in the last groove or two. If you tell me what caliber you're shooting I could send you a few to try before you buy a mold.

[wap41]

Thanks to everyone for all the info.I've already ordered the mould it's a 45 cal 250 gr.I have a fast and a slower twist rifle that I want to try them in.I have a martini -henry 577-450 with an adapter to convert it to a ML. I want to try some in it.577-450 is a expensive project to reload for so if these would work it would be some inexpensive fun.

[mooman76]

I have used bore butter in mine and crisco too. They both seemed to work equally well in REALs. I am not a big fan of bore butter but I do use it, it works and I'll leave it at that.

[mac1911]

thread Resurrection,
I picked up a Lee REAL 250gn mold. Casted some pure lead and they dropped right at 450-452 grains.
I went to use them to day and what i found was the bullet needed a good push to start into the rifling . although after 1 inch they just dropped into the bore and i could shake the gun and hear the bullet wobble around. My first 2 shots did hit the target at 100 yards but 6" both high and left of each other. Any how I looked down the bore (bore scope) I could pretty much tell where the bullet did not engage the bore at all....there is one groove/land that shows a lot of fouling and maybe lead about 1/3 up the barrel.

these slugs should engage the rifling the entire way correct? Also is there a way to slug a TC Omega ? the rifle is not used much at all and i was getting decent 2" groups with the black sabot and 45cal 230 gn LCRN bullets?

i only got 2 shots off and it ooks like my Omega broke the firing pin already... I have a spare one at home along with a new breach plug ?/

[FergusonTO35]

I shoot the 250 grain REAL in my NEF Huntsman. With 70 grains Triple 7 and Bore Butter for lube it is more accurate than I can hold. The ribs of the REAL become engraved quickly, which allows the boolit to seat more easily than other types. Yes, the boolit should engage the rifling all the way down the bore with no looseness anywhere, sounds like you have figured out where the problem is. Your TC may be a bit overbore as the manufacturer expects you to be using sabots or powerbelt type slugs. Also, the REAL is a mold that works best really hot, otherwise the ribs won't fill out all the way. Are all your boolits loose in the bore? If only some of them are I bet you are casting undersize.

[54bore]

Anyone change their mind since July of 2009? LOL, I actually think these Lee R.E.A.L.s are gonna be one of my last efforts at trying to get a 54 Cal to shoot tighter than a Volkswagen at 100 yards. So far the very best i have shot a 54 Cal was with these R.E.A.L.s in 380 grain i believe? Its the heaviest of the 2 available for 54 Cal, i even Paper patched these! I ran them thru a .538 first, then wrapped my 2 wraps of onion skin paper and then ran them through a .539 it worked great! My group was about the size of a coffee can lid, Which is WAY better than any of my other 54s have done (i own 4 of them) i also own 5 different Maxi Ball and Maxi Hunter molds for .54 Cal, My like for 54 Cal is shrinking at a rapid pace, i REALLY want to like one, but so far they wouldnt make a pimple on the buttstock of my rifles with a Green Mountain Fast Twist barrel (i have 2 of these, a 45 and a 50) My Green Mountain LRH barrels are what have kept me in Black powder! With all the Garbage Luck i have had with .54 Cals i would have quit long ago!! This is why i have been on such a mission to find a fast twist 54, i am bound and determined to see one shoot like my Green Mountains, but i am confident theres No way in HELL its gonna happen with these Stock 1:48 twist TC Barrels, I have tried HARD with GARBAGE results. I recently seen some 54 Cal Lee R.E.A.L.s in the smallest of the 2 weights for 54 Cal, they were 300 grain, a local guy around the area pours and sells them to sport shops, I almost bought a box but after closely examining the bullets i was less than impressed with the quality of his casting, i figure at 20 bucks for the Mold if they dont shoot im not out a whole bunch. I really believe these little short 300 Grain R.E.A.L.s will shoot good in my Stock 1:48 twist Barrels, im gonna try anyway! If this fails like everything else i have tried with 54 i will make Yard Ornaments, and maybe a good pry bar for my garage

[54bore]

2 of the 4 Barrels i have in 54 Cal have TC's QLA Muzzle, which i think is garbage. The one that has shot the best for me is a REALLY old low 4 digit serial number Renegade barrel, it obviously does NOT have the QLA muzzle, i put a Lyman 17AHB Globe front sight with a Lee shavers insert on this barrel. I let my dad take one of my Hawken Barrels in 54 Cal and put it on his Renegade to try out, it has the QLA muzzle, this barrel looks like brand new. If he cant get it to shoot well i will send that barrel to Bobby Hoyt and have him bore it out to 58 Cal and twist it to my liking.

[rodwha]

My .50 cal Deerstalker engraves and holds the heavier 320 grn REAL just fine. Takes a bit of effort to seat but then slides with just a little effort. It nevers just drops down. It does require a felt wad to shoot right.

Either they aren't filling out or your bore is a bit over sized further down, which is about what it sounds like if it's engraving upon loading but then rattling down the bore.

[mac1911]

Been casting for sometime and I "think" I,had the mold hot enough. Stays on top of the pot while lead melts. I can feel the warmth through the handles with no gloves on. They look very good. I measured a few the best I could with a caliper. Top rib is .511-.513" the lower ribs get smaller with the base rib being .503-.505"