Originally Posted by
cornfork
Thanks for all the info guys! I will definitely try the maxiballs. I'm always glad to hear some advice on what really works out in the field. I would prefer something that knocked them down quicker if possible. I even thought about ordering a lee mold like this one (
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Catego...01/1/LEE-90405) to try my hand at making balls and Lee R.E.A.L bullets. I think I read somewhere that
tire places may give you old tire weights to use. I thought I could cut some costs along the way by making my own.
Cornfork,
The LEE REAL is a great bullet and I have used it in several of my rifles with good success. I have the same mold you posted the link to, but have yet to try it in my .45 so I can't offer up an opinion on it.
One thing I will give you my opinion on is your idea of using wheel weight lead for casting your own balls & bullets.
THAT IS A BIG NO-NO!!! Wheel weight lead is much too hard for use in muzzleloaders as it generally contains tin or antimony. Bullets made from wheel weight lead are
very hard to load and you will have nothing but problems (I'm telling you this from personal experience) so save the wheelweight lead for casting sinkers.
Make sure you use only pure soft lead like the old plumbers or roofers lead. Check your local scrap yards for some or ask a roofing or plumbing contractor you may know if they have any. If you can easily score it with your thumbnail, it's soft enough. Soft lead roundballs actually "obturate" (become slightly oval) when the main charge explodes so even though you would be using a lubed patch, balls cast from wheel weights may not perform like the pure lead roundballs and will probably load much harder as well.
BPS