casting own roundball
 

Been thinking about casting my own roundball for use in my hawkens and also for my sons thunderhawk. Haven't casted in years so would have pick up a few things to get started again.

Not looking to mass produce but would find it cool to shoot a deer with a gun I built with a bullet I casted.

What size mold is most common for .50 cal? I know I would need to play with patch thickness for optimal performance.

.490
.485

Or even smaller?

Might even pickup a mold for my .44 bp pistol but that's another thing.

Thanks for the help

Dave

I'm casting .490 and .495 roundball for my two rifles, they dont use the same size! no matter differant patch-material. I would not suggest smaller than .490, patches will have to be too thick and the weight difference, smaller will weighs less.

Thanks. Yeah my hawkens has a tighter bore than my sons thunderhawk.

Been using shockwaves for years and they don't let me down but been rattleing the idea of casting my own roundballs for over a yr.

Guess walking buy the reloading isle and stopping to look at molds the other day set the wheels in motion.

Depends on the brand of the barrel. Most T/C, CVA, Traditions, use a .490. Lyman and Green Mountain can shoot a .495 as well very good. Also think in terms of how thick a patch you want to shoot. I personally cast .490 and make them work in all rifles according to patch thickness.

I agree with Cayugad. I'd go with the .490 mould. Lee makes a good one and the price is reasonable. The Lees IMO leave less of a spue on the ball then the Lymans.

I would by a box of 490 RB fisrt and try them. 100 RB go a long way. I have cast for years and for some guns I don't shoot a lot I just by a box of Hornady or Speer RB

Depends on the brand of the barrel

Will look for some. .490 and see how they shoot. Don't know why I didn't think about it till this past weekend but the current box I have is .495

Got my son dialed in this past weekend with his new setup and was stacking rounds at 20 yards and smacked a 3" target at 50 yards. He is 7 so I was very proud. Shooting 50gr of powder and roundball. Plan is to get him his first deer this yr. He loves shooting be gun or bow and can't wait for deer season.