.54 caliber Minnie Balls

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02-27-2016, 09:45 PM

#11

Newtire

Spike

Join Date: Feb 2003

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Posts: 5

Beagling a mould

Quote:

Originally Posted by cayugad

I bought the mold and made up 100 .54 caliber 415 grain minnie balls. I thought they would be a lot of fun to shoot. They looked excellent after they were made. I am sad to report they did not shoot very well.

The first thing you notice is the loose fit. The first one I loaded in the clean rifle fell down the barrel almost. I turned the rifle over and shook it back out. I then fowled the barrel to see if that made a difference. Well all I can say is put away your short ball starter, they are not needed. It was so loose, I checked it against my .50 caliber. Too big, made for a .54 caliber. I then thought I might be able to patch the thing. The patch was just a little too tight to try. I think a paper patch might work.

Accuracy was not the greatest. At 35 yards off shooting sticks it made about a 3" group which is unacceptable. The first was a flyer, and the more I shot the better they got. I did not clean the rifle barrel at all. I left it get dirty.

There is some definate recoil in the load. I was shooting 70 grains of Pyrodex RS and the recoil in my Renegade was STIFF. I am glad I did not up the charge any it would have become brutal almost.

I wish I had bought some and tried them before getting the mold, but I live and learn all the time. I think I can work on them with a paper patch and maybe get them better.

I know of something you might try. Sounds a little contrary but you might be surprised-I was! I got a real nice looking Zoli Remington Zouave .58 with a largish bore that had the same issues With Minie balls that you are having. Fortunately there's a fix. To save time,sneak over to castboolits-gunloads.com & do a search on "Beagling" a mould. It involves using aluminum HVAC vent ducting tape strips to slightly separate the mould halves to make a bigger "boolit"-as they call cast over there. Sure, sounds like an egg-shaped slug now but it blows itself out round once 60 so grains of black hits it. Really works & I've done it. Get 1-1/2-2" 50 yard groups @50 yds. About 4" @100yds. Sure, you hear about 1" Minie ball 100yd. groups but my keyboard can make those groups too. Fun to shoot those big slugs. Can't use that much powder or you'll blow the skirts off of them. Try this, you'll see.