Cast Minie Ball In A Cartridge Question

by Hoot @, Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Saturday, January 18, 2014, 10:48 (3905 days ago)

So, in the depths of the rabbit warren I call my mind, I got to wondering if a muzzleloading bullet with the "reverse slanted" lube grooves would work loaded in a typical brass cartridge case. All this assuming correct diameters, etc. Anyone ever give this a go?

Thanks!

Cast Minie Ball In A Cartridge Question

by uncowboy, Saturday, January 18, 2014, 11:17 (3905 days ago) @ Hoot

lee makes a real bullet that had a flat point with lots of groves and I always wanted to try them in a pistol. Like a heavy hollow base wadcutter. Great short range deer round.

Cast Minie Ball In A Cartridge Question

by D Sikes @, Missouri Ozarks, Saturday, January 18, 2014, 13:43 (3905 days ago) @ Hoot

Well... I've done muzzle loading round balls (soft lead) in cartidges before (.45 Colt case with a lead round ball pushed in) and they sorta work... the biggest problem I see with using a cast muzzle loading Minni is that if it's cast soft lead for muzzle loading use, then it might be too soft if pushed at smokeless powder velocities... if you do load them soft, I'd load black powder or 777 powder in the case instead of any modern smokeless powder....

my two cents worth... GRIN

Cast Minie Ball In A Cartridge Question

by Jared, Saturday, January 18, 2014, 13:58 (3905 days ago) @ Hoot

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/mould-details-blackpowder.php?entryID=84
I have this mold And have used it in a couple of .45 colts. I just lubed the bottom groove and then seated and crimped in the top. They shot great. I tried them on my steel out to around.50 yards. My only "problem" with it is it uses a lot of lube.

Cast Minie Ball In A Cartridge Question

by Slow Hand ⌂ @, Indiana, Saturday, January 18, 2014, 19:40 (3905 days ago) @ Hoot

I used one like this:

http://www.precisionreloading.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PRE&P...

In my .43 Mauser 71/84. It cast a little small, but was a hollow base mold. Loaded over black powder, it did just fine for me!

Yep. That's the mold I was thinking of...

by Hoot @, Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Monday, January 20, 2014, 07:55 (3903 days ago) @ uncowboy

I picked up a 455-288 (Lee shows it currently as "454-298") with the thought of loading it in my "Faux .455 Webley". I also ran across a similar Lyman mold closer to the original Webley weight of 265gr...haven't bought that one...yet.

Hey Don! BP sure would be fun.

by Hoot @, Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Monday, January 20, 2014, 07:59 (3903 days ago) @ D Sikes

I didn't state where I was trying to go but I've got the thought to duplicate the .455 Eley/Webley round...265-ish grains at 600-ish fps. I assume leading shouldn't be much of an issue. If/when I ever get to trying this, I'll throw some BP in the mix. It'll be good for a case of the grins.

Thanks Jared!

by Hoot @, Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Monday, January 20, 2014, 08:06 (3903 days ago) @ Jared

Figured someone would have tried something like this.

Thanks Doug!

by Hoot @, Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Monday, January 20, 2014, 08:12 (3903 days ago) @ Slow Hand

***

Cast Minie Ball In A Cartridge Question

by Paul ⌂, Monday, January 20, 2014, 10:41 (3903 days ago) @ Hoot

Hoot,

Years ago I used the Lee REAL (Rifling Engraved At Loading) designed for the Ruger Old Army - in an Old Army - over a snort of inappropriate powder. :-D My one regret is that I used muzzle loading lube (Ox Yoke wonderlube or something like that) that was kind of goopey, gooey, runny stuff that would have been good enough for FFFg loads but which contaminated the inappropriate powder charge and lead to a burst barrel. However, when fresh loaded that pistol had some tremendous power. No chrony around but judging by later experiments with cartridge pistols of similar caliber leads me to believe that the load was generating in excess of 1,200 fps. Now, the weight of that bullet is not remembered by yours truly. It was, however, a nice fit in the Ruger Old Army, methinks it was around .257 or so, which may or may not work in your stated application of 455 Eley. Is this an original gun or a modern repro effort? It would be nifty if cast of pure lead and launched at a more sedate speed than the stomp 'em loads it was my pleasure to develop way back in the depths of youth...

A quick look at Lee's site...

by Paul ⌂, Monday, January 20, 2014, 10:47 (3903 days ago) @ Hoot

does not show the Ruger Old Army variation of the REAL. Don't know if my memory is faulty as to its existence, but can not remember any possible alternative conical that might have played a part in my experiments. Methinks it's been discontinued.

Yep, I recall your 'inappropriate powder' tale.

by Hoot @, Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Tuesday, January 21, 2014, 07:37 (3902 days ago) @ Paul

The current Lee OA bullet is somewhere's around 225gr (pretty sure). I have some of those to try as well.

My "Faux Webley" is actually two pistols. One is a Colt New Service and the other is a 1917 S&W both originally chambered in .455 Eley and recut for .45 ACP. They shoot the ACP well enough but I'd like to play with something closer to the original Eley load just for S's and G's.

Thanks!

Yep, I recall your 'inappropriate powder' tale.

by Slow Hand ⌂ @, Indiana, Tuesday, January 21, 2014, 08:16 (3902 days ago) @ Hoot

Boot, I've got a lee hollow based round nose bullet. It was designed as a gallery bullet for .45-70, but I shot tjousands of them in CAS loaded over BP in .45 S&W cases. They were shot through Italian copies of 1872 Open Tops and an 1860 Henry. I cast them fairly soft and I'm sure I've got some around here you're welcome to. If not, I'll make sure to turn some out next time I have the pot fired up. I want to say they were around 245gr. My 454424 casts a little large, too. I have some cast soft that I shot through my rechambered New Service. I can send some of those your way too. They run around 265gr.

Thanks Doug!

by Hoot @, Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Thursday, January 23, 2014, 11:39 (3900 days ago) @ Slow Hand

No need to rush or do a special run. Some of my "projects" incubate for a long time. ;-)

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