Shooting large chunks of lead in an old time rifle

[cayuga]

Today I was looking over the gun rack and picked out a nice new T/C .54 caliber Renegade. It has the original barrel with the 1-48 twist on it. I bought it cheap but I really do not think it was ever shot too much.

I also looked through the bullet cabinet and found a box of different conicals. There were some Thompson Center 430 grain Maxi Ball, some 411 grain home casted Maxi Ball, some 405 grain hollow point PowerBelts, and some 533 grain Minnie ball.

Left Picture

I loaded the PowerBelts over 90 grains of Goex 2f and shot all the groups off a bench at 30 yards. I was not real impressed with the group the powerbelts shot. I marked them with a black arrow. I then swabbed the barrel and loaded the 411 grain hand cast Maxi Ball in .548 diameter. I used a wonder wad under them and 80 grains of Goex 2f. I green circled them and they shot a very good group for the standard stock sights on the rifle.

Right Picture

I then swabbed the barrel and loaded the minnie ball. I only put 60 grains of Goex 2f under them and they were Teflon tape wrapped. They sprayed all over the place. I marked them with red arrows. I then swabbed the barrel and shot the Thompson Center 430 grain Maxi Ball that came pre-lubed. I shot them with 80 grains of Goex and no wonder wad. I was real pleased with the way they shot, grouped and handled.

Next time out I want to try the home cast without the wonder wad and I might even use some bore butter to lube them instead of my homemade castor oil lube. But all in all it was a great day of shooting.

 

[n8dawg6]

im thinking about picking up one of those lee real molds, they're so cheap. how do you lube the bullets you get from it? i'm assuming its not designed to go through a sizer

of course . . .im also thinking about buying a white from doc, and buying a mountain man mold for it. AND im thinking about a flintlock, AND im BROKE anyway, and, etc.

 

[cayuga]

The LEE molds, actually all my bullets I cast I do not re-seze although some people do. I make a homemade solid lube and with my finger pack lube into the ribs and drive it home. I really like casting bullets but as of late, I just can not seem to find the time to get out into the shop and do it. I guess when friends come over with more lead and want bullets, then I will go back out...