Bullet Casting for my CVA WOLF .50 cal

[ThePackman]

Hey there, I was hoping to get some info on the obscure topic of casting bullets for modern in-line muzzle loaders. My goal here is to put together a decent and affordable .50 cal bullet for plinking and if possible for hunting that will shoot accurately out of a modern in-line with a 1:28 twist. I have looked all over the internet and this is not a popular topic, seems like most modern inline dudes just shoot powerbelts or sabots. I would really prefer to shoot big hunks of lead over fancy jacketed nonsense. Ill clean my barrel i dont care. I am also not looking for crazy range or to shoot flat, 100 yards is fine for me. I will be using this in Colorado so due to regulations id like to avoid sabots. Seems like it is super easy to find bullet molds for the old timey 1:48 due to the shortness of roundball and conicals but there doesn't seem to be a good off the shelf option for inlines. For now I will be using lee REAL and just using a small charge and shooting short distances.

 

[52Bore]

Best place I know is Accurate Molds website, look under catalog. They have a large verity. One thing to remember - you can adjust any dimension to fit your needs. So, if you see a bullet you like email them (Tom) and he’ll be very helpful. My 50-488M is one he’s copied for me.
Manufacturers don’t really want you casting - they want you to buy their bullets...

 

[Saxtonyoung]

There are plenty of members here that are shooting conicals in muzzleloaders with a 1:28 twist. The bullet really doesn't care if its coming out of a sidelock or an inline rifle.

 

[ThePackman]

My other question is, How does a lead bullet provide a gas seal? Do traditional all lead conicals with the hollow base that expand work well? I have heard of paper patching but I have no idea what that is.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Hey there, I was hoping to get some info on the obscure topic of casting bullets for modern in-line muzzle loaders. My goal here is to put together a decent and affordable .50 cal bullet for plinking and if possible for hunting that will shoot accurately out of a modern in-line with a 1:28 twist. I have looked all over the internet and this is not a popular topic, seems like most modern inline dudes just shoot powerbelts or sabots. I would really prefer to shoot big hunks of lead over fancy jacketed nonsense. Ill clean my barrel i dont care. I am also not looking for crazy range or to shoot flat, 100 yards is fine for me. I will be using this in Colorado so due to regulations id like to avoid sabots. Seems like it is super easy to find bullet molds for the old timey 1:48 due to the shortness of roundball and conicals but there doesn't seem to be a good off the shelf option for inlines. For now I will be using lee REAL and just using a small charge and shooting short distances.

So your Wolf will probably shoot anything from 180-400(or even more)grain ok. Probably tho you want to stay between 200-300 grain for good all around performance with less recoil. Lead will 'obturate' (expand to seal the bore) when you fire. So it seals itself up pretty well. But most guys(not all) will put a wad in between the powder and bullet (1/8" thick wool) to help seal and protect the bullet base from the burning powder. I shoot lead bullets on 80-90 grains volume of bh209 and its very accurate at 100 yards. Hollow base bullets seal up even better b-cuz the blast pushes out that hollow base into the rifling. I dont yhink they are absolutely neccessary with substitute powders like 777 of bh209. But you and yer gun gotta figure out which bullet and powder works best. Imho the Lyman plains bullet at 395 is a great bullet that'll probably shoot ok in your gun if figure out the right powder and wad setup.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Lee has a decent mold(if you can find any molds in stock) in the 360 range. It says it casts at .500 but mine used to cast at .503 and shot ok 'as cast'. Of course if they are a little loose then you can just roll them between two rough flat files to swell them up a tiny bit (knurling)
https://leeprecision.com/mold-500-360-m.html

 

[ThePackman]

Lee has a decent mold(if you can find any molds in stock) in the 360 range. It says it casts at .500 but mine used to cast at .503 and shot ok 'as cast'. Of course if they are a little loose then you can just roll them between two rough flat files to swell them up a tiny bit (knurling)
https://leeprecision.com/mold-500-360-m.html

Thanks for the tip, the dang mold is sold out everywhere . Guess I'll have to wait...

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I put a Lee mold on backorder at Track of the Wolf. It just came in a couple days ago. Ordered on 1-6-2021. Less than a month.

 

[Saxtonyoung]

The Lee 500-360M that Muzzy is referring to is an excellent bullet probably doesn't get the recognition it deserves, I have shot it as a cast bullet and also paper patched.

 

[eekjellander]

My other question is, How does a lead bullet provide a gas seal? Do traditional all lead conicals with the hollow base that expand work well? I have heard of paper patching but I have no idea what that is.

When fired the diameter expands to fill rifling (if) your alloy is correct for velocity/bullet design .BHN too hard , blow by/gas cutting of base . To soft causes bullet slump /leading . And do not forget the all important wad to help prevent base against deforming caused by blowby /gas cutting and casting to soft a bullet for the velocity your shooting . A little added insurance in case you exceed your alloys capabilities./Ed

 

[Idaholewis]

Hey there, I was hoping to get some info on the obscure topic of casting bullets for modern in-line muzzle loaders. My goal here is to put together a decent and affordable .50 cal bullet for plinking and if possible for hunting that will shoot accurately out of a modern in-line with a 1:28 twist. I have looked all over the internet and this is not a popular topic, seems like most modern inline dudes just shoot powerbelts or sabots. I would really prefer to shoot big hunks of lead over fancy jacketed nonsense. Ill clean my barrel i dont care. I am also not looking for crazy range or to shoot flat, 100 yards is fine for me. I will be using this in Colorado so due to regulations id like to avoid sabots. Seems like it is super easy to find bullet molds for the old timey 1:48 due to the shortness of roundball and conicals but there doesn't seem to be a good off the shelf option for inlines. For now I will be using lee REAL and just using a small charge and shooting short distances.

For a factory mold i always advise the Lyman Plains, i have proven that Bullet OVER & OVER in 1:28 and 1:48 Twist, But finding one of them Molds will probably be extremely difficult at this time, you can’t find any factory Bullet Molds to speak of right now

Lyman Plains Bullet in 1:28 Twist Green Mountain LRH


Better yet is to have a Mold Made by Accurate Bullet Molds. My very first Choice would be #50-415I
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=50-415I

5 Shot Group, Shot with my Green Mountain LRH 1:28 Twist

My next Choice would be Accurate Molds #51-450M, With a Few slight modifications. This is a Copy of an Original 460 Bullshop Bullet. This is an AWESOME Bullet
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=51-450M

My next choice would be #50-385M, They weigh 400 Grains Cast of PURE Lead
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=50-385M

Testing it in my 1:28 Twist GM LRH Barrel

This Cow Elk was killed with a CVA Wolf and my Accurate Molds #50-385M

This Bull was also Killed with my Accurate Molds #50-385M, 1:28 Twist Green Mountain Barrel
https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/2020-co-public-land-muzzy-bull.36849/

 

[turtlelonghair]

I'm with you PackMan can't find 50 caliber and I've been looking for a conical 36 caliber but I make my own 45 caliber conicals 200 grain the way I shoot mine I use loose powder 45 caliber Wonder wad and the bullet I use lee mold I've made about 2,000 they come out real good mine is the one in 28 twist but I'm going to try to shoot him out of my Kentucky rifle and it's a 1 in 66

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I think the wait time for a mold i ordered from Accurate was slightly less than the backorder Lee from TOTW. If you can afford it order a mold from Accurate and get exactly what you want. It IS a better mold. The 50-415i or the 50-385m would be what i will get when i get a 50 cal ml again. But there are a lot of good molds in their catalog.

 

[ThePackman]

Might as well do it right the first time. I am going to go with Accurate! Plus id rather support a small business that can really stand by their quality. Idaholewis thanks for the videos, very cool.

 

[eekjellander]

My latest mold took just over 2 weeks from Accurate after being told 4-5 ,ordered in Dec recieved Dec/Ed

 

[turtlelonghair]

Accurate is a little bit expensive I see lees are a lot cheaper but hard to find

 

[HC]

There’s no comparison between accurate and lee molds.

 

[eekjellander]

Accurate is a little bit expensive I see lees are a lot cheaper but hard to find

You get what you pay for, cast a lot and sell the mold for close to what you paid (or more) some folks hate waiting and molds keep going UP. With Accurate you cast better with less rejects every time/Ed

 

[turtlelonghair]

What's the price on a accurate mold I like to find a nipple to fit my 50 cal night don't have the original and don't know what size threads it is got any advice

 

[turtlelonghair]

Well I have two Lee molds one is 45 caliber conical the other is 36 caliber round ball I've never had no trouble with them