.50 Cal TC Maxi Ball

[Idaholewis]

I couldn’t resist the Deal i got on this Brand New, Old Stock .50 Cal TC Maxi Mold, The Guy sold it to me for the “Sticker price” on the Box I also have a Lyman 50 Cal Maxi Ball Mold (Steel) Along with Several others in All Calibers they Made them in (Except the .32)

The Old Box it came in

And what i paid For it

The Mold was JET BLACK Before i Heated it up, It’s Not anymore

It casts a NICE SHARP Bullet

Weight is SPOT on what they Say it’s Suppose to be, These ALL weigh 370.5 On the Dot

 

[Idaholewis]

Few of my Old TC Mold Boxes (Lyman & RCBS), these Stil have New Molds in them

 

[Idaholewis]

The TC Maxi Ball has never really interested me much, I think it’s the “Ugly Duckling” of Cast Muzzleloader Bullets, Just my opinion of course. Fact is, The Ole Maxi Ball has accounted for LOTS N LOTS of Game over the Years, No disputing that!

 

[deermanok]

Nice looking bullets. I was reading some of your older posts about the Lee real in 250 grain and how they didn't do well out of a fast twist barrel. My Buckskinner carbine shoots the maxi hunters very good, so I guess I'll stick with what works.

 

[Idaholewis]

Nice looking bullets. I was reading some of your older posts about the Lee real in 250 grain and how they didn't do well out of a fast twist barrel. My Buckskinner carbine shoots the maxi hunters very good, so I guess I'll stick with what works.

Personally, I would avoid the 250 Grain Lee R.E.A.L. Bullet. So far it has been the Worst Shooting Bullet i have worked with. To short/light for .50 Cal, I do have a Slow 1:70 Twist 50 Cal Roundball Barrel that i bet they Shoot the Best in, and i plan to test that, other than that i am done with the Little 250 Grain Lee R.E.A.L., The Heavier 320 Grain would likely be a Better bet, But In my opinion there are MUCH Better Bullets out there than the Lee R.E.A.L.s

Here is an Example of my .50 Cal TC Maxi “Hunter” Bullet Put in a Stability (Twist Rate Calculator) For the 1:48 Twist. TC Knew what they were Doing when they Designed the Maxi’s To understand this Calculator, The Military Standard for Stability is 1.5, This Maxi “Hunter” Comes out at 1.521, Doesn’t get much Closer than that

 

[deermanok]

Interesting data. I must admit that I never thought too much about the science of shooting but I think there's more to it than simply dumping powder, patch and ball down the pipe.

 

[fourbore]

Idaho, you are rally into this big time. I am new here and I do plan to hang around a while. Wow!

I will assume the Maxi Hunter, the full weight R.E.A.L. and the Lyman GP all fall in around 1.5 sweet spot. How about the longer Maxi Ball, which is the subject of this discussion and to be shot in your next round of 1:48 accuracy testing? For what I learned the other day, if not 1.5 @ 1500 then a little more velocity needed?

 

[MSalyards]

I ended up with a dark maxi ball mold that changed color. Maker unknown, say's MA 50on top and 6860 on the bottom.

 

[Idaholewis]

I ended up with a dark maxi ball mold that changed color. Maker unknown, say's MA 50on top and 6860 on the bottom. View attachment 8914View attachment 8915

That’s a TC Mold MA 50 (Maxi 50) 6860 is the Block Number

 

[Idaholewis]

Idaho, you are rally into this big time. I am new here and I do plan to hang around a while. Wow!

I will assume the Maxi Hunter, the full weight R.E.A.L. and the Lyman GP all fall in around 1.5 sweet spot. How about the longer Maxi Ball, which is the subject of this discussion and to be shot in your next round of 1:48 accuracy testing? For what I learned the other day, if not 1.5 @ 1500 then a little more velocity needed?

That 1.5 is considered Perfect, (Military Standard for Stability) I Shoot Several Different Bullets in MANY Different Rifles that are anywhere in the 1.5 to 3.5 Range in that Stability Calculator, With All of them Shooting Equally well At closer Ranges (50-100 Yards) Where that 1.5 Stability Number becomes REALLY important is at Longer Ranges, What is Flying BEAUTIFUL at 100 Yards Might be “Headed to Hell in a Hand Basket” at 200 Yards? It is VITAL that we Test our Chosen Bullet at All Possible Ranges we might be at

My Routine is to short Range Test Bullets at 50-100 Yards, If they flunk that Test there is No reason to take them out Farther, But if they Show really good in the Short Range Testing, and it is a Bullet that interests me? I take them on out to Longer Ranges and Test Again, I am Close to Doing this with the Stock 1:48 Twist .50 Cal Renegade i have been Working with.

A good example of the 1.5 Stability Number Above is my New 625 Grain, 1.330 Long Creedmoor Style 50 Cal Bullet, I had that Particular Bullet Made Because it lines up Near PERFECTLY with the 1.5 Stability in my 1:28 Twist Rifles that I plan to Shoot Some Long Range With. But truth is, NOT Many people are gonna be able to Sit down at a Bench and Comfortably Handle the Recoil That BIG Bullet Generates at 1,300 FPS (INCLUDING ME, for Any Length of time) Believe me when i say This BIG Bullet Kicks HARD in a Lighter Weight Hunting Rifle, BUT It’s a necessary evil if one plans to Shoot a Fast Twist .50 Cal At Long Range This BIG Bullet Will be Stable at LONG Range, Where lets say my 400 Grain Lyman Plains Bullet will NOT BE, Even though it Shoots STELLAR at 100-150 Yards, There is a Point where the Short .85 Long, 400 Grain Lyman Plains Bullet will Become Unstable in my 1:28 Fast Twist Rifles, What Yardage will it become unstable? That is for Each of us to Test and Find out From OUR Particular Rifles

 

[chubby ninja]

I have a question for those forum members who weigh their home cast [ or even store bought] bullets.Idaholewis did a video on Youtube about weighing his bullets. It was interesting and informative. I would like to know about different scales. Good ones, ones to avoid.prices and where to purchase. thanks ,John

 

[Matthew323]

I have a question for those forum members who weigh their home cast [ or even store bought] bullets.Idaholewis did a video on Youtube about weighing his bullets. It was interesting and informative. I would like to know about different scales. Good ones, ones to avoid.prices and where to purchase. thanks ,John

I elected to purchase, as a digital scale, the Frankford Arsenal DS-750 Digital Pocket Reloader's Scale. I purchased it online with Amazon Prime for $30.70

I did so on the recommendations of Idaholewis, and several other forum members that are using this scale. Lewis has used his nearly every day for I don't know how many years, with little or no issues. That was good enough for me.

I will also be purchasing an analog, balance beam scale as a back up, and check to the electronic scale. Along with a set of scale check weights.

 

[Idaholewis]

My little Digital is a Frankford Arsenal, And i am pretty sure that it is the DS-750 like Bruce Mentions above? Mine doesn’t Say on it? Again as Bruce Mentioned, I have used mine a BUNCH, For Several Years Now. The 1 Thing I Noticed with mine was the Aluminum Pan that Came with it was Causing it to Jump Around a Bit? It would move around like 3/10 of a Grain, No idea why? One day I decided to Try the Heavier Brass Colored Pan From my RCBS 10/10 Beam Scale, That Totally fixed the Odd Jumping around it was Doing? I got rid of the Aluminum Pan that Came with my Scale, I share the RCBS 10/10 Scale Pan Between Both Scales

In Short, i have sure got a LOT of use out of my Little Frankford Arsenal Digital, it’s been a DARN Good, Reliable Scale. I highly advise that you get a Set of Certified Check Weights, This way you can Periodically Check that your Scale is Being Honest

 

[michiganmuzzy]

If you get a digital scale dont overload it and do NOT bang on it, drop it, or drop stuff on it. That is a sure fire way to make it junk. Keep it clean and safe and you'll have no problems with it. Digital scales are super accurate but kinda fragile. I have the DS750 also.

 

[Idaholewis]

If you get a digital scale dont overload it and do NOT bang on it, drop it, or drop stuff on it. That is a sure fire way to make it junk. Keep it clean and safe and you'll have no problems with it. Digital scales are super accurate but kinda fragile. I have the DS750 also.

This is SPOT ON Michiganmuzzy

Digital Scales are Super Handy, and i have found them to be very Accurate, But you Should handle them like a New Born Baby! Never put anything on the Weighing Pad that Exceeds What the Scale is Suppose to Weigh. I keep mine in a Drawer Beside my Chair, Where it can NOT be Bumped, Banged Around, The Only time it Comes out of that Drawer is to Weigh my Powder Charges, and My Freshly Cast Bullets. When i am done weighing, they are Gently placed back in the Drawer

 

[Valkyrie]

Lewis , have you ever shot any of
these ? "Hornady Pennsylvania Conical Muzzleloading Bullets" 50 Caliber (512 Diameter) 240 Grain Box of 50
Says they are recommend for 1-66.

 

[Idaholewis]

Lewis , have you ever shot any of
these ? "Hornady Pennsylvania Conical Muzzleloading Bullets" 50 Caliber (512 Diameter) 240 Grain Box of 50
Says they are recommend for 1-66.

No I haven’t tried those, I am familiar with them though. If i run in to them at Buffalo Arms, A Sport Store, Etc. Around here i will Pick up a Box. I have a New Green Mountain Roundball Twist Barrel i could Test them in

 

[chubby ninja]

thanks for the info [on the scales]