Accurate Molds #50-415l 1st Test, 5 Shot Group

[LR_Smoker]

If you don’t already have a LEAD Thermometer, Its IMPORTANT that you get one. Otherwise it’s a Guessing Game EVERYTIME you Cast. Believe me, The LEAD Thermometer is worth it’s Weight in Gold. Since i use Bottom Pour Pots with Dial thermostats, I don’t have to use my Thermometer often, But it’s a VITAL Part of my Casting equipment When adjusting Temp.

Temperature of The LEAD or ALLOY is one of the MOST important parts of Casting. There are “Sweet Spots” per LEAD/ALLOY that you need to Find in order to Get OPTIMUM Fillout. Mold Temp is VERY important as well, But that’s easy to get & Maintain

I have a Lyman digital thermometer that I have used in the past. I have a brand new Lee 20 lb bottom pour pot that I have to drill or to around .090 thou and I have two Lee .501 sizing dies that I can open up to the size I want. The BIG question now is “ What size do I want “. If .506 / .508 is too big for a .503 bore what size interference fit do I need ?

 

[Idaholewis]

I have a Lyman digital thermometer that I have used in the past. I have a brand new Lee 20 lb bottom pour pot that I have to drill or to around .090 thou and I have two Lee .501 sizing dies that I can open up to the size I want. The BIG question now is “ What size do I want “. If .506 / .508 is too big for a .503 bore what size interference fit do I need ?

Hang Tight for a Little Video i will try and do Today, I have a SLICK trick to Share with the Bottom Pour Pots, It makes running them a BREEZE, No more Clogging up Etc. I’ve Been meaning to put it together, just haven’t got to it

 

[Idaholewis]

I have a Lyman digital thermometer that I have used in the past. I have a brand new Lee 20 lb bottom pour pot that I have to drill or to around .090 thou and I have two Lee .501 sizing dies that I can open up to the size I want. The BIG question now is “ What size do I want “. If .506 / .508 is too big for a .503 bore what size interference fit do I need ?

The Lee Bottom pour pots come with a 5/64 Spout Hole, I have mine open to 3/32, Which is actually a little to Much (There’s a VERY fine line, Lee has it Down at 5/64) The Problem with the Bottom Pour Pots is they Rust inside the Spout, Soon the lead Stream is more of a Trickle, and it just keeps getting worse til it’s Clogged. By opening to 3/32 it allows SUPER FAST Flow which is VITAL to get OPTIMUM Fillout with BIG Bullets such as our 400 PLUS Grain Muzzleloader Bullets. A slow trickle of Lead from a Clogged Bottom Pour Pot is NO GOOD, You want to Fill the Mold QUICK, as Quickly as you Safely can

 

[patinAZ]

Lewis, your subject matter expertise on this subject is priceless, be it shooting or casting. I am about to try my hand at the casting thing after my elk hunt next week, and I feel confident I will shave off lots of trial & error and time with your tips.

It's funny, I was out shooting yesterday trying to dial in a consistent, tight 100 yard group with my GPR Signature 54 with a patched ball. I wanted to take that with me hunting next week, but I couldn't for the life of me get a consistent 100yd group. I'd get two close together, then the third would be on the other side of the target. I was trying to keep everything consistent, patch, lube, swab between shots, balls were weighed, etc.

The only inconsistency I could think of, after I got home frustrated, was my powder charge. I remembered your videos and how you said you always weigh your powder charges vs. using a volumetric measuring device, which I had been using since I started down this black powder rabbit hole only a few short months ago.

So, this morning I got out my digi scale to run some powder charges that I had been putting through the rifle using the brass powder measure.

What I thought was 100 grains by volume was actually 105-110+ grains (Swiss 2F), with that kind of spread in powder throws.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to get back out with some weighed charges to dial in a load with the 54 before my hunt. I will just use my scoped .270 this time. That took me a handful of rounds to get dialed in. Boring.

Again, thanks for all the knowledge you share here. It is appreciated by newbies like me.

 

[Idaholewis]

Lewis, your subject matter expertise on this subject is priceless, be it shooting or casting. I am about to try my hand at the casting thing after my elk hunt next week, and I feel confident I will shave off lots of trial & error and time with your tips.

It's funny, I was out shooting yesterday trying to dial in a consistent, tight 100 yard group with my GPR Signature 54 with a patched ball. I wanted to take that with me hunting next week, but I couldn't for the life of me get a consistent 100yd group. I'd get two close together, then the third would be on the other side of the target. I was trying to keep everything consistent, patch, lube, swab between shots, balls were weighed, etc.

The only inconsistency I could think of, after I got home frustrated, was my powder charge. I remembered your videos and how you said you always weigh your powder charges vs. using a volumetric measuring device, which I had been using since I started down this black powder rabbit hole only a few short months ago.

So, this morning I got out my digi scale to run some powder charges that I had been putting through the rifle using the brass powder measure.

What I thought was 100 grains by volume was actually 105-110+ grains (Swiss 2F), with that kind of spread in powder throws.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to get back out with some weighed charges to dial in a load with the 54 before my hunt. I will just use my scoped .270 this time. That took me a handful of rounds to get dialed in. Boring.

Again, thanks for all the knowledge you share here. It is appreciated by newbies like me.

Glad to help ya anyway i can

Did you collect any of your Patches after Shooting? if so, What did they look like? I have a Few Tips for you with Patched Roundball when you get ready to Try it again, I am confident i can help you get it Shooting just as well as a Bullet Group

This wasn’t an accident I have done this MANY times with Patched Roundball since this, This just happened to be one i Videod, and snapped a Picture of. This is 5 Shots at 70 or 80 Yards

 

[patinAZ]

Glad to help ya anyway i can

Did you collect any of your Patches after Shooting? if so, What did they look like? I have a Few Tips for you with Patched Roundball when you get ready to Try it again, I am confident i can help you get it Shooting just as well as a Bullet Group

This wasn’t an accident I have done this MANY times with Patched Roundball since this, This just happened to be one i Videod, and snapped a Picture of. This is 5 Shots at 70 or 80 Yards

I wasn't able to collect each patch for each load I was shooting. I'm shooting on Forest Service land, in the boonies along a hillside. I have a few patches I collected, both what would be considered good by Dutch's standard, and some that were blown out.

But those were collected over a course a many variable changes. I can't collect each shot after shot to analyze.

I am confident I'll get it figured out as I accept this doesn't happen overnight and nearly as easily as modern smokeless cartridge reloading. No matter how frustrated I get, at the end of the day, I love these rifles and will continue to work at it.

 

[Idaholewis]

I wasn't able to collect each patch for each load I was shooting. I'm shooting on Forest Service land, in the boonies along a hillside. I have a few patches I collected, both what would be considered good by Dutch's standard, and some that were blown out.

But those were collected over a course a many variable changes. I can't collect each shot after shot to analyze.

I am confident I'll get it figured out as I accept this doesn't happen overnight and nearly as easily as modern smokeless cartridge reloading. No matter how frustrated I get, at the end of the day, I love these rifles and will continue to work at it.

Use an Overpowder Wad such as Piece of Cotton Ball (100% Cotton) or another Lubed Patch. I AVOID Regular Round, Flat type wads that we use behind Flat Base Conical Bullets, They can NOT take the Shape of the Ball. Think about the shape of the Ball? It’s a sphere, Therefore use a Material that can “Surround” the Back of the Ball, This Protects the Patched Ball. My FAVORITE is another .018 Lubed Pillow Ticking Patch.

I pour my PRECISELY Weighed Powder Charge down the Bore, I Then center the OVER POWDER WAD “Patch“ over the Muzzle the best i can, I use the “Button end” of my short starter to start the Patch, I then push the Patch down Snug on the Powder, And Lastly i Load my Patched Ball

 

[Idaholewis]

You won’t find a Bore much smoother than this one Even this Smooth, My Patches were stil ATE UP??? I lowered the Powder Charge, Stil Ate my Patches up? it was then that i started using ANOTHER Lubed Patch as an OVER POWDER Wad, That ENDED the Ragged Patch Problem, and My Patched Ball Accuracy became as Good as my Bullet Rifles

This is what my Collected Patches looked like WITHOUT another Lubed Patch as an OVER POWDER Wad

And this is what my Collected Patches look like WITH another Lubed Patch as an OVER POWDER Wad. The ones i find look near Re-usable, UNLIKE the Ragged Patches above

And lastly, If one doesn’t think that Burning Powder can EAT/BURN a Patch up Without an Overpowder Wad to Protect it? Check these out, And This was ONLY 25 Grains of Powder through my TC Patriot Target Pistol, Barrel length of maybe 8 inches is ALL the Patched Ball had to Travel, Yet these Patches were RAGGED.

 

[patinAZ]

I will give that a try next time. Sorry to take your original post so far off topic.