Thinking about casting my own...

[Pete112288]

So I have really been looking at casting my own muzzleloader bullets. I already have the melting pot from making my own duck decoy anchors. Of course with those I didnt really care about what was in the lead, just as long as it held its form and held the decoy in place. I have heard a couple schools of thought about using wheel weights for muzzleloader bullets. Some say NEVER! Only pure lead. Others say that in modern muzzleloaders its not a big deal and have heard a few swear by it. And would I want to try a mold that would make it the same diameter of the grooves of the rifling? Anyone have any advice at all when it comes to this?

[oneshot12]

if your going to run ball  use pure lead only .  the bullets can be less lead the  wheel weights work well for some folks and  know others that will only use pure lead no matter what they are running ball or bullet. with as many bullet molds out there first see what size and weight bullet works best in  your gun  then you can make the call as to what you want to run  ether pure lead bullets of a mixture of some kind   

[Smokepole]

Howdy Pete.  I make Lee R.E.A.L. bullets for my 50 cal. inlines with 1:28 twist.  They shoot accurate at the range.  I have hunted with them, but I usually use a saboted bullet when I hunt.

Use pure lead.  It's not too hard to come by.  The bullets are difficult to load with tin in the mix.  Pure lead takes the rifling nicely on loading and seals the barrel best for tighter groups.  I bought a two cavity mold from Lee, and I can make all the bullets I can use and I give some to friends.  All you need is a dipper, mold  & Coleman Stove.

My shooting buddy has shot some of them in his slow twist Hawken and got groups from them as well.  I lube them with bore butter or a mix of 75% olive oil with 25% beeswax.  Fill the groove all the way up for the best accuracy.

Heat the lead until it gets hot with a  purple haze on the surface.  Skim off any crud that will float to the top with a spoon and dump it into the waste can.  Don't lick your fingers or breathe the fumes.  It's and outside project, for sure.  I add a pea size pc of beeswax as flux in case there are other metals in the lead. 

I don't make the best bullets you've ever seen.  They have imperfections.  They shoot darned near as good as my saboted loads. 

[floatinghat]

I have considered casting my own for a Renegade 1-48 and for plinking with my Knight DISC.   What mold are you using and what is the weight of the finished bullets?

[Smokepole]

Lee Mold #90396  It makes a 50 caliber conical 320 grains.  I have not chrono'd them to see how much velocity I'm getting from my 1:28, but they group well at 100 yards.  I have heard they shoot well in 1:48 hawken rifles, so you will probably like them at the range.  They say you can shoot all day without cleaning, since the bullet scrapes the fouling, but I usually shoot 5 at a time between swabbings. 

[Pete112288]

Hey Smokepole. You said you have hunted with those R.E.A.L bullets but not usually. When you have hunted with them have you taken animals with them? How have they preformed on the animals if you have?

[Smokepole]

Hey Smokepole. You said you have hunted with those R.E.A.L bullets but not usually. When you have hunted with them have you taken animals with them? How have they preformed on the animals if you have?

Well... to take an animal, I would have to hit it first.  I've missed them with the R.E.A.L. Bullets, but never connected with them.  I usually hunt with sabots in my speed loaders, since they are easy to load.  I don't see why you would have trouble taking an animal with them.  Like other conicals they are fat & heavy.  A bullet this size traveling at 1500 fps would really pack a wallop.  I would not expect them to mushroom out like a good hunting bullet does.  If you hit flesh they would likely flatten into a ball of lead.  Hit bones and I would guess they would blow to smithereens.  Either way, a shot in the kill zone, they should work.

I use them because they are cheap, and I like to do a lot of shooting.  Still, I wouldn't mind killing a buck with a bullet that I made.  Maybe next year...

[Pete112288]

Thanks for the input. I hunt muzzy for elk and am hoping to find a connical that will carry a punch and shoot well out of my gun. Just would really love to make my own. Started with powerbelts... 6 shots later (same animal) with multiple boiler room hits I finally had the smallish cow on the ground (the shot that ended it hit no bone, and only pennetrated 6 inches into lung from 15 yards. Then thought I would try No Excuses... after 50 rounds at 20-50 yards I couldnt get a group less than 8 inches (multiple powder combinations as well.) Settled with Hornady Great Plains bullets for this last year 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards (about my max line of sight in my area anyway) and took my 2014 cow at 40 yards. Will probably stick with them if I dont find something else I like better. Saw 2 taken with TMZs this year. One at 30 yards, hit both lungs and a couple ribs. The tip was bent over sideways a little but didnt expand or anything, the plastic tip was still attached to the bullet. The second was about 40 yards, slight quartering away. It hit ribs. ran down along the ribs almost to the sturnum then went into the bottom of the close lung and was lost in the gutpile. I was surprised, I have heard so many good reviews from TMZs, maybe these two were flukes.

[floatinghat]

Pete interesting on the TMZ, I bought some for my Knight.  I have 2 boxes so hope it not money flushed.  I am going to try the REAL in my Renegade and shot some 385gr Great Plains that don't shoot from my Knight.  However, I think it would be fun to cast my own .  The GP shot well 50yds in a mess around with bad eyes.