Anyone cast their own muzzleloader bullets?

[Irish_hunter93]

I picked up a knight mk-85 and I bought a lee R.E.A.L double cavity mold, 380 grain.

I've read that wheel weights are generally accepted as a good lead to use for a hunting bullet, is there anyone here who has real world reports and results on game?

I've heard they are good for a hard cast bullet for a maxi ball style of bullet, I've also heard for round balls you want a softer lead?

I've heard of other mix ratios, I have an endless supply of wheel weights from my work.


Just curious if anyone has tried this before.

Will be using triple 7 FFG powder, and a 209 primer.

My old setup i used to have was a #11 cap with 110 grain by volume.


Probably will stay somewhere around there 90-110 grain depending on how the gun shoots.

Thanks

[Kingofthemountain83]

They will work perfect... I used to give my wheel weights to a guy that did the same thing... He used the Power Belts I gave him to make round balls and fishing weights after I told him about my experiences with them on elk... I still have a batch he made he made out of wheel weights... Look just like a 370 gr Maxiball... I shoot them outta my Hawkin... Taken a few elk with them... They blow through broadside and crush bone...   

[TitusFord]

I casted my own .45 round balls from a bucket of old fishing weights I was given. Shot a buck with it this past season and he ran about 20 yards and died. I have no clue how pure the lead was but they fly fine past 100 and the deer don’t seem to care.

[Irish_hunter93]

Yeah, good call on melting those powerbelts down, things are junk on anything besides deer.


This will be for a .54 cal, kind of a cross between a TC maxi ball and a hornady great plains.


Ill pour a batch up this weekend if I can, see if I can get some lead in the air and see how it does.


Titus ford, nicely done!


I've been casting my own fishing weights and downrigger balls with my lead, figure its time to cast some bullets.

[SeaRun1]

I cast round balls for my flintlocks.  I did also cast some soft REAL bullets for the Hawken but always shoot round balls so haven’t tried them.  For round balls I use as soft as I can get.  Interested to hear about your results.

SR1

[Kingofthemountain83]

Nice Titus! 

I wouldn't give anyone the Power Belts if I knew they were going to hunt with them... I found some more when I moved out here but the old guy passed... I bought so many of the damn things when they were $10 for 20... Cost me 3 elk... I kept making excuses and justifying how it was my fault... Bad shot... Maybe the bullet hit something first... I finally switched when I had to shoot a spike 3 times 60 yards to point blank and they were just blowing up on impact out in the wide open... I had a couple hundred of them... It was satisfying stripping the skirts off some of them and throwing them in the pot... I did kill quite a few elk and some deer, and a few bear by chance with them... But not worth losing one...

[metlhead]

Many years back I cast enough .54 and .58 to last my lifetime. Xray room demos and used the sheet lead. Also spent a ton of time Capital Forest ranges picking up .22 bullets. No idea the quality but the cast bullets worked fine. Prolly doesn't matter with a 600gr .58 bullet.

[TitusFord]

Nice Titus! 

I wouldn't give anyone the Power Belts if I knew they were going to hunt with them... I found some more when I moved out here but the old guy passed... I bought so many of the damn things when they were $10 for 20... Cost me 3 elk... I kept making excuses and justifying how it was my fault... Bad shot... Maybe the bullet hit something first... I finally switched when I had to shoot a spike 3 times 60 yards to point blank and they were just blowing up on impact out in the wide open... I had a couple hundred of them... It was satisfying stripping the skirts off some of them and throwing them in the pot... I did kill quite a few elk and some deer, and a few bear by chance with them... But not worth losing one...

Thank you sir!

Interesting! The only elk I seen shot with a power belt was at 40 yards and it ran 50 yards and died on its feet. It was a .50 cal 295gr hollow point with the green skirt and it was mushroomed out like a silver dollar under the hide on the far side. I’ve seen a deer shot with the same results. I never understood why people didn’t like them until reading your post!

[Kingofthemountain83]

Nice Titus! 

I wouldn't give anyone the Power Belts if I knew they were going to hunt with them... I found some more when I moved out here but the old guy passed... I bought so many of the damn things when they were $10 for 20... Cost me 3 elk... I kept making excuses and justifying how it was my fault... Bad shot... Maybe the bullet hit something first... I finally switched when I had to shoot a spike 3 times 60 yards to point blank and they were just blowing up on impact out in the wide open... I had a couple hundred of them... It was satisfying stripping the skirts off some of them and throwing them in the pot... I did kill quite a few elk and some deer, and a few bear by chance with them... But not worth losing one...

Thank you sir!

Interesting! The only elk I seen shot with a power belt was at 40 yards and it ran 50 yards and died on its feet. It was a .50 cal 295gr hollow point with the green skirt and it was mushroomed out like a silver dollar under the hide on the far side. I’ve seen a deer shot with the same results. I never understood why people didn’t like them until reading your post!

Those are exactly what I was using... And had the same results on many animals... I even got a pack of the copper jacketed one's when they were first made legal to try... IMO the lead is too soft and the hollow point is too deep for it to be considered a reliable elk bullet... They were cheap, are easy to load, and shoot well... I don't want my only connection with the animal I intend to kill and recover to be a 7/10 rating... Like I said... Cost me three elk till I learned my lesson... Went back to Maxiballs, some home made Maxis, and Hornady products and haven't had an issue since... I don't purchase anything CVA after that for other reasons as well... But that sealed the deal...