I have been looking for one of these molds for quite some time. It's for the 58 caliber musket and weighs 570 grains. I am fond of minie-balls in muskets and this one had the reputation of being a shooter. Can't wait to try it.~AMMOe
- Thread starter AMMOe
- Start date
ozstriker22
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2003
- Messages
- 729
- Reaction score
- 1
What's a minie ball?
The Minie is a hollow based bullet used in Civil War-era muskets. THe bullet was designed to be undersized so that it could be easily pushed down the rifle's bore without engaging the rifling. This made loading quite fast. On ignition, the hollow base expanded to engage the rifling, imparting the proper stabilizing spin on the bullet. This made them (relatively) accurate. With proper fitting of the bullet to your rifle's bore these bullets can deliver fine accuracy, even from guns with slow "round ball" rates of twist. I have killed buffalo and deer with them. One shot does the trick. ~AMMOe
Lone Wolf: Sometimes I do -usually in the un-modified models with the thin skirts. These seem to have the greatest potential for leaving a loose load if I don't fill that space. On the ones with the modified base pins and thick skirts, I don't bother. Any mould I have that used a removable pin (Lyman's, Parker Hales) I also have a "modified" base pin that is narrower and leaves a thicker skirt for heavier hunting charges.
My most recent favorite .58 is a Navy Arms "Buffalo Hunter". It's kind of a Zouave sporter. Shoots REALLY well at 90 grains of RS. I have two Parker Hale muskets: An 1858 3-band Enfield and a Musketoon. I shoot 60 grains with these.
It's a funny thing. I shot a minie into a sand bank at 50 yards, and then the next into the same bank from 210 yards. Both bullets mushroomed perfectly. The 50 yard one was just a bit wider at the head and a tad shorter. Either would have been lethal on deer-sized game. And that with only a 75 grain charge. Awesome bullets! ~AMMOe
My most recent favorite .58 is a Navy Arms "Buffalo Hunter". It's kind of a Zouave sporter. Shoots REALLY well at 90 grains of RS. I have two Parker Hale muskets: An 1858 3-band Enfield and a Musketoon. I shoot 60 grains with these.
It's a funny thing. I shot a minie into a sand bank at 50 yards, and then the next into the same bank from 210 yards. Both bullets mushroomed perfectly. The 50 yard one was just a bit wider at the head and a tad shorter. Either would have been lethal on deer-sized game. And that with only a 75 grain charge. Awesome bullets! ~AMMOe
I used to use a Navy Arms 1863 Rem Zouave when I shot NSSA matches. Std load at 100 yds was 60 gr FFG behind a 58 minie. I used to only lube the rings as putting it in the base would sometimes render a misfire or hangfire. Oh and being the good rebs that we were we used Crisco for our lube. Just a dab will do ya.
LW: Crisco?? My kinda guy! I contaminated a lot of Crisco before I learned to use the fancier stuff. Funny you should mention that contamination issue: I recently wanted something to use as a wad in my Sharps paper cartridges and mistakenly ordered some .58 caliber Ox Yoke "Wonder Wads". I was going to return them but got thinking that they might be extra cool to slip between a minnie and the powder for just that reason. It'd keep the bore moist without causing the powder to go lumpy. I'll let you know how they work. ~AMMOe
Old trick with Sharps paper cartridges - cream of wheat between the bullet and the powder to bring your round to the proper length and about 2 - 5 grn extra powder at the tail. Also don't buy the expensive nitrate paper, use newspaper, single layer, it will burn completely on ignition and is just as tough as the nitrate paper. Also can make your own nitrate paper by getting sodium nitrate (plant fertilizer) liquify the powder with water, soak your paper in it and let air dry. Don't do this on any cartidges you intend to mouth tear as the mixture, besides tasting like crap, is poisoness if ingested.
Cool idea about the newspaper! I finally found K-nitrate at a local, non-chainstore pharmacy. (aint many of those left!) I also found 100% cotton linen paper: 100, 8x11 inch sheets for $15. That ought to last a lifetime at roughly 6 cartridges per sheet! Gotta love those Sharps percussions. My 1863 Business rifle has been delayed until November so I have some time to wait on that one... save up for a good tang sight, perhaps?? I really believe my carbine will shoot better than I can hold. A gun with some sight radius will be educational! ~AMMOe
I myself have a 1863 Sharps perc. cav carbine left over from the reenactment days. It's am A. San Marco and shoots like a dream. In fact I carry it deer hunting now and then. Although I have an ongoing debate with local DFG whether or not it's a muzzleloader.
The cream of wheat is a throw back to my reenactment days as well. We needed a fillier for proper cartridge length with balnks and the idea was born, we also used it as filler in loading blanks for out pistols. The idea then bled over to live ammo. On the paper cartidges we used to glue the paper to the heel of the bullet the put in filler then powder. We found we had less misfires/hangfires (the filler created a barrier between the lube on the bullet and the powder) and the rounds were more accurate. We also used it between the powder and the ball in pistol bullets with the same results.
The cream of wheat is a throw back to my reenactment days as well. We needed a fillier for proper cartridge length with balnks and the idea was born, we also used it as filler in loading blanks for out pistols. The idea then bled over to live ammo. On the paper cartidges we used to glue the paper to the heel of the bullet the put in filler then powder. We found we had less misfires/hangfires (the filler created a barrier between the lube on the bullet and the powder) and the rounds were more accurate. We also used it between the powder and the ball in pistol bullets with the same results.
ozstriker22
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2003
- Messages
- 729
- Reaction score
- 1
This is all very interesting - although I am having a difficult time understanding everything. I've already got a .22 rifle, .22 handgun, .44 handgun, 12 and 20 guage shotguns, 30-06 and 300wm so the next logical step would be a Muzzle Loader.
What rate of twist for a Minnie Ball? 1:48?
Jesse
What rate of twist for a Minnie Ball? 1:48?
Jesse
