oversized mold needed! .58 cal

[Boomer58cal]

Help please. I have three .58 cal muzzleloader rifles and a Lee R.E.A.L boolit mold. The mold is their 440g .575 mold. My problem is in my CVA the boolits basically fall down the bore. The mold throughs boolits at .575-.577 and weigh 435g +- 1.5g. I measured the bore right at .580 with about .0010 deep riflings. I tried them with a .005 patch and they work great. Without the patch I get a 11/2 foot group at 50 yrds.My questions are...

What size mold should I try?

Where can I find one?

Should I try a different boolit?

I hear they make oversized molds but I can't seem to find what I need.

I love the R.E.A.L boolits in my other two .58's. With 100g of 3f she'll shoot clean through 12 plastic 1gal milk jugs. That's with pure lead. My 7mm mag at 3210 fps with a Hornady 140g SP only gets 8 jugs

 

[m&p45acp10+1]

Ok several tidbits of info can help us to help you.

First: What alloy are using for the bullets?

Second: Are you preheating the mold?

Third: What temperature are you heating the lead to?

The reason for the first question is becasue if you are using dead soft pure lead the weight should be close to the designated weight of the mold. Also you can add a few ounces of tin at a time to see if it helps with better fill out. Using a slight bit of 50/50 Lead/Tin Solder. A few inches of it at a time. It should not add much hardness to the alloy. It takes adding antimony to make it harder.

I ask the second question in regards to the fact that preheating the mold on a hot plate or stove burner will give you few rejects when you start. Also fill out is better in a hot mold.

The third question is because if you do not get pure lead hot enough it will not fill out the mold as it should either. A casting thermometer will make your life much easier.

 

[Boomer58cal]

Thanks for the reply.

I used both pure lead and 10/90 ww/lead. Trying to stay soft because they over penetrate

I preheat with a single element electric hot plate.

Temp 700-750(is that right?)

I slunged the bores on my other 58's. Both were five thousandths smaller and I've used these bullets in them for a year. The mold casts right where it should. I think I may need a larger mold. I'm thinking of trying the lee oversized mini mold. It's the largest I can find
What do you think.

 

[m&p45acp10+1]

I would never try to talk a person out getting a new mold. Since it is a Lee mold it may be worth the 20 or so dollars to try it out. If it does not work you may have to look into paper patching. That I have no experience with.

Oh and pure lead seems to pour better at 800 or so degrees. I use it for pouring for my Quakenbush air rifle. It seems to do well with my 405 grain hollow base bullets I shoot in my Marlin 1895.

 

[Boomer58cal]

I was worried about being to hot but I'll try 800. Thanks.

I tried 5-10 thousands patches, the 5 fitting perfect. My groups went from a foot and a half to 3 in. So I know the bullets are to small. The mold I'm looking at is only $26 so I wouldn't be out much if it doesn't work. I wish I could find a bullet that was I hair big so I could size it to the bore..

 

[m&p45acp10+1]

I wish I could help you. My only experience with muzzle stuffers is one old repro of a Spanish Match Lock that was my Grampa's. I still have it in the safe. We shot it once, it had its own bullet mold. I remeber it took a lot of force to get that ball down the barrel. Though that was about 25 years ago.

 

[Boomer58cal]

In the old days your rifle came with a mold.

I guess I'll just try the mini. I'm hoping the hollow base on the mini will expand into the riflings a bit. I don't need MOA accuracy, just a little better than MOT(minute of torso), because it's a hunting rig. I'd like a bullet because I can hunt bear at the same time I'm hunting dear and would prefer a nice fat bullet when I'm about to **** off a bear and only have one shot.

Oh well. I was just hoping someone had experienced this before and happen to know a mold I could try. Back to good old trial and error.

Boomer

 

[myfriendis410]

You could "Beagle" your mold. Take some aluminum tape (heating/ducting tape), cut a couple of strips and place them on either side of the casting void of your mold on one half only. You will need to clean the mold surface so the adhesive will stick and it will eventually fall off, but you can add several thousands to your mold diameter by doing this. I've done it and it works quite well. Try Googling "beagle molds" and see what pops up.

 

[Boomer58cal]

That wouldn't make a round bullet...would it?