[bullseye308]

I was looking to get a ball mold for a 54 and a 50 but couldn't figure out which size ball to order. I have a CVA Hawken. Which diameter ball would be better in those or does it matter and you just adjust with different thicknesses of patch material?

[Voodoochile]

Many start with a .490 & use a .015-.020 patch for the .50 caliber but I like the .495 & .015 patch.

The .54 caliber would be either .530 or a .535 ball with a .015 - .020 patch.

[bullseye308]

Would it be Ok to shoot round balls with no patch?

[mykeal]

No.

Using a press fit ball like a revolver is very unlikely to result in a gas seal. It's unlikely, in fact, virtually impossible, to form a gas seal in the rifling by swaging the ball to fit and then maintain that seal all the way down the bore.

[arcticap]

It's definitely not recommended.
If loading a bare ball smaller than the bore diameter, accuracy and performance would be sub-par and only good for short range.
It would require being very careful to keep the ball down and seated on top of the loaded powder charge.
I've tried it with a single shot pistol, but the ball can actually roll out of the muzzle if the gun is tipped downward. It did shoot on target at 25 yards though.
An over shot card really should be used to keep the ball seated, and placing a wad over the powder would help to seal the gases on firing.
But the ball won't engage the rifling properly to shoot well, and because patches aren't being used to seal the bore there will be less velocity and consistency.
A bare ball could be loaded inside the right size sabot and fired, or maybe using a paper patch of the right thickness.
But nothing will shoot as well as a 100% cotton lubed patch of the proper thickness.

[bullseye308]

I love an answer with an explanation. Thanks so much for taking the time to explain it. Looks like I will order the .495 & .535 mold as well as the 500-354-M MODERN MINIE. Any thoughts on the minie before I place the order?

[arcticap]

The choice to order the larger ball molds is a little riskier than ordering the smaller ones.
They will be tighter loading and while there's a chance that they will be more accurate, there's the possibility that they won't be.
If pure lead isn't used for casting, they will be even more oversized.
And thinner .010 patches don't carry as much lube and aren't as durable.
Deciding which molds to order is always a quandry.
The Lee Improved Minie, Traditional Design does have larger lubrication grooves and separate drive bands which might help it to load easier with a fouled bore.
I had one of these Lee Modern Target minie molds in .45, 300 grains and discontinued.
It looked better than it shot for me, so I sold that mold off recently.
But every gun is different.
I know someone who shoots the Lee .45 Improved Traditional minie out of their Traditions Trapper pistol and they like it.
That's all I can add.

[Chawbaccer]

Before you order a mold, try out different sized balls to find the size you like. It is not likely you will throw the wrong sized ones in the trash is it.

[Fisherman_48768]

From past experience I think you will be better off ordering round ball moulds in .490 and .530, depending on the rate of twist and depth of rifling a minie may or may not work.

[bullseye308]

I would love to find some balls to sample(wowo that sounds wrong:what:), but can't seem to locate any locally. Guess I'll give it a shot and see how it goes. I can always trade/sell the molds later if they don't work. Pure lead I have more than enough of, so that is not a worry. I can't see me shooting 300+ lbs very quickly. Especially after I get a good backstop made so I can recycle. :D

[Gatofeo]

I have a CVA Mountain Rifle, patterned after the Hawken, that I bought about 1983.
In my experience, the .490 balls with .015 to .020 patch are the way to go.
I tried .495 balls but within a few shots fouling makes it difficult to ram them firmly on the powder charge.
Years ago I tested both sizes for accuracy, out to 75 yards, and could detect no difference. So, I've settled on .490 inch balls.
Though I have a .490 mould, I buy mine. It takes quite a while to fire 100 balls, so I just pay extra for the convenience of store-made balls and don't bother to fire up my casting pot.
I prefer Speer bullets over Hornady, incidentally.
A great target and plinking load, out to 50 yards, in my .50 cal CVA Mountain Rifle has been 50 grs. of Goex FFG black powder. It's accurate, conserves powder and generates less fouling than a heavy, hunting load.
It's also a good load to introduce newcomers to muzzleloading, as it doesn't have a lot of blast and recoil is nearly nonexistent.
Newcomers are often concerned because it's a "Fifty Cal" but if you show them the little, round ball and small powder charge they usually settle down a bit.
After the first shot, they invariably grin and say, "That was nothing! Let's do it again!"

Heh heh ... excelllennntttttt ... my minions of Black Powder Zombies are growing staedily ... heh heh ... :evil:

[bullseye308]

Well, I tried to order the .490 ball but Grafs was out of them so I got the minnie and will give it a shot. I almost got a 490 ball from :evil:evilbay:evil: but someone wanted it real bad.:cuss: I think the local toy store has one and I will check this week when I go back to pick up a few things.
My 50 barrel is new, so is there a break in or do I just shoot the heck out of it? I still have to blue it yet, any preferred methods for that?

I won't mind casting for this, I just cast 1800 for a 9mm today with a Lee 2 cav. :what: I have too much pure lead to be buying any pre-cast. That would be like an oxymoron er something. :D

[arcticap]

A break in period for a new barrel isn't usually necessary but some barrels may benefit from one.

I've had a barrel hot chemical blued by a gunshop, but the products below were recommended in a thread elsewhere by our own BlackNet:


Metal finish here is brownells oxpho-blue and caswell's stainless steel blackener.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?p=1354332