R. Knack
10-11-2008, 08:40 AM
:?:
I am trying to find a 58 caliber mold that will cast a Minie ball that is as close as possible to the original. The Lyman 575213-OS is too light, at 460 grains (issue was 500 grains or so, except for the Springfield pistol-carbine). I have 3 Minie-ball molds that cast 500 grain Minies, but they are all very similar (Lyman/Ideal 575213, Challenger, and Lee), in that they have too short of a nose and too long of a body, and too wide in the grease grooves when compared to original specimens I have. I'm not worried about the "nose-pour vs. swaged" issue, as amny of the older Minies were cast before swaging machines were perfected, and a number of smaller arsenals and private contractors continued to use the nose-poured DeZeng type molds.
Can anybody help me out here?
I am trying to find a 58 caliber mold that will cast a Minie ball that is as close as possible to the original. The Lyman 575213-OS is too light, at 460 grains (issue was 500 grains or so, except for the Springfield pistol-carbine). I have 3 Minie-ball molds that cast 500 grain Minies, but they are all very similar (Lyman/Ideal 575213, Challenger, and Lee), in that they have too short of a nose and too long of a body, and too wide in the grease grooves when compared to original specimens I have. I'm not worried about the "nose-pour vs. swaged" issue, as amny of the older Minies were cast before swaging machines were perfected, and a number of smaller arsenals and private contractors continued to use the nose-poured DeZeng type molds.
Can anybody help me out here?