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Thread: How much under bore diameter should Minie' ball be sized?

  1. #1
    mrappe is offline
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    How much under bore diameter should Minie' ball be sized?

    I have finally received my pin gauges to measure the bore on my 1861 Pedersoli Springfield Musket and the .577 is the largest one to fit in the bore. I have cast some Minie' balls with my Lyman 575213 OS mold so I need to know what sizer to buy to get the balls to drop in and shoot accurately. I think I have seen suggestions of .001 and .002 under bore size. I am assuming that that is under the bore diameter but I want to make sure that the ball will not get hard to insert when the barrel has already been fired and is 'dirty'.

    Thanks,
    Mike

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    i have a 577 barrel and shoot a 575 sized bullet. i always run them through a sizing die to make sure they are true. some people don't size,but i have seen people trying to jamb one down the muzzle because the mold got a little to hot and threw some a little bigger. take all the issues off the plate before they happen. good luck Marv jr
    comp#11604 DEL BLUES

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    CAGerringer is offline
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    Quote Originally Posted by mrappe View Post
    I have finally received my pin gauges to measure the bore on my 1861 Pedersoli Springfield Musket and the .577 is the largest one to fit in the bore. I have cast some Minie' balls with my Lyman 575213 OS mold so I need to know what sizer to buy to get the balls to drop in and shoot accurately. I think I have seen suggestions of .001 and .002 under bore size. I am assuming that that is under the bore diameter but I want to make sure that the ball will not get hard to insert when the barrel has already been fired and is 'dirty'.

    Thanks,
    Mike
    Mike,
    If the .577 fits, that's what you want to shoot. You can mold a .578 and size it to .577, but I wouldn't go smaller than .576.
    If you use "Len's Lube" you won't have to worry about a fouled (dirty) bore.
    Charlie Gerringer
    Old Dominion Dragoons

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    stubshaft is offline
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    .002" maximum under bore size for me.

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    Common wisdom is .001" - .002" under bore size.

    What I do is go up in sizes with my sizing dies until I find the size that does not fit, then I back down .001".

    Like Marv said, not everyone bothers with sizing, but it can true up your bullets and you make sure you won't end up with a slightly-oversized one, or one with flashing, that holds you up on loading.

    Steve

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    Just curious what size bullet your getting from your mold? Most of the newer .575213 Lyman molds I've seen are throwing a .575 bullet?

    Kurt

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    Muley Gil is offline
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    I shoot a Parker-Hale 1858 Naval rifle. The bore is .577 and I use a .576 sized Minie.
    Gil Davis Tercenio
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    34th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry
    Great, great grandson of Cpl Elijah S Davis, Co I, 6th Alabama Inf CSA

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    mrappe is offline
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kurt Lacko 7862 View Post
    Just curious what size bullet your getting from your mold? Most of the newer .575213 Lyman molds I've seen are throwing a .575 bullet?

    Kurt
    It is hard to say since it varies within a few thousands depending on where I measure. Between 0.5775 and .5785. it takes a little effort to get them in so I thinks the sizer would help make them truer and even.

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    mrappe is offline
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    I ordered a .575 Precision Sizing Die with Plunger from Lodgewood Mfg so now I need a recipe to the lube that used beeswax as I have a lot of it and I am going to load at least 50% of them in paper cartridges.

    Thanks,
    Mike

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    I use beeswax and olive oil mixed 50/50 by volume. I make a 'double boiler' of sorts by putting the ingredients in a Pyrex measuring cup and put the measuring cup in a boiler of water and heat on the stove. Stir it up when it's all molten and it will readily mix.

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