Welcome!
The first thing to look at is the type of lead used in your Minies. You want pure, soft lead. Hard lead will not open up and grip the rifling. Next, you want the Minie to be .001"-.002" under bore size. You may want to get a machinist to use pin gauges to determine the actual size.
There are a number of options for Minies. The Lyman 575213 is a good one. Lee makes inexpensive Minie moulds. Some folks like the Hodgdon. I would start at 40.0 grains of FFFg real black powder and work my way up 1.0-2.0 grains at a time. I use Goex black powder, although there are others. The N-SSA only allows real BP and I've never had good luck with the substitutes anyway.
Good luck with your shooting and perhaps you will be able to be on the line with us some day.
Last edited by Muley Gil; 03-24-2020 at 01:24 PM.
Gil Davis Tercenio
# 3020V
34th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry
Great, great grandson of Cpl Elijah S Davis, Co I, 6th Alabama Inf CSA
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