Lee .50 cal r.e.a.l. muzzleloader bullet

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Andy4802

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Chute A Blondeau, ON
Casted a bunch of these 250 grain Lee bullets today and was disappointed to find they didn't fit in my muzzleloader. Any one else have this experience? I use wheel weight allow and quenched them after casting... couldn't even get them started in the barrel. The gun is a CVA wolf. I've always used powerbelts in the gun and decided to cast my own this year... kinda bummed :(
Did I maybe over-harden the bullets by quenching? or is wheel weight lead too hard to begin with?
 
What kind of wheel weights? Clip on weights are usually harder, stick on are softer.
You want soft pure lead in a muzzle loader, definitely not quenched stick on weights.
You want a soft bullet so it is easy to start in the bore, and it should upset and fill out the grooves
under the pressure of firing.
Find yourself some soft lead!
 
Once did a handful from wheel weight and had the same result.

R.E.A.L stands for "rifling engraved as loaded" or similar and pure soft lead with maybe a pinch of tin for fill out, is the only way to go.

Best of luck.
 
You should be using pure lead to cast your REAL bullets. Pure lead is softer than wheel weights. Water quenching the wheel weights will increase the BH again over the BH of the wheel weights making it harder for you to get the bullets down the muzzle.
Pure BH Lead is 5
WW BH is 12
Quenched WW BH is 18
 
Andy4802 said:
Thanks again... do I need to use pure lead for casting round balls? I have the Lee .490 round ball mold as well. First time caster here! :)
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When using a patched RB pure lead is not required. The ball does not engage the rifling. I have used RB in a .54 and 58 that was not pure lead with great results. Any projectile without a patch needs pure soft lead. I'm not talking about modern inlines that use a copper bullet in a sabot.
 
Depending on the ball diameter relative to the bore and patch thickness you might be able to get away with WW.
Results will most likely be better with pure lead though. The force of ignition causes the soft lead to squash a little for a better gas seal and some engagement in the rifling. Also has better terminal ballistics on game if you are hunting.
 
vagrantviking said:
Depending on the ball diameter relative to the bore and patch thickness you might be able to get away with WW.
Results will most likely be better with pure lead though. The force of ignition causes the soft lead to squash a little for a better gas seal and some engagement in the rifling. Also has better terminal ballistics on game if you are hunting.
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I agree with soft lead only for hunting. With low velocity only soft lead will expand, they do a lot of damage. I've shot the small (empty) propane bottles at 50 yds with a .577 minie ball and was mildly shocked at the gaping hole it left. Sent shivers knowing these were used on humans.
 
Andy4802 said:
Thanks again... do I need to use pure lead for casting round balls? I have the Lee .490 round ball mold as well. First time caster here! :)
Click to expand...

Yes you need to source a supply of pure lead for your round balls and REAL bullets for use in your muzzleloaders....Pure lead can be easily scratched with your finger nail.
 
yomomma said:
Just the ones which are not painted...
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As yomomma said, and helped me on another thread, don't use these stick on's (the painted ones) as they don't seem to be soft:

21290018_pbo_47325_pri_larg.jpg
 
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