Casting Round Ball and Conical Bullets for BP percussion revolvers

[Re3iever]

Was actually able to make time last Sunday to cast approx. 200 each .454 round balls and .450 conical bullets to shoot with my Cimmaron Uberti 1858 New Model Army percussion revolvers. This was my second effort at casting, I've also cast 405g RNFP .459" and 500g .459" bullets I use to reload black powder and Triple7 cartridges for my 45-70 antique single shot rifles.

I decided to cast my own as it can be tricky finding even round ball bullets here in Canada and for the rifles it's just cheaper.

Last year I purchased a Lee Electric Melter Pot with bottom pour, 2nd hand and bought new Lee molds show in the attached pic. First time I cast I used some ingots purchased locally but they turned out to be too hard for the revolvers so I melted and re-used the lead for rifle bullets. This time around I source some pure lead flashing from the local scap yard and this seems to work find.

Retreever

 

[Alex McKr]

Re3lever: Very nice! Casting your own is likely the cheapest and most reliable source for C&B "boolits". Next step: Making your own lube. If you don't already: Mike Beliveau(duelist1954) features an excellent video tutorial on his site, describing how he makes his own homemade bullet lube. Well worth a look. Mike likes lamb tallow. But....any good, clean tallow works just as well. For example: White tailed deer. That, and some beeswax...and you're all set. A good source for felt sheets to make wads: The Brand Felt Ltd. Canadian company. May be of use.
Al

 

[Re3iever]

Re3lever: Very nice! Casting your own is likely the cheapest and most reliable source for C&B "boolits". Next step: Making your own lube. If you don't already: Mike Beliveau(duelist1954) features an excellent video tutorial on his site, describing how he makes his own homemade bullet lube. Well worth a look. Mike likes lamb tallow. But....any good, clean tallow works just as well. For example: White tailed deer. That, and some beeswax...and you're all set. A good source for felt sheets to make wads: The Brand Felt Ltd. Canadian company. May be of use.
Al

Alex, I do make my own lube 60% olive oil and 40% beeswax for my percussion revolvers but I was looking for a Canadian source for felt - thanks for the tip. However I use Dragon Lube for my black powder cartridges , they supply it in sticks with the hole in the middle so it works perfectly in my Lyman Lubrisizer. Question what thickness felt so you use?

Retreever

 

[Alex McKr]

Re3lever: I mostly use 1/8" wool felt wads. I find this wad thickness to be useful under most conditions. Occasionally, I have used 1/4"....but mostly when experimenting with loads. For lube, I generally use a simple tallow/beeswax mix. I have used olive oil/beeswax, too. Works pretty well. I vary the proportions of the oil/wax mix, depending on weather conditions.
I should mention that I generally use the oil/wax lube to plug the chamber mouths...rather than to make lubed wads. I found that the oil tended to 'bleed' out a bit when the weather got hot. So powder contamination became a concern. Not so, with tallow/wax. Stays nice and 'sticky', but doesn't get runny. I also use it to plug the chambers, too...when I skip the wad and load the ball right onto the powder charge. YMMV.

 

[fljp2002]

Just ordered the same conical mold but went with .451 round ball

 

[Re3iever]

Re3lever: I mostly use 1/8" wool felt wads. I find this wad thickness to be useful under most conditions. Occasionally, I have used 1/4"....but mostly when experimenting with loads. For lube, I generally use a simple tallow/beeswax mix. I have used olive oil/beeswax, too. Works pretty well. I vary the proportions of the oil/wax mix, depending on weather conditions.
I should mention that I generally use the oil/wax lube to plug the chamber mouths...rather than to make lubed wads. I found that the oil tended to 'bleed' out a bit when the weather got hot. So powder contamination became a concern. Not so, with tallow/wax. Stays nice and 'sticky', but doesn't get runny. I also use it to plug the chambers, too...when I skip the wad and load the ball right onto the powder charge. YMMV.

Another question for you, have you made paper cartridges and if so did you ever dip the bullet end in liquid version of your lube?

Retreever

 

[Alex McKr]

Re3lever: Yes. I've used both the olive oil/wax version and tallow/wax version, with equal success. I have no preference for one, over the other....with minor exceptions* The process is pretty simple: I scoop out a gob of lube(I store unused lube in margarine containers in the 'fridge)...microwave it in a small glass dish until liquid. Then, dip the bullet noses into the lube. After the lube cools and hardens(a few seconds)...I place the finished cartridges nose-down, in cartridge boxes.


*Note: When the weather turns cold(like right now), and I know I'll be shooting...I tend to favour the oil/wax lube. Otherwise, I stick to a simple tallow/wax lube. To keep the lube from becoming too "brittle" and cracking off, rather than sticking to the bullet....I add a bit more oil to the dipping bowl. I don't precisely measure it.....added in small increments...say: teaspoon at a time, etc. until the lube stays "sticky". To test the mix...I dip a test bullet(just a bullet is all that's needed) into the lube....then, let it sit outside for a few minutes. If the lube still remains fairly soft and tacky...I go ahead and dip my cartridges, as usual. Once I hit on an oil/wax ratio that works well in the cold, I will record the amount of extra oil added. Then adjust, as necessary. Saves fiddling around, next time. Hope this helps.

It bears mentioning that, though I like to "batch load" cartridges....I don't lube them until shortly before going to shoot. Gives me more latitude, when making adjustments to the lube. One other thing: To maintain some consistency from batch to batch(cold weather lube)....I use an ice cream scoop....roughly levelled off... to measure out each dipping batch. It doesn't take much....one or two scoops will do a lot of bullets. Any remaining lube goes back into its own tub, for next time.

Al

ps: I should mention that I'm careful to clearly mark the margarine containers. Even when in the beer 'fridge. Wouldn't want 'Her Ladyship' to mistakenly spread some on her toast. Bad news for me!