.40cal "Minie"

[JeffinNZ]

Hi team.

I have not visited for some time. I have been distracted by those flashy new cartridge rifles. :nono:

A short time ago I was lucky enough to acquire a Lyman 39538 mould that throws a .40cal hollow base, basically a Minie, bullet. The slug weighs 134gr in 40-1 alloy. I thought they might go rather well in my Colerain barrel Wesson rifle. Best I have been able to establish the mould was a special run Lyman did for Dixie for the Dixie .40cal rifles of some time ago.
On receipt of the mould I ran some ball and discovered they dropped at .396 which is .004 undersize for the Wesson. I had just got some 9lb onion skin paper for a paper patching project so I thought PP might be worth a try. Two wraps brings the girth up to .403 and a NICE fit in the bore.

Initial trials I shot 25, 30 and 35gr of Swiss 3Fg with the best accuracy coming from the 30gr load which to my surprise clocked 1500fps over the Chrono. Lucky I had the good sense to use 40-1 alloy. Anyways, this is a 50m/55y target with a 3 shot group.

Here is a shot of two recovered bullets showing how well they slug up, a bare bullet and a paper patched.

Just thought y'all might be interested.

 

[Bob Gular]

It's too bad you can't get 'em to group.

 

[J.D.]

Now that is interesting. I didn't know anyone had made a .40 cal mini. Never seen anything like that. Moreover, I don't think I have ever seen a mini shoot that well. It's amazing what a little paper and good sights will do, not to mention someone who apparently knows their way around a rifle. :bow:

God bless

 

[roundball]

I'm not familiar with the Colerain barrel Wesson rifle...looking at the bullets I assume it was designed with shallow grooves.

Was it designed exclusively as a conical barrel or one that could shoot both balls & conicals like T/C's standard barrels with about .005" grooves that shoot both balls & conicals?

Wonder how those paper patched bullets would do in a .012" x 1:48" x .40cal GM round ball barrel... :hmm:

 

[JeffinNZ]

Roundball: The barrel is a standard Colerain round bottom rifling barrel designed for round ball. 1 - 48 twist per all there small caliber barrels.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Gee, Jeff, it is Tragic that you just can't get those bullets to group well! :rotf: :rotf: :wink:

I think you put together a useful combination, and its obviously working for you. Here,Here!! :hatsoff:

 

[roundball]

Roundball: The barrel is a standard Colerain round bottom rifling barrel designed for round ball. 1 - 48 twist per all there small caliber barrels.

We'll, if they shoot that well in a deep groove round ball barrel, you just might have the beginnings of a spare-bedroom-cottage-industry opportunity on your hands...shipping from the other side of the planet would be a killer though
:wink:

 

[nkbj]

I came across one of these molds a while back and haven't worked with yet?
Any you fellas tried it out?
Green Mountain barrels?
Other makers?
Puzzles me how come Lyman made it as small in diameter as it is.

 

[dave951]

Moreover, I don't think I have ever seen a mini shoot that well.

Look up some of my posts

 

[dave951]

I came across one of these molds a while back and haven't worked with yet?
Any you fellas tried it out?
Green Mountain barrels?
Other makers?
Puzzles me how come Lyman made it as small in diameter as it is.

I just had a mold cut by Brooks for a 50cal minie with adjustable core pin so I can tailor the weight to the rifling. I haven't seen minies in under 50cal so this may be very interesting

 

[ZUG]

Back in the earely 80's my buddy had a cast iron .40 caliber minie ball mold maybe it was a Lyman that I borrowed and cast up a bunch of .40 caliber minies which look a lot like those pictured here. I wanted the mold but he would not sell it to me. I still have some of those minies.

 

[tom_in_vt]

Very interesting! Looks like you found a combo that works!

 

[Eric Krewson]

I tried REALs in my .40 with a GM barrel, they shot poorly form me. I have a late friend with the same GM barrel, he shot 50 yard cloverleafs with a .40 pistol bullet, I tried them and they didn't do well for me either, I think his bullet weighed 175 gr, right up there with a .50 round ball. He killed bunch of deer with his .40 and bullet combination.