.58 Minie molds

[cytorg]

I need to get some molds for my .58 Enfield (Armi) and wanted to get the most accurate minie. I've found that .577-.578 is the best size for this musket. Who makes the most accurate minie and where's the best place to shop for them?
I realize I'll probably get several to try with my gun, just not sure where to start.
Thanks

 

[Big John]

Lyman moulds @ Track of the Wolf.

 

[jimeckersley]

Also take a look at[url] www.leeprecision.com[/url] for an overview of their BP Molds. The #58 Cal.Oversize .578-478M might work for you. I've used their "trash can" minnie for target and stake shooting.

You can most likely buy Lee molds from TOW or directly from Lee. There's no doubt that the Lee molds aren't the quality of Lyman, Rapine or NEI. They are also quite a bit lower in mass. But if you round the edges and polish the bottom side of the sprue cutter to prevent galling, they will work ok. I also use Ray Rapine's graphite lubricant for all sliding surfaces. I've had good results with Lee customer service too. Considering the price, which includes handles, Lee does fill a niche in the market.

 

[n8dawg6]

my minie moulds are from rapine, but im not sure if he's still in bizness. the rapine molds are great.

another really good one is the rcbs n-ssa mold. that'd probably be my second choice after a rapine. the rcbs mold costs a bit more than the lyman and lee molds though.

i dont have experience with the lyman molds, but the lee "trashcan" is a good wadcutter type minie that typically delivers excellent accuracy.

make sure you know the actual bore size of your rifle, the italian guns tend to vary. once you know the actual bore size, get a mold that's about .001 over-bore-sized, and then size the bullets down to .001 under-bore-sized. i've had great results this way.

 

All those molds are very good the best bullet style IMO are the old style minnie and some of the later target minnies like the Hogden N-SSA or NEI minnies. The lighter minnies tend to become less stable beyond 100 yds. The LEE Trashcan will also become unstable beyond 100 yds. Good luck .001 sized undersize with 50/50 beeswax/oil lube in the groovs and the base filled with crisco this works best for me. I can shoot 50 rounds or more without cleaning with this setup.

 

[Zonie]

I'm not saying it is the best because I haven't tried any other bullets except the Lee#90481, a 500 grain Minie, but Lyman makes a bullet specifically designed for the Enfield. The last letters in its part number are PH, standing for Parker-Hale. The Lyman part number is #575213PH.

When I bought my last Parker-Hale, 100 bullets and the Lyman molds came with it and I must say, they shoot very well in all of my Enfield Repros.

These bullets are 566 grain with 3 grease grooves. The cavity is a shallow flat bottomed shape being only .225 deep and leaving a .060 thick skirt where the cavity meets the rear of the bullet.
The Lyman PH measures .576-.577 in diameter.

For comparison, the Lee 90481 has a cavity .465 deep with a .053 thick skirt.
The Lee bullet diameter measures .577.

When it comes to loading, the Lyman seem to go down the bore a little easier than the Lee
I suspect this is because they are slightly smaller.
The Lymans are notably more accurate in my P-H's and I suspect the shallow cavity and the thicker skirt may be less likely to "blow out" as the bullet leaves the muzzle.

No doubt about it. The Lyman molds cost more and you have to buy the Large handles to use them.
The Lee molds of course give you everything for around $25.

 

[n8dawg6]

All those molds are very good the best bullet style IMO are the old style minnie and some of the later target minnies like the Hogden N-SSA or NEI minnies. The lighter minnies tend to become less stable beyond 100 yds. The LEE Trashcan will also become unstable beyond 100 yds. Good luck .001 sized undersize with 50/50 beeswax/oil lube in the groovs and the base filled with crisco this works best for me. I can shoot 50 rounds or more without cleaning with this setup.

cytorg this reminds me of some stuff i forgot to mention. my rapine molds are for the wadcutter type bullets. they weigh approx 340 grains . . . significantly less than a traditional minie. they generate quite a bit less recoil. however, as stated correctly here, they do start to fall off pretty rapidly past 100 yds. also, the skirt is pretty thin, so they're incapable of taking heavy or hunting charges. it all depends on what you want to use the rifle for. i dont hunt with my muskets, ive only used them for n-ssa skirmishing, where shots dont go past 100 yds anyway.

one more thing,[url] www.midsouthshooterssupply.com[/url] sells all models (from what i can tell) of the lee, lyman, and rcbs minie molds. good prices and good service in my experience.

 

[cytorg]

I appreciate the input and links gents. I need to get some casting going here pretty quick so I can work up a good load. I had ordered some minies from Dixie to have something to shoot but they are so inconsistent that I would do better throwing rocks at the targets.
Again, thanks for the help everyone! :thumbsup:

 

[marmot]

Hmmm... might want to stay away from Dixie minies... last batch of those I saw (last year) were not only inconsistent, but tested out only slightly softer than wheelweights with two different hardness testers. Besides, after paying what they charge, plus shipping, you can go ahead an buy several molds to try out and be way ahead in the long run.

My favorite mold is a modified RCBS "Parker-Hale" - base plug turned down, so the base cavity is just under 1/4" deep, with heavy sides. With 45 grains of 3f it will remain stable to 200 yards, and has enough mass (585 grains) to upset and fill the .579 bore of my two bander.