Casting historically accurate Minies for the 1861 Pedersoli?

[MarineCorporal]

Based on what I've read online, Pedersoli's reproduction of the 1861 Springfield has a slightly narrower bore than the originals. Pedersoli's being .578-.579 as opposed to .581 for the originals. Therefore I'm looking for a Lee mold that makes a historically accurate Minie (one acceptable by the NSSA). The problem is most of the Lee molds are being shown with generic and misleading stock photos.
And should I need a bullet sizer, would this .577 Enfield sizer work?
https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index...4/product_name/GA0406+SIZING+DIE+.577+ENFIELD
I could most likely do without a bullet sizer but it would help with my pan lubrication process in doing away with the excess lubricant.
Any help would be great.

 

[hawkeye2]

I don't know of any mini molds that are not acceptable to the N-SSA. The Lee 575-500 M mold bears some resemblance to a Civil War mini but isn't an accurate copy. The Lyman Old Style mold is correct and there are other mold makers who may offer an authentic mold but there are other mini designs that shoot better than originals. Do you have a Pedersoli or you thinking of buying one? Do not buy a mold or sizer until you have a gun in hand and can have the bore measured. Once the bore diameter has been determined the mini should be sized no more than .002" under that and .001" is better. Sizers are available in .001" increments and for less than the one you linked to at Dixie.

 

[mooman76]

Lee has a .575 Minie that is suppose to be a copy of an original minie. I shoot it in my 58 Hawken. It's a little over 500gr. I don't know if it would be acceptable by the NSSA but I would think so.

 

[Stantheman86]

It was actually called the "Burton Ball" and it was closer to .574 or .5745 .

I didn't believe any ammunition issued by the Federal Army was ever .577 but this diagram shows .5775?

I guess they played with diameters, .575 has pretty much always been the "standard " size I've always read.

 

[MarineCorporal]

I'm assuming we're talking about this mold: "Lee 1 Cavity Minie Ball .575" 500 Grains #90481"
I see that on Lee molds there is a cone shaped piece on the bottom that the sides close in on and this forms the hollow base. (at this point Ive only cast for traditional lead bullets).
Is sizing really critical for casual shooting? The main reason I want a bullet sizer is to help after pan lubing the bullets (doing away with the excess lube). But the same could be done with a block of wood with a .58 hole drilled through the center.

 

[nkbj]

A push thru type sizer will let you take a lubed minie and squeeze it down a lot to whatever diameter you end up wanting.

This is a Lyman #533476 swaged down to .519".

 

[mooman76]

Sizing is not critical for casual shooting but accuracy may vary. I don't size mine and get about 3-4 MOA at 100y. I've never measured mine to the barrel for fit but it seems like I have a fairly good fit, especially after a fouling shot.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The Federal Army, and for that matter the Confederate Army, was not all that concerned with on target accuracy, but getting a lot of lead down range. So issued ammunition would be sized to fit the minimum tolerance of barrel diameters. If the skirts blew up, or tumbled, that was of little concern. In modern use, we can tailor our bullets for the best in on target accuracy.

You do wand a Minié ball that represents the style, so Lee's trash can style Minié ball mold is not the one. The only one in their catalog is this one:
Mold 575-500-m - Lee Precision . the other molds are more modern

 

[Stantheman86]

I tend to just use .575's.....my Armi-Sport CS Richmond will shoot them all day long with no bore wiping and accuracy is good.

People don't think sizing is a big deal until you get a bullet stuck in the pipe or you have to pound one down. Some of them come out of the mold way oversized.

There's even historical accounts of soldiers using rocks to beat on ramrods to get stuck Minies down.

I fired my entire 40 round cartridge box of .575 Burton ball cartridges that I made, through my CS Richmond and all of them loaded with ease, right to the last one. Not even a thought of wiping.

I wouldn't want to take a cartridge box full of .577 Minies into combat

 

[MarineCorporal]

Thanks for the help gents. I know this is the most generic question. I just had to be sure.
Also any suggestions for musket caps with the Pedersoli 1861?

 

[hawkeye2]

RWS

 

[Rudyard]

Since you have an Enfield they didn't fire the Burton bullet rather the smooth sided Pritchett Bullet its paper patch being part of the cartridge and is today duplicatable . They don't relay on expansion but the truncated hollow base had a wood or baked clay plug to effect the upset the well undersized bullet . I gather the Two US Governments adopted that system later in the War . . May I suggest you Google up Rob Deans trials on U tube might be under Alberta Muzzle loaders .Or Pritchett bullets . . Rudyard

 

[Stantheman86]

Pritchett bullets shoot well out of 3-Band Enfields.

Not so well from the "Musketoons " but good enough for their intended original purpose .