Anyone Use Lee's REAL Bullets in a Modern Muzzleloader?

[Dirk]

I became acquainted with REAL bullets prior to the inline revolution. Back then, muzzleloaders I encountered were either slow-twist with deep rifling for patches, or the TC-patterned Hawken style, with a compromise twist rate and much shallower rifling. I guess I've always associated them with those two groups.

Has anyone tried them in modern muzzleloaders with a faster twist? How have they performed compared to your pet loads? I haven't slugged my bore yet, but I plan to do so, and then maybe invest in a .50 (.517) Lee mold.

Thanks,
Dirk

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[RVTECH]

I've been thinking about trying them - due the fact I can no longer get Great Plains bullets.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

A friend had a Navy Arms .50 caliber rifle with a 1-25 twist.
It shoot well with either a patched round ball or Lee .50 bullet.
Load was 65 grains of 2F for both.
Andy

 

[Dirk]

A friend had a Navy Arms .50 caliber rifle with a 1-25 twist.
It shoot well with either a patched round ball or Lee .50 bullet.
Load was 65 grains of 2F for both.
Andy

I look forward to trying the Lee .50, I see there's two different weights, I'll probably opt for the shorter one. I want to try patched balls too, just for plinking, but I need thinner patches.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

@Dirk
It was the 320 grain bullet she used....the rifle shot it well..but she had a difficult time starting the bullet down the muzzle.
So we played around with round ball....and settled on a .480 ball with .15 patch...if I remember correctly.
Andy

 

[BlackPowderDad]

No but I have a REAL mold for my .50 and my .58. I casted some of the 320 grain .50s but haven't shot them yet. I use an old electric hot plate and a little cast iron frying pan. I need a better set up! Lol

 

[Dirk]

I did some for my TC .58 barrel. I didn't feel like it was engaging the rifling that well, so I poured a "cherry" with a quick-change bit embedded in it, got some valve-grinding compound and tried to expand the mold a bit. It took a long time to get an extra couple of thou, and it didn't help accuracy at all. Still, different caliber, different rifling, I figure its worth a shot.
Your set-up sounds like mine, except I use a propane camp-burner. Hey, it works, right?