Minie Balls

[Zack]

In the Ruger Old Army a revolver.....you don't use patched round balls.

Where are you going with this?
What kind if rifles are they?
What are you gonna do with them?

We are going around in circles with out knowing the purpose.

I use patched rolund balls in most all the percussion and flinters.......about the only miniball/bullet I use is in a Philadelphia Derringer, the barrel is only 1-1/2 long....so trying to hold on to the gun,... and.. patch, ball, and starter is a pain....so I grease up the base and push it in.

Sorry for the confusion. I really don't mean to be a pain. Just trying to wrap my head around all the terms and processes.

The rifles are a CVA Hawken (I think) and a CVA Frontier Carbine. Not too sure about their histories. Will ask around about the particulars as soon as I can. But my goal is to have 2 deer rifles to use in the near future.

The purpose of the original post was to inquire about bullets/conicals and how they compare to patched lead balls for hunting and some target practice and what situations to would use each for.

Hope that clears things up and again, sorry for the confusion.

[hunter63]

It not a problem....just easier to deal with a starting point.

What caliber are they?

I hunt with a Thompson Center .50 cal. Hawken percussion .....mostly.
Use a .490 lead round ball, .015 pillow ticking patch, 90 gr, 3 F Black power.
Use this load for targets as well....but back off to 60 gr. 3 F BP

Works well, and have killed many deer with it.....
Remember you have one shot....so choose wisely.

[Zack]

It not a problem....just easier to deal with a starting point.

What caliber are they?

I hunt with a Thompson Center .50 cal. Hawken percussion .....mostly.
Use a .490 lead round ball, .015 pillow ticking patch, 90 gr, 3 F Black power.
Use this load for targets as well....but back off to 60 gr. 3 F BP

Works well, and have killed many deer with it.....
Remember you have one shot....so choose wisely.

Both are .50 caliber

[Zack]

Do you use the round ball just for convenience and cost, Hunter?

[hunter63]

Should be 1-48 twist, and shoot either one, OK

I like the round balls better because they seem to work better for me...in my rifle.

BIL used a mini ball, because he didn't want to fool with patching and such.....and that worked good ....for him in his rifle....a .50 cal CVA Hawken I helped him build.

Cost really doesn't enter it near as much as modern cartridge guns....
You buy the balls, or mini's...the powder and percussion caps....you are gonna shoot a long time.... as it take time to load...one at a time.

Mini's are generally heaver than round balls so drop more with the same powder load....and are somewhat slower.
You don't load up a magazine and rip off 30 rounds in a second or two.

You can pour your own...but I would get all nuts with that stuff yet if you don't have equipment already.

Midway or Track of the Wolf has just about any dia. ball, mini, bullet you would care to load.
My .490 round balls are like $13 buck per 100...
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/list/Item.aspx/127/2

Mini's a about $12 buck per 25
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/I.../BALL-50-MINIE

[Zack]

Should be 1-48 twist, and shoot either one, OK

I like the round balls better because they seem to work better for me...in my rifle.

BIL used a mini ball, because he didn't want to fool with patching and such.....and that worked good ....for him in his rifle....a .50 cal CVA Hawken I helped him build.

Cost really doesn't enter it near as much as modern cartridge guns....
You buy the balls, or mini's...the powder and percussion caps....you are gonna shoot a long time.... as it take time to load...one at a time.

Mini's are generally heaver than round balls so drop more with the same powder load....and are somewhat slower.
You don't load up a magazine and rip off 30 rounds in a second or two.

You can pour your own...but I would get all nuts with that stuff yet if you don't have equipment already.

Midway or Track of the Wolf has just about any dia. ball, mini, bullet you would care to load.
My .490 round balls are like $13 buck per 100...
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/list/Item.aspx/127/2

Mini's a about $12 buck per 25
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/I.../BALL-50-MINIE

Sounds like it comes down to individual rifles and situations. Thanks for the info.

[hunter63]

Yes it does.....
This might help

[Zack]

Yes it does.....
This might help

Thanks. Good stuff in the video.

[Lamewolf]

I've used a 290 grain Minie cast from a Lee mold in my home built 45 cal southern mountain rifle to deer hunt with over 70 grains of 3f black powder. Don't use patching on the Minie, it is designed to expand and seal the bore when the powder ignites. I did lube it well with a mixture of beef tallow and beeswax. Dropped a whitetail in its tracks with the combo and yes its a percussion rifle.

[kyratshooter]

...deleted...

[kyratshooter]

...also deleted...

I was wrong twice today!

[Zack]

I've used a 290 grain Minie cast from a Lee mold in my home built 45 cal southern mountain rifle to deer hunt with over 70 grains of 3f black powder. Don't use patching on the Minie, it is designed to expand and seal the bore when the powder ignites. I did lube it well with a mixture of beef tallow and beeswax. Dropped a whitetail in its tracks with the combo and yes its a percussion rifle.

Nice job. You think the minie is any better for deer than the round ball?