Bullet size

[Rooster57]

What bullet diameter do you fellows shoot in your '63 shiloh .50 carbines? I have a Lyman 515141 that throws a 450gr bullet. Can I shoot it as cast?
Mucho thanks

[Todd Birch]

Rooster

I also shoot the Lyman 515141 sized .510 in my .50 '63s and 50-70.

Before I got the sizing die, I shot them as cast with no problems. If the mix is soft enough, you should be fine.

It's one way to keep things simple. Generally with a '63, you aren't trying to wring the last ounce of accuracy out of it for 500 yard shot.

[Rooster57]

Ok, thanks Todd I figured you'd be the one to bail me out! Much appreciated.
The fine fellow I bought the gun from sent me a whole box of bullets he had cast for the gun. They look to be "as cast" and mic about .513 or there about. Now , off to the lubing pan with them!

[Todd Birch]

Rooster

If you really want to be a herectic, roll some of your lubed bullets with a .54 calibre 60 gr Pyrodex pellet!

During the Civil War, they figured out how to make compressed powder charges with BP. The rounds look just like my Pyro pellet loads.
I don't want to mess with compressing BP, so the Pyro does the trick.

I have thought of trying the BP compression trick with wooden dies and some sort of binding agent. Back then, they used 'collodion', a nitrocellulose compound dissolved in ether or alcohol.

Collodion was used to coat photographic plates and also to cover over wounds, the 'krazy' glue of the era.

Might be a fun way to make up authentic, easy to handle paper rounds.

[Rooster57]

I might give pyro pellets a whirl sometime, thanks for the suggestion. I believe most of the gun shops around here carry them.