Shiloh Rifle Forums

Guys.
I want to ask what hardness lead you run?
Point in case being that i shoot ringtails of approx 500 and want to try like Lyman 2 or there abouts. Good or bad idea?
Or just run like 20:1 or even 30:1?

Yeah well. After trying the whole thing out with pure lead i opted to cast some 1:2o tin ones and take it from there.
This Sharps 59/63 of mine being rather capable brings that i´ve thus far been hoovering around 80-110 grains of powder.

I know this post is almost two years old but I’m honestly curious and I think this part of the forum needs more love. What did you find out with your alloy? Pure lead or 20:1?

as a point of interest. I was shooting an original Springfield musket .58. I cast the mini bullet with 1 in 16, then one in 20. received only mediocre results.
then I read that the originals were pure lead. so I tried that.
BIG change. very accurate no leading or loading problems at all.

so while I do not shoot my original Sharps percussion carbine, I used the pure lead in both my original 50 70 Sharps carbine and my Spencer original 56 50 carbine. Both were much more accurate with the pure lead than any kind of mix.

remember, ME and just MY guns... I have always wondered about my Shiloh 40 70 SS and pure lead, but I've not tried it. I use 1/16 on that.

good luck...Ken

I have been shooting Shiloh 63 carbines in competition for at least thirty five years and I use soft lead the same as in my .58 cal muskets.
I use 43 grains of 3f Old Ensford with a Hahn tube.
I've used hard lead in the carbine and see no real difference in accuracy which is exceptional with either.
Best of Luck
Tom

Tom, what caliber are your carbines and what bullets are you using? curious if different calibers or bullets make a difference with that. Mine is a .54 and I’ve been getting good enough accuracy with whatever hardness wheel weights get me that I’ve never tried anything else. Im using the clone of the CS Richmond bullet that Eras gone put out and Lee makes. I like it because it’s pretty easy to roll cartridges for. I can’t claim it’ll win any awards. I shoot this just for fun and it was my first sharps and shiloh. But hardness hasn’t made a practical difference for me.