Shiloh Rifle Forums

Have been reading all I can regarding these rifles and am assembling a list of equipment needed to load. What are your opinions of NEI bullet moulds?
Also if paper patching bullets can you use pure lead? From what I am reading the lead/tin alloy bullets reduce bore leading, so the paper patch would protect from this. Or is there more that the tin is doing? Making the lead flow better to cast BIG bullets?
Also, bear with me hear, thinking out loud, when using paper patch bullets grease cookies are needed taking up case space, so would a 45-3.25 paper patched load be comparable to 45-2 7/8 non patched. Along this same line for the 45 3.25 to shoot as some are getting the 45-2 7/8 to shoot would you need to up the bullet weight to assist in the powder consumption, but then again this would increase recoil. Seems that paper patching with powder charge of 105 to 110 gr with wads and grease cookies would make the 45 3.25 perform.
One more thing is anyone shooting paper patched bullets in long range competition?

David/Mo - I have several NEI moulds, some purchased from Walt back when he was in El Paso, but the majority from his days in WA and OR. NEI moulds tend to cast a little on the large side (as advertised), but they throw excellent bullets. Walt changed his venting prior to his death last year. I have one 50 caliber mould with this new vent system and prefer it to the older style as I have yet to see "feathers" on any of the bullets cast from it. I recently purchased a fourth 349C (I like the bullet) from the "new" NEI run by I believe his daughter, again in El Paso. Normally I would have purchased a steel mould or meehinite as Walt called it, but due to some confusion this one is aluminum. This cherry was made by Walt and the mould is throwing good bullets. My shooting partner also purchased an aluminum 349C (his third) and it's working well for him. - Nick

I am shooting the NEI 348A meehanite mould. It was also made shortly before Walt passed and has the new vent design. As mentioned in the previous post, I have never experienced feathers. It has been a solid performer and casts good bullets when I do my part. When I bought it Walt tried to talk me into one of the aluminum moulds. I have heard good things about them and that they come up to temperature really fast. I think if I order another mould I’ll try the aluminum out.

David/Mo,

I have one NEI mold. It is the 1881 bullet I purchased for my trapdoor. It is aluminum and casts an outstanding bullet. Walt went on shortly after I purchased this one and I've not bought any since. Don't even know if they are still in business.

Pure lead with 2% tin added works very well for my paper patch bullets. If you want to get max performance from any bp cartridge, paper patching is the way to go. When properly setup they require very little case space, like about .090". If you use grease cookies I find that shootability goes up while the accuracy factor will deterioate somewhat. You'll have to experiment to find your balance.

Good shooting
TL