Author Topic: Light 50 cal Minie balls?  (Read 720 times)

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Offline Victor3

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Light 50 cal Minie balls?
« on: June 21, 2007, 01:17:02 AM »
I have a small & light 50 cal rifle (That would probably be better suited to 36 or 32 cal IMO). I'm looking for a not-too-heavy Minie (A mini minie?) to use for plinking and casual target use. I would like to find something that could be used with reduced loads that my wife and son wouldn't be beaten up with. I can of course use round balls, but I'd like something requiring less cleaning between shots.

I've heard of one called a "Buffalo Ballette" but can't find them for sale anywhere. Everything else I've seen seems to be fairly hefty.

Any tips on where to buy ready-made light minies or available moulds online would be very much appreciated...
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Offline Snowshoe

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Re: Light 50 cal Minie balls?
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2007, 02:57:15 AM »
Why not shoot patched balls? I get as good or better accuracy out of my Lyman rifles using balls. One rifle is a .50 and other a .54, and they have a 1 in 48" twist. I also have a Friend that shoots round balls from his .50 cal rifle that has a twist of 1 in 28". He gets good accuracy with a light 60g load of Pyrodex RS.
Snowshoe

Offline encore3006

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Re: Light 50 cal Minie balls?
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2007, 06:28:53 AM »
 :-X

Offline papellet

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Re: Light 50 cal Minie balls?
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2007, 01:58:38 PM »
The buffalos can be found at rmcsports.com item number ML61750. this is a good company to deal with, very prompt service.

Offline Victor3

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Re: Light 50 cal Minie balls?
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2007, 01:22:58 AM »
The buffalos can be found at rmcsports.com item number ML61750. this is a good company to deal with, very prompt service.

Excellent. Thanks for the link. They have three conicals under 300 grains.

Don't get me wrong - I shoot balls too. When my wife and kid are along though, I like to keep it as simple as possible lest they get impatient with all the ritual involved in shooting BP. They tend to start looking for my 22 auto rifle if things get too complicated...
"It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly, one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."

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Offline DakotaJeff

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Re: Light 50 cal Minie balls?
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2007, 05:44:01 PM »

I used the Buffalo Ball-ets for a couple seasons on deer.  They worked pretty well and were very easy to load.  I could buy them at Cabelas and Scheels (upper midwest store).  They were relatively cheap, something like $9 per 50.  If I recall, the 50 caliber Ball-ets weighed 245 grains, or in the neighborhood.  Try Cabelas website and I'm sure you could order them over the internet.

Offline rex6666

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Re: Light 50 cal Minie balls?
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2007, 06:01:26 AM »
Victor
i know this is a little late.
I have been shooting the Buffalo 245 ballet in my T/c 50 and really like them, i am puting them on top of 85gr or goex fff and was surprised at the lite recoil, i have shot them with 70gr and it is really lite.
Rex
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