by Mike Nesbitt
Contributing Editor
The bullets from this new mold were just briefly mentioned in my earlier story about the Billy Dixon Rifle (TGM April, 2013 issue) from C. Sharps Arms and now I want to talk more about those bullets. While doing that I also want to talk more about Tom Ellis and his company, Accurate Molds. This is only the second bullet mold I’ve ordered from Accurate Molds but, considering the good product and exceptionally fine service, it certainly won’t be my last. The mold designed for my second order became bullet #50-470T.
The bullets from this mold were really intended for use with the .50-90 cartridge and the real idea was to get a paper-patched bullet that was very close to the 473 grains of the old originals. As it turns out, these bullets weigh just over 480 grains when cast with soft lead. That pleases me and they do seem to shoot rather well, even in the 1-in-26” rate of twist that the newer .50 caliber blackpowder cartridge rifles have.
Even though use in the .50-90 was my main concern, more than a few of these new bullets have been fired in my .50-70 and I think they are doing just fine in the shorter cartridge. In fact, I’m just itching to do more shooting with the .50-70 with loads using some new powders. Those powders include KIK 1.5Fg (new to me) and some of the Olde Enysford from GOEX. I’m certainly expecting that excellent reports shall follow.
For now I’ve been shooting the .50-90 with 90 grains of GOEX FFg. Loads in the .50-70 have varied from 65.0 grains of Cowboy (I still have some left) and some Swiss FFg. While the Swiss powder is not my favorite, due to fouling just ahead of the chamber, it is performing very well, especially when used with a duplex load that is “started” with 5.0 grains of #4227. The duplex load was being used when the 5-shot group you see was fired at 50 yards with this bullet. That isn’t the tightest group but getting three bullets touching in the X ring isn’t all bad!
Like the earlier .45 caliber mold, this .50 mold makes tapered bullets. The rate of taper, however, is much less than what it is with #45-400T. This .50-caliber bullet tapers only from .493” at the forward “full diameter” to .498” at the base. So, the rate of taper is only .005” or .0025” on each side. That is enough so the forward part of the bullet can enter the rifling ahead of the chamber with ease when it is patched with two wraps of 9-pound paper. No “throating” ahead of the chamber is necessary.
While no hunting has been done with these .50-caliber paper-patched bullets, I was able to “ambush” a sleeping piece of firewood that had a rather soft center. This was done for a number of little reasons, all rather minor. The first reason was to see if I could hit it centered enough that the bullet would stay in the wood without going out of the side of the small log. Second was to see if I could find the bullet inside the wood, a seemingly simple task, but I have had failures in that regard before. And, third, I wanted to be able to see the rifling marks on this generally considered under-size diameter bullet. Finally, fourth, I was hoping to see some expansion of the bullet, mainly because I do have ideas about using this bullet in either the .50-70 or the .50-90 for big game hunting at some time.
All of those wishes were quickly fulfilled with the first shot while using a 65-grain load in the .50-70. The piece of firewood was quickly split and the bullet you see pictured here simply fell to the ground. It had penetrated nearly 10” in the soft “mushy” piece of alder which was almost too old and too wet to burn. The two attractive things to notice are the expansion, of course, and the very clear and well defined rifling marks.
When a big game hunt is made with one of the .50-caliber rifles, I can only hope that the bullet or bullets used to drop some game can be found. If they are found, they might look this good but maybe not. Or they could look even better. Certainly, there are no two fired bullets that are exactly alike.
Let me try to say more about the mold than the bullets. Using the aluminum molds from Accurate Molds has truly been a pleasure. My method of pouring bullets is to use a pot and dipper rather than a bottom-pour pot. These molds handle very well and the freshly cast bullets drop out with ease. The craftsmanship that goes into the making of these molds is “top dollar” and, because I’ve said it in that sense, I think Tom’s prices for his products are very reasonable.
As with my .45 caliber #45-400T bullet, aluminum was selected for the blocks for this .50-caliber mold. Ellis offers his molds in three different metals; they can be made with blocks of aluminum, brass, or iron. The mold blocks come without handles but they are made to fit RCBS mold handles, or Lee handles for larger blocks. And larger block sizes can be ordered for molds up to 5 cavities.
Accurate Molds offers CNC lathe bored bullet molds for handguns, rifles and shotguns with diameters from .30 caliber on up to 12 gauge. Choose from the catalog of existing designs, or submit a custom design of your own. Prices for a single cavity mold, such as the one I bought, range from $83 for aluminum, $99 for brass, to $141 for iron. Those prices recently had to make a small jump and currently orders are being filled in just four weeks and that includes custom orders per your own design.
The molds I have are probably not completely broken in just yet but I will not hesitate to give Accurate Molds my highest recommendations. For more info or to place an order, you can email him at tom@accuratemolds.com. You can also write to him by sending a note to Tom Ellis, Accurate Molds, PO Box 315, Dept. TGM, Salt Lake City, UT 84110. He does not give his telephone number but he does promise to reply to all emails within 48 hours.
And there are more Accurate Molds in my future; you can bet I’m a repeat customer.
