56 56 reloading

[Cav Trooper]

 If you use a Rapine 546-375 bullet, do you have to somehow fill the void in the bullet base (grease/wax/lube)? when seating over compressed powder?

[El Supremo]

Hello, 54 Dodge:

Smarter reloaders than I have told me they never put lube in a base cavity, even in minie balls.
BUT I HAVE SEEN MUSKET TEAM SKIRMISHERS PUT CRISCO IN MINIE BASES MOMENTS BEFORE GOING TO THE LINE.
Otherwise lube in or on the base will quickly contaminate the powder and a thin wad won't seal for long.

Lubes for black powder should not contain any petro chemicals because they burn in the bore and make the fouling more of a problem.  I think ALOX is for smokeless powder loads.  Better for B-P loads are SPG and MCM, which are proven and contain no petro-chem's.

Some custom bullet mold makers will enlarge lube grooves.  Beware of otherwise well designed and good looking bullets that have inadequate lube groove capacity.

Regards,
El Supremo/Kevin Tinny

[Cav Trooper]

Thanks