Stupid question

[Tubac]

Gents,
I just bought some bullets that have the back shaped like a Minnie ball (large cavity surrounded by lead "skirts).
I have never used bullets like these in a cartridge firearm, so I have to ask, do you  seat the bullet deeper
to fill up the cavity with the powder?
Thanks for your help,
Tubac

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Nope.

Not a stupid question at all.

Seat 'em so your bullets are the same OAL (over-all length) as normal and the powder will cause those "skirts" to swell (obdurate) and fill the rifling very nicely.

You'll probably find that they do quite well with BP.  If you need extra lube, some folks fill that "skirt" area with lube; then when you fire it, the extra lube coats the bore right behind the bullet which helps the NEXT one as far as lube and fouling.  It's an old and proven design.

Have fun!

[hellgate]

What Mr Bailey said is true. However I would be careful to not use too oily of a lube in the hollow base as the oil could leach into the powder and change ignition characteristics. They are probably swaged bullets and therefore fairly soft lead which upsets easily to fill the grooves in the bore. It is a fairly forgiving bullet style that "bumps up" to seal oversize bores in old guns. A lot of 36 navy 38spl conversions use the hollow base wadcutter bullets that swell and seal the larger than .357" dia bore.

[Wills Point Pete]

 I shoot the Remington 250 grain Hollow Based Round Nosed Flat Point over black powder in my .45 Colt revolvers and rifle when I am too lazy to cast enough Big Lube Boolets. I fill the base with lube and tamp the powder down with a Walter's fiber wad, though I keep promising to buy a wadcutter and make my own out of milk cartons.

I have also used smaller powder charges with a grease cookie. These work as well.