Minie balls/R.E.A.L. bullets in a 1-28 twist inline work well?

[Tallbald]

I'm am wondering if I can shoot a .50 caliber Minie ball or the Lee REAL in my CVA Optima V2 pistol? It has the 1 in 28 twist, and I've been searching for answers across the web but haven't come up with a lot. I added up my costs using sabots and factory cast slugs. With a 209 primer (4 cents), triple Seven 100 grain loads (17 cents), sabots (16 cents) and a commercial cast slug (10 cents) it's right at 47 cents a round. Could save a lot if a Minie ball would give me the range accuracy I love. Lee offers both the REAL molds and a Minie ball mold. Thoughts please? This may determine if I buy an Optima V2 rifle for fun on sale at $270 or not.
Thank you. Don

 

[rodwha]

My understanding is that a Minie is undersized with a thin skirt to catch the rifling upon ignition, which would fit, but that the skirt is thin and can only handle lighter loads up to about 60-something grains of powder.

The REAL's I cast seem to come out slightly under the size (~.510") I'm told they should be. But even were they filled out properly (~.518") I'd think it wouldn't be too terribly difficult to seat one. And that measurement is the final driving band. The rest are under that. Mine didn't do well at all until I used a wad, but then I'm shooting them from a RB rifle with ~.520" grooves.

 

[Skinny 1950]

I am shooting a .54 cal rifle using REAL bullets and get reasonable accuracy with the 1:48 twist which I am told is a compromise twist rate (should be 1:60 for best accuracy).
Your 1:28 rifling may be a problem in a rifle...not sure about a pistol though, as a suggestion you should try whatever bullet and see how it works.

 

[PapaG]

The 1 in 28 should work better for the REAL, Maxiball ad Maxihunter than a slower one. Most new rifled shotguns have faster twists for elongated bullets. My old 45-70 did fine with 1 in 22. I had one of the original Renegades that shot fine with both RB and Maxi, grouping both together at fifty yards.
Some Minies have thicker skirts. I made a mold years ago with a thick skirt, shallow cavity and paper patched it to shoot in a Numrich Zouave barrel and used up to 80 grains of powder. It did fine but was a pain to cast, patch and load.
You gotta try them and see how they work.
As an aside, that Zouave had a 1 in 72 twist and worked much better with RB than with any minie I tried. Won second place at Friendship back in around 71 in the fifty yard musket match. (Had first til the last day.)

 

[MCgunner]

I have both a minie and a REAL Lee molds. Must be of SOFT pure lead, of course, but they both work great in my CVA Wolf as does a 385 Hornady Great Plains Minie.

 

[totallyeftup]

I would use the small ones, either 200 or 250 grain, and you can get the lead almost anywhere, once you melt it, it looks all the same. I get it from the range, old car batteries, or the very best is from dental xray film. The dentist will actually tear out the lead after use as a hazmat issue. I was told it needs antimony, but never did anything special