I went and read your posts on the wads and R.E.A.L. conicals in the newbie section. Also I own four .54 caliber Renegades and shoot R.E.A.L. conicals that I cast in them.
First off the R.E.A.L. stands for rifling engaged at loading. The top band on them is the band that engages the rifling. While I have to use a short starter and smack them to get them under the crown of the rifling, I've never remembered using a mallet on them.
I am guessing that the lead your friend got was not pure. It normally takes a short smack on a short starter, which should engrave that easy and send it down the barrel. All four of mine are like that.
What kind of lube are you using on the conicals? Is it bore butter or homemade. Bore butter works well. I personally make my own lube from castor oil and bees wax.
I'd tell you to try some maxiball or R.E.A.L. conicals from
http://www.blackjackhill.com/ Bill Davis does some nice casting out of pure lead and they are excellent bullets. The trouble is, last time I ordered from him it took a month to get the maxiball from him. Bill
was a small time bullet caster until he got known from the internet postings. Now to keep up, he was forced to quit his other job and is casting full time. The trouble is, he's behind on a lot of his orders. Although Judy (his wife) and him are working their tail off trying to get them out. If you don't mind the wait, order some from him. Maxiball and R.E.A.L. and see if he has some of the REAL in 300 grain. They shoot best out of my .54's. Send him an e-mail and talk to him. Tell him Cayugad sent you.
As for the wads, you can get some excellent pre lubed from
http://www.rmcsports.com/catalog.htm . Search them under the term "
Wonder Wads." My understanding is they bought out Ox Yoke and they are now doing all the wads. They are an excellent lubed wad.
Or you can get some fiber wads in a #1000 pack from Track of the Wolf. You do not have to lube the fiber wads. As with any wad, just dump your powder charge. Then put a wad in the barrel. At this point some seat the wad first, others drive it down with the projectile. Your choice on there. Then put the projectile in and seat the whole works.
In three of my Renegades, I shoot 80 grains of Goex 2f a wonderwad and a 300 grain R.E.A.L. or a maxiball and get excellent accuracy. My other Renegade will just not shoot a concial at all for some reason. But you load 90 grains of Goex 2f and a .530 patched roundball and you can knock snot out of anything you like out to 100 yards.
