BP minie ball question

[rich e]

CD FINGERS, I've been shooting traditional style BP rifles for 30+ years, and I'm not familiar with 50 cal. mini balls, you can shoot maxis, which are conicals that engrave the rifling as you force it down the barrel, or patched round balls. But mini's are more for the military style muskets, they simply dropped down the barrel onto the powder charge, then seated with your ramrod. It engaged the rifling when it was fired, by expanding its hollow base. In fact its really not a safe bullet to use hunting because it can actually slide back down the barrel away from the powder charge, which is unsafe if fired, always make sure your projectile is firmly seated on the powder charge. Now if your new rifle is some kind of in-line muzzleloader, then your gonna want to shoot some kind of sabot style bullet, I don't care for in-lines, but thats just me. Anyways enjoy your new rifle, black powder is alot of fun.

 

[powder smoke]

CD, Thompson Center sell all kinds of projectiles for BP might be a good place to start shoping. My TC Hawkins I've tried Mini's Maxy's but what it likes best is patch and ball They are a blast to shoot. In my Omega for deer hunting I like the sabots. Not really familar with the CVA tho. Hope this helps ps

https://secure.tcarms.com/store/bullets-and-sabots/

 

[Divernhunter]

In my 50 and 54 cal rifles I used saboted barnes bullets for hunting after trying out many other projos. They are hands down the best for hunting. If you want a non-saboted projo then I have used T/C maxi-ball or try their maxi-hunter. I have also used round ball projos but liked others better. Buffalo(sp) Bullets makes excellent projos in a non-ball style that I have used. Lee makes a bullets they cal a REAL bullet(rifling engraved at loading) which also worked fine. You can buy molds from T/C or lee for their bullets. Just be sure to use pure lead and not the lead used in harder cast pistol bullets. I just happen to have a bunch of it if you are interested.

 

[DeletedMember275]

One thing nobody has mentioned yet - what's the rifling twist rate on your new smokepole? If it's slow - around 1-60" or so, you won't get any accuracy with conical bullets. If it's fast - around 1-28" or so, it's intended strictly for conicals or sabots. If it's a compromise rate of 1-48" or thereabouts, it should shoot either PRBs (patched round balls) or conicals reasonably well.

T/C uses the 1-48" rate in their rifles, although you can order a 'round ball' barrel with a 1-66" twist from their custom shop. I rebarreled my T/C Renegade flintlock with a Green Mountain PRB barrel.

I'm a traditionalist, and vastly prefer flintlocks and PRBs, although I am beginning to waver on the subject of inlines. The ease of cleaning and extended effective range are very tempting!

An excellent source for projectiles, molds, and accessories is Track of the Wolf: http://www.trackofthewolf.com

 

[Cracker-American]

Get "The Dixie Gun Works" catalog. Think it cost five bucks. Lots of stuff for sale and lots of information. Actually as much a reference work as it is a catalog.

I too have been addicted to black powder shooting for the past twenty plus years. Lots to know and lots to learn and just one heck of a lot of fun to be had.

Happy Easter

 

[Cracker-American]

I would caution you to be very careful with conicals. Like was posted above it the projectile is not wedged tight against the powder charge bad things can happen.

Besides learning to shoot PRB (patched round ball) is not only very histerically correct but a lot of fun.

Also suggest joining the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association (NMLRA). Great magazine and a good bunch of people.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Enigma is on the right track, but I found no hard and fast rules regarding twist rate. My old 70's T/C Hawken .50 with 1:48 twist was supposedly "too fast" for RB's but a .490" ball, 80 gr FFG, and one of mom's heavy linen pillow cases (yikes!) for use with spit wet patches made for 4" groups at 100 yds...(Back then my eyeballs were up to it! :roll: ) I'm told 1:66 is better for RBs but I could have brought home the venison had I ever encountered same while packing the dern 10 lb rifle with no sling! :lol: Never did try a maxi in it, I swapped it for a guitar long ago....(Wish I hadn't by the look of replacement cost now! :?) Anyway, BP frontloaders are gobs of fun, I kinda miss the stinky smoke! Best of luck....Hint: Experiment with patching material and thickness :wink:

 

[Aqualung]

One thing nobody has mentioned yet - what's the rifling twist rate on your new smokepole? If it's slow - around 1-60" or so, you won't get any accuracy with conical bullets.

Not necessarily.

My Traditions Shenandoah with 1:60 twist shoots my hand-cast Maxi-Balls better than patched round balls. I know, it's an oddity, but it can be done.

Aqualung

 

[don44]

I have a H&R Huntsman in 58 caliber with a 1-72 twist. It will shoot Lee Target Minies into a very small group at 50 yds. Go figure!

 

[Aqualung]

CD,

One thing I found is that regardless of projectile (patched round ball, maxi to conical [Maxi-Hunter, etc]), make sure you use plenty of lube. I know guys get by using just spit patch or a liquidlube to soak the patches, but I've found follow-up shots to be a bit*ch to load. Use plenty of a "goop-type" lube (like Crisco, CVA Grease Patch, T/C Bore Butter [my favorite]) to help slide the bullet down.

I also reccomend finding the thinnest patches you can find (Dad uses .490 balls with .005 patches) Greased up "slicker'n snot", these give pretty good performance and easy loading.

The way I was taught is that if your recovered patches are in shreds, you're not using enough lube, the wrong lube or your combo is too tight for the bore. The patch should come out intact and have a black "sunburst" on it.

Depending on how much the rifle you get has been shot, you might want to smooth out your barrel/rifling a bit. Dad and I bought our rifles used, and they had been fired a bit. However, my uncle bought his rifle and carbine barrel new and my cousin bought his used, but it hadn't been shot much. Loading for their barrels was very rough. They could feel it "snagging" when they pressed a ball down and their patches were shredded when recovered. So, my uncle took a patch with some very fine valve-grinding compound on a copper bristle brush and ran it up and down the barrels a few strokes. Loading became progressively better and accuracy improved.

CLICK HERE for a vid of my shooting my T/C Hawken...and yes, I changed the flint after that :wink:

CLICK HERE for a vid of my shooting my Shenadoah.

Aqualung

 

[Bucks Owin]

I have a H&R Huntsman in 58 caliber with a 1-72 twist. It will shoot Lee Target Minies into a very small group at 50 yds. Go figure!

Gee, my Huntsman couldn't hit a barrel from the inside! I used the old Lee minie too, don't think it was a "target" version though. Had a .58 Zouave replica too that was wildly inaccurate with same projectile.. (or a patched .575" ball)....Come to think of it, the .50 T/C Hawken was the only frontstuffer I had much luck with accuracy wise...My cheapie brass frame "1851 Colt" .44 is a better club than a firearm! :lol: (And shot loose in less than 100 rds :roll: ) Pretty wall hanger though...Yep, go figure! :wink:

 

[Iron Mike Golf]

What model of CVA did you get?

 

[don44]

I have a H&R Huntsman in 58 caliber with a 1-72 twist. It will shoot Lee Target Minies into a very small group at 50 yds. Go figure!

Gee, my Huntsman couldn't hit a barrel from the inside! I used the old Lee minie too, don't think it was a "target" version though. Had a .58 Zouave replica too that was wildly inaccurate with same projectile.. (or a patched .575" ball)....Come to think of it, the .50 T/C Hawken was the only frontstuffer I had much luck with accuracy wise...My cheapie brass frame "1851 Colt" .44 is a better club than a firearm! :lol: (And shot loose in less than 100 rds :roll: ) Pretty wall hanger though...Yep, go figure! :wink:

With the Huntsman I have I use a .578 Lee Target minie which they called Oversized. 75 grs of ffg BP and it will really shoot very good groups. My son and I have taken 8 deer with it in ML seasons in AZ & ID. Sorry yours won't shoot well. CD---- good luck with your ML.