conical bullets

[ontarget]

what size conicals should I use in my 1860? I am going to order a Lee mold from "you know who" Cabelas. I already have a .454 RB mold so I figured I'd try the conicals. Has anyone tried a wad cutter type in a BP revolver?

 

[rcflint]

I have shot 200gr Speer SWC made for the ACP and they shoot pretty well, except they don't fit through the Colt's loading cut very well.. They will fit through the Remington cut, even though the Remington cut looks smaller. They load easiest and straightest with an off-the-gun cylinder loading stand.

 

[Hellgate]

I love the LEE 200gr conical but it won't fit under the rammer on Pietta 1860 Armies. With some juggling I can load them in my Hartford model ASM Army. I believe there is enough room under the rammer in Uberti Colt .44s and they have fit easily in Pietta, Uberti, & Euroarms Remingtons I've had. They'll shoot higher than a ball and are nice "thumpers".

 

[ontarget]

What size though ? .450 and what about wadcutters?

 

[45-70 Ranger]

Don't go nuts, but loading a conical backwards with a light charge makes fantastic wadcutters and with an old Ruger Old Army, I was printing super tight groups and the holes looked like they were cut with a die. That was with the casting from a Lee .456" 220 gr. mould.

After all, the face of a RB is not that much different than that of a conical nose. The bearing surface will be the same either way. I've use this system also with a .44 Remington copy using sized and lubed Lyman 225 gr casting that I use in the .45ACP. Loaded backwards over 20 gr. of Pyrodex P gives great groups and like with the ROA, looks like a cutting die was at work on the paper. The Bullet is simply run through my old Lyman 450 sizer/luber at .451" and lubed with Lee Alox/Beeswax. Works great.

There's your wadcutters fellas,
Wade

 

[rcflint]

conical

The Speer and the Hornady 200 gr SWC are .452 in diameter, they load and shoot fine.

 

[ontarget]

sounds good, I may just try that.