Conical or ball?

[Pyro]

I'm low on my .454 round balls and am thinking of trying some conicals for fun.
I use a brass framed revolver and understand that the higher weight of a conical would mean lowering my usual powder charge (20 grains+filler) to something around 15+filler.

Are there any advantages to a conical? Talking to a range officer he suggested I generally stick with round balls and don't even mess with conicals.
Is there any significant loading difference when it comes to the two?

 

[makos_goods]

Pyro,
There are two advantages if you are talking about a certain variety of conicals we call “Big Lube Boolits.” The first advantage is that you get a lubricated projectile and you will have lower fouling and no chance whatsoever of there being even a chance of chainfire from the front. Secondly you get a heavier projectile which is a better stopper if using it for protection or for hunting as well as a bullet that makes steel ring is you compete in any of the CAS events.

The first I’m going to show you is a replacement for a ball in a .44 caliber. It basically weighs the same and shoots the same as a ball. You can keep the same load. This is a link to Dick Dastardly’s site, he sells molds, but explains the bullet on his site.

http://www.biglube.com/BulletMolds.aspx?ItemID=d3fb4508-70e1-4d9b-87bd-6d9c2d504d33

You can buy sized and lubricated bullets with a good BP lube from Mark Whyte, he goes by his cowboy alias of Springfield Slim.

http://www.whyteleatherworks.com/BigLube.html

This is another .44 conical originally designed for the Ruger Old Army, but it works well in Army model Colt’s.
http://www.biglube.com/BulletMolds.aspx?ItemID=09d6fdda-c105-4c87-b269-68ebfdaba982

I have never asked Mark why his EPP-UG bullets are more expensive than his others, but they are EXCELLENT bullets. His packaging is superb (vacuum packed Styrofoam trays) and e is incredibly honest and a great guy.

The DD-ROA that Mark sells is the older full round nose style instead of the PUK style flat nose. PUK is one name for a UK shooter who requested flat nose version so he could load them in tubular magazine lever rifles. I like the round nose and it matches the loading plunger better on your pistol or loader.

For you loads you can keep the same reduced load for the EPP-UG and if I were you I would just drop your filler and keep the same 20grain load for the DD-ROA.

Regards,
Mako

 

[AbitNutz]

Bullets, like BigLube, are more challenging to load and get really good results with than a round balls, but when you get it dialed in, the results are well worth it. One of my favorite loads is the 210gr BigLube, sized to .454 on top of 35gr of Triple 7 and set it off with RWS 1075+ caps

That load just rocks. Power, accuracy, penetration. It has it all. If I want to go a bit more special I hollow point the BigLube.

I always use a loading stand, in this case, I use a D/D tower of power. I tried to buy an RAI White Tail Sniper but it looks like he got sick and I'm out $80.00. But that's the risk in really small business.

You can bump the load to 45 grains (I've had the cylinder deepened) It really roars but I don't think it's as accurate. This might be because you have to compress the Triple 7 a bit and I don't think it likes that. So the results are less consistent....just a theory.

The 150gr BigLube works well under most conditions.

No matter what I stuff my ROA with, I get no leading or problems using BigLube's. I don't put grease over the top.

The one caveat is that life becomes much easier using a good loading stand when you start playing this game.

All this being said, I never shoot round balls in my ROA anymore....

Just my 2 cents.