How do you load your conicals?

[Buckskinner]

I'm going to try Powerbelts (again), Buffalo Bullets and Great Plains Bullets, and was wondering what folks use to start 'em?

I noticed if the PB needs a whack, they deform quickly. Do the others deform as fast when whacked?

 

[Ifishsum]

Conicals shouldn't need a whack to get em started, lots of people start em with their thumb.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I use the Lee REAL slugs, they need a firm push to get started, so I use a short starter. they are touted as having the trait to 'shoot all day without wiping the bore' and this is so, but I found that after around 7-8 shots groups begin to open up. so I brush the bore and wipe every 6 shots in my .50. I have to stop about 12-15 shots to clean the flash channel anyway for reliable firing.

 

[AntiqueCollector]

I carved out the ends of a wood dowel to start balls or bullets. Doesn't deform them too badly, as I carved the ends to fit almost perfectly the tip of the bullets to spread out the force of the hit over a broader area, and it makes it very easy to load. Any soft lead projectile will get a little deformed but a little bit won't hurt it much.

 

[Mark whiz]

Ifishsum is right, starting a conical shouldn't take more than a finger, maybe occassionally a short starter. If you really have to struggle to start them, you probably ought to "slug" your muzzle and find out exactly what caliber (size of bore) you truly have. ML standards typically are more tolerant than smokeless arms and you may have a slightly under-caliber bore.

On the powerbelts (sabots too) you can give the outside of the cup a light lick (or just lick your finger and run it around the cup) before loading them - that usually helps ease loading. Also, lube the cup posts on them before loading, as that will help them seperate in flight and keep your shots more accurate.

 

[K.A.T.]

I have a loading device made to load conicals,it is a plastic tube with a plunger that slides down and pushes the conical in the barrel.Place the conical in the tube and leave about 1/8'' of it sticking out,place it on top of the barrel and whack the plunger.It loads the conical straight in the barrel.Sorry,I can't remember where I got it,Cabela's or Bass Pro,it's about 3'' long,but somebody makes it.

You can buy bullet starters that have a variety of tips to fit different bullets.

 

[dwave]

How do you load your conicals?

In the open end, pointy side up!

 

[arcticap]

I use a CVA plastic starter or something similar because it's soft and it has some give to it. I very gently tap it in with a wooden mallet, same with sabots/bullets & PRB's.

The other plunger type loader that K.A.T. mentioned is a TC Tru Starter.

Here's a short starter/ramrod attachment for starting pointed bullets.

When a pointed bullet is started, it sometimes helps a little bit to have a deeper hole in the starter or attachment.

 

[Buckskinner]

Thanks. NIce pics! I like pics...

 

[rifle]

Rapine Moulds sells a little kismo press for sizing bullets. They make the sizers and will make them any size you want. An example would be a 50 cal. bullet for a .500 bore(lands) and sizing a lead bullet to be .502 so it loads easy and stays put. The benifit of the sizers is that they also make the bullets perfectly "round". If the aren't round they don't shoot as well. Lots of moulds cast bullets a few .001's out of round. I've found that in rifles with deep grooves hollow based bullets work best most of the time. The TC QLA muzzle modification aids in loading conicals. The barrel is relieved at the muzzle to accept the bullet where the lands are reamed away for a depth that allows the bullet to be supported and straight in the muzzle before it's shoved home. Clymer Reamers sells reamers to ream the relief in the muzzle. Supposedly the same reamers TC uses. The reamers are piloted to be able to ream straight and true(as long as the pilot on the leading end of the reamer is snug in the bore.

 

[Heinrich]

I have machined a brass short start with a hollowed out tip according to the profile of the Conicals. They do not deform.

After short starting, I wrap a lubed patch around the front of the ramrod, and push the conical/ball/sabot down the barrel.

buckskinner, I have found that it is easy to deform an RB/Conical, but I take the extra care not too, I can clearly see the difference in accuracy.