I purchased my Kentucky Rifle last year and it is my first and only muzzelloader. I have absolutely loved it. I have only shot patched round balls through it, but recently someone asked me why I don't shoot conicals given it's twist rate. I honestly thought it could only shoot patched round balls so I never thought about it, but like I said I'm new to this. So do any of you know whether it can shoot conicals or should I stick with only patched round balls? It has a 1 and 47" twist rate. Thank you.
Pedersoli Kentucky Rifle 50 Cal
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Smokin_Gun
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The only thing I've shot other than patched R.B. is Thompson Center Maxie Balls made from a Thompson .50 cal mold. R.B. are more accurate but every rifle is differant.
Look up Lee Molds and see if the Real Bullet is what you may be lookin' for. I jus' use Patched RB from a Lee .490 Mold for a Deer Load I've loaded on a 60gr BP charge two patched Balls atop each other... about an 8" max spread at 100 yards. And 100 yard cloverleafs with one ball on 60gr from my Miroku Tennessee Mountain Poorboy.
Besides the patched ball with mooses milk pretty much swabs the bbl for every shot...
anyway that's why I prefer roundballs...
Look up Lee Molds and see if the Real Bullet is what you may be lookin' for. I jus' use Patched RB from a Lee .490 Mold for a Deer Load I've loaded on a 60gr BP charge two patched Balls atop each other... about an 8" max spread at 100 yards. And 100 yard cloverleafs with one ball on 60gr from my Miroku Tennessee Mountain Poorboy.
Besides the patched ball with mooses milk pretty much swabs the bbl for every shot...
anyway that's why I prefer roundballs...
The 48" twist is not the best for heavy conicals. It is a compromise twist and like all compromises is not the best for either round or conicals. I use round balls in mine because it seems to shoot better. With conicals there is the problem of finding the right sabot or patching material and the accuracy is not great anyhow. If you are hunting, a round ball of 185 Gr. and 80 Gr. of ffg will stop a deer or hog in its tracks. Assuming good placement of course.
I do use conicals in my .50 traditions pistol though, it has a twist rate of 20". I have used as high as 80 Gr. of ffg in it. Damn near broke my wrist though.
There is a certain amount of satisfaction in using the historically correct round balls in my plains rifle.
I do use conicals in my .50 traditions pistol though, it has a twist rate of 20". I have used as high as 80 Gr. of ffg in it. Damn near broke my wrist though.
There is a certain amount of satisfaction in using the historically correct round balls in my plains rifle.
fyrfyter43
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I don't see any reason to switch to conicals.
PRB is much cheaper to shoot, leading to more hours of fun at the range. They are very effective hunting projectiles, as long as you understand their limitations. In fact, round balls have been used to kill the biggest game on the planet.
PRB is much cheaper to shoot, leading to more hours of fun at the range. They are very effective hunting projectiles, as long as you understand their limitations. In fact, round balls have been used to kill the biggest game on the planet.
Das Jaeger
member
I would also try
some Buffalo Bullet Ball-Etts , half ball half bullet , smaller and lighter than the big conicals but more velocity than a conical , more knock down power than a RB and penetration and everything else . They are made for the Mid Twist rifles specifically . I know of a guy that swears by them for what its worth ? No patches this way either they are pre-lubed $16.25 for 50 at Dixie , am sure you can find them cheaper maybe somewhere else too .
Nothin wrong with RB though , but if you wanted something different to try , with more performance , those are available to ya .
Jaeger
some Buffalo Bullet Ball-Etts , half ball half bullet , smaller and lighter than the big conicals but more velocity than a conical , more knock down power than a RB and penetration and everything else . They are made for the Mid Twist rifles specifically . I know of a guy that swears by them for what its worth ? No patches this way either they are pre-lubed $16.25 for 50 at Dixie , am sure you can find them cheaper maybe somewhere else too .
Nothin wrong with RB though , but if you wanted something different to try , with more performance , those are available to ya .
Jaeger
arcticap
Member
Hornady makes this hollow base 350 grain FTB conical that's sold at Walmart.
It's reported to shoot very good from a lot of medium twist rifles and can be devastating to larger deer.
The Hornady Great Plains Bullets also shoot well but can be a little tougher to load.
http://www.hornady.com/story.php?s=770
It's reported to shoot very good from a lot of medium twist rifles and can be devastating to larger deer.
The Hornady Great Plains Bullets also shoot well but can be a little tougher to load.
http://www.hornady.com/story.php?s=770
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billnpatti
Member
That is a twist rate that is a compromise between one which is intended specifically for conicals (approx 1:25) and one that is intended specifically for patched round balls (approx. 1:66) so it should handle either. Since it is not a very fast twist rate, you will be limited to the smaller conicals. I would think the T/C Maxiballs would work fine but some of the longer (heavier) bullets will not be properly stabilized by the twist rate of your rifle's barrel. I seriously doubt that any of the sabot bullets will work at all. They are intended for inline rifles and would be a waste of your money. If you have a friend who will give you a few to try, you can try them but I think you will be very disappointed with thier performance. I tried them in my T/C Hawken which has a 1:48 twist rate and they performed very badly and most of them tumbled and made keyholes in the target. When that happens, accuracy goes out the window. Your .50 cal loaded with patched roundballs and 80 grains of black powder is plenty of medicine for most anything up to the size of an elk. It will knock a white tail on its butt. If you use the T/C Maxiballs and up to 120 grains of black powder, you have a very potent gun and can take anything that you want to hunt.
Loyalist Dave
Member
A conical is not a sabot, and conicals are loaded without patching materials. Conicals are a slight variation on the 19th century minnie ball. 1:48 twist will stabilize T/C Maxi Balls and Maxi Hunters, as well as Buffalo brand conicals. Lee makes molds for conicals, that are known to have great accuracy, and the Lee Enfield Caplock rifled musket of the Civil War era was, and in reproductions is, a very accurate rifle..., using a slower twist..., although it's .58.
The key to a good conical is to get one that is very close fitting. It should require a little bit of pressure to push it down the bore. When the charge is fired, the pressure deforms the base, which pushes against the rifling and imparts spin and seals gases. When you have accuracy problems, it can be from improper twist rate..., but more often it's from an improperly fitted bullet that has too much room and so doesn't consistently seal or spin.
The Hornady bullet shown above has a hollow base, just like the Civil War Minnie Ball, which makes it easier for the gases to seal the bullet against the rifling. The CVA Powerbelt bullets have a plastic collar on the base, similar to the old "gas check" used on modern lead projectiles. The idea is the same. Seal the gases in and impart spin to the projectile.
Unless you are going for very large game, patched round ball is plenty. Remember you will get heavier recoil when using a heavier projectile, and the deer often don't know the difference between 180 grains of lead, and 350 grains of lead. You though, will.
LD
Thank you everyone for the information. I suppose I might try picking up a few of the suggested conicals and give them a try on the range. I think I'll probably stick with the patched balls, but I suppose there is no harm in given the conicals a try and just see how I like them.
I was looking at Dixie Gun works and found these two. They have the Buffalo Bullets Ball-ET .50 Caliber 245 grain which are $16.95 and you get 50. And they have the Thompson Center Maxi Hunter Balls .50 Caliber 350 grain for $16.95 but you only get 20. Are these two pretty comparable or are the TC worth the extra money?
Das Jaeger
member
Nothing alike
at all , nor is the weight .
Whether the TC is worth it is just opinion so won't share that , plus thats like compairing Apples to Space vehicles .
Jaeger
at all , nor is the weight .
Whether the TC is worth it is just opinion so won't share that , plus thats like compairing Apples to Space vehicles .
Jaeger
eastbank
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i use the hornady bullet,240gr 50 cal. lubed with strait crico in a tenn poor boy flint with 80grs 2f and boy does it shoot., but it,s hard to load in the tight bored thompson centers tho. and i hate to hammer any bullets or balls down a bore. eastbank.
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