which bullet to use ???

[ontarget]

I want to cast some bullets for my rifle but want some input from my friends here. What I have is a CVA Plains Hunter (similar to a hawken) with a 1:48 twist, .50 cal. What would you Gents recommend? I will be shooting 100 yards or less, but longer range bullet info is appreciated too. Thanks for any help.

 

[BHP FAN]

.490 round lead ball, cotton patch.

 

[arcticap]

I'm not recommending any specific cast bullets or bullet molds. You probably already know about the Lee and TC molds.

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Black-Powder-Molds/

But there are a lot of factory bullet options to try, as well as plastic sabots.

The Hornady .50-Caliber FPB is a hollow base minie style bullet that shoots well with a variety of barrel twists. Below is a user review from Cabela's.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoo...N-1100204/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104547780?WTz_l=SBC

Maybe the best!!!
June 5, 2010
The 50 caliber 300 grain FBP may possibly be THE BEST non-saboted/skirted bullet that I have found for slow twist traditional style muzzleloaders. I shoot a Thompson/Center Hawken rifle with iron sights and this is deffinately the most accurate bullet I have ever pushed down the bore. This bullet and 90 grains of pyrodex yielded one ragged hole out of 3 shots at 50 yards and a little under 2 inches at 100 yards. Loading is as easy as any other direct bore contact bullet. That means a ball starter is needed but very little pressure is required to get the bullet down the bore. I dug a couple out of my backstop berm and the expansion is awesome. Terminal performance on game should be devestating. I'm preparing for a blackpoweder mule deer hunt in Colorado this fall and this will DEFFINATELY be the bullet that I will be using.

The Hornady Great Plains bullets are tight fitting and may shoot well too.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoo...780?WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104792580%3Bcat104701680

Some medium twist guns will shoot the Powerbelt bullets well and others won't. These have a plastic minie style skirt attached to them. They come in a variety of bullet weights and are easier to load than most every other bore size conical.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoo...780?WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104792580%3Bcat104701680

Lastly, some 1 in 48" twist guns will shoot up to 240-250 grain saboted bullets quite well. But as with any bullet they require experimentation and swabbing between shots. The .50 sabots can be purchased separately in bulk ready to insert the bullet of your choosing in any of the following diameters: .40, .430, .452 & .458.
MMP even has an EZ loading sabot.

http://www.mmpsabots.com/

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoo...780?WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104792580%3Bcat104701680

 

[ontarget]

Thanks fellas, I currently shoot PRB's with good results and I got a cabela's gift card so I figured I might get a couple of the LEE molds. I already have a .454 mold and cast for my revolvers and about a ton of pure lead so I was looking at trying something new in my rifle.