Conical Boolits for Ruger Old Army?

[ShooterAZ]

I have been reading some articles about loading for the ROA. One by C E Harris shows some loads using the Lee Real boolits. I went to Midway and saw that they have both a 200gr and a 250gr boolit, is there a preference between the two? Also, I read that he sizes both of them to .454 dia. I'm just curious as to what some of the users here are doing. I have made up some 50 beeswax/50 olive oil to lube with. I already have my 457 RB mold, but I'm looking forward to playing with some conicals. Thanks...

[rodwha]

What do you intend on doing with the conicals?

I'm having custom molds made in three different weights/designs. Some for around the house, some for medium game/home in the winter, and heavy ones for hunting things that may want a chunk out of you.

There are many designs, but few are of the wide FN design or HP's which I want so I had to go custom.

Lee makes a more traditional 220 grn RN, REALs work, some have had good luck with .45 cal bullets (I haven't), Kaido makes a nice 255 grn FN, and there are a few small meplat FN round bullets, and I think Buffalo Bullets is making a RN. There's also a fellow who had a custom mold made that drops a 195 grn SWC, and another who has a custom mold that makes a cupped (hollow) base RN.

[ShooterAZ]

Target shooting and hunting, not for around the house (seriously?). I'm probably not going to spend big bucks on a custom mold when I can get one for less than $20.

[rodwha]

My understanding is that a wide FN is far superior for hunting. But you'd have to spend a little more for the mold. Maybe the 220 grn Lee RN would suffice though.

I've heard of people using the .45 cal REALs successfully. I'm not certain which weight though.

Seriously. After a range trip I reload, otherwise it's merely a club. It's a weapon and I treat it as such.

[ShooterAZ]

The Real looks like it would be a good hunting boolit (not the RN). I may just order one of each and try them both. As to to "around the house", to each his own I guess. When I think about it, I sure as heck wouldn't wanna get shot by a ROA. I have a 12ga behind the bedroom door for those "around the house" matters.

[rodwha]

As loaded it's between a 44 Spl and standard 45 ACP, which ought to be plenty to put a hurtin' on a fool that doesn't take the one chance to leave the way he came in. There are other tools though...

[mainiac]

If you have blued gun,then you should know that your front sight is not tall enough to use a heavy boolit in the roa. If you have stainless gun,you could have a taller front sight put on easily.

I have 2 blued models,and when i shoot boolits in mine,they shoot at least 4-5 inches high,@ 25 yards,,with the rear sight all the way down.Ruger should have made these guns with a taller front sight.......BTW,, in my guns,the roundball is way more accurate then the boolits are.

[concho]

Go to You tube , Mike Believue , ruger old army , also he shows how to make wads so no grease lube is needed ! all films and results .

[ShooterAZ]

Yes, I am aware that it will probably shoot high. Not too worried about it, I can correct for it.

[rodwha]

Ruger will send you a 45 Colt Blackhawk sight if you call them...free...

[Dan Cash]

A 230 grain Truncated Cone bullet will fit over 32 grains of 2Fg with some compression. I have been using a 200 grain semi wad cutter with my ROA but recently bought an Accurate mould for the 230 TC. This mould drops at .4535 with a 7 BNH alloy. I lube the bullet with the same lube I use for black powder cartridge and all other shooting. When the bullet is seated on the powder, the final compression swells the bullet to a tight fit in the chamber. The load is minute of coyote to 100 yards.

[Dan Cash]

A 230 grain Truncated Cone bullet will fit over 32 grains of 2Fg with some compression. I have been using a 200 grain semi wad cutter with my ROA but recently bought an Accurate mould for the 230 TC. This mould drops at .4535 with a 7 BNH alloy. I lube the bullet with the same lube I use for black powder cartridge and all other shooting. When the bullet is seated on the powder, the final compression swells the bullet to a tight fit in the chamber. The load is minute of coyote to 100 yards.

[Intel6]

I got the Conical mould the same time I got the RB mould. Been playing with both and had good results so far. Saw the Harris article using the heavier REAL mould and was thinking of trying it just to see how it goes.

Neal in AZ

[ShooterAZ]

My new molds (200 Real & 250 Real) will be here December 24... My wife is a nurse and has to work on Christmas day. Guess what I will be doing on Christmas...

[john hayslip]

The ROA uses a hex wrench for removing nipples. Hie thee down to a pawn shop that stocks used tools for reasonable price and look in the 1/4 inch drive sockets for - if I remember correctly - a 3/16 so you can grease the nipple threads before shooting so you'll have a chance of getting them out.

[ShooterAZ]

They are already greased...no problem removing them.

[lancem]

I have an old lee mold that was for the Ruger Old Army. Shot a lot of them but that was 30+ years ago, wish at times I still had the pistols.

[John Boy]

Conical Boolits for Ruger Old Army?
http://www.biglube.com/BulletMolds.aspx?ItemID=d29838a1-de1d-4767-9b74-192b1f1c0db4

[HARRYMPOPE]

I just tried the REAL 200 in my ROA last week.At 25 yards with 30g of FFF Triple Seven they shot 3"higher than my 35g Laod with a .457 ball/felt wad and 35g charge.Both grouped about 3" leaned over a bench resting my elbows.I didn't really care for the way i had to wiggle them to get them to seat straight as opposed to just dropping a ball over the cylinder.My slimy lube also made them hard to handle.(They were lubed with my Minie' ball lube of 50-50 Olive Oil and Beeswax)Last night i lubed some with liquid carnauba wax that dries pretty hard and i will see how that goes.