Paper Patching 1:48 50 and 54 Caliber Caplocks?

[Themoose]

Just wondering if anyone had success in paperpatching 50 & 54 caliber sidelocks in 1:48 twist? If so, what bullets did you use and what did you size them to? It seems like there were a large number of 50 and 54's made with this twist by Thompson Center and just wanted to know if they would be good candidates for paper patching... I'm very happy with the two 45's that I have, but they both have fast twist barrels and not legal for elk in Colorado as they are under .50 cal...

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

[johnson1942]

the .45 thompson hawken is easy to paperpatch but the .50 and .54 require a very short bullet to do it right. the .50 requires a bullet that is only .75 long. the diam would be .492. cant give you any specs. on the .54. on the .50 if you can find a .75 to .8 long bullet with a very short nose and resize down to .492 their is no reason it wont work. you could use 2 wraps of number nine or one wrap of 18 lb. or 20 lb. paper. the 60 thousands fiber wads are avail. from buffalo arms for the .50. a magspark nipple on a renagade .50 or hawken .50 will allow you to use blackhorn 209 powder. you could also do as i did, just have the oregon rifle barrel co make you a barrel to fit the thompson in .50 cal 1/28 twist. that would allow you to shoot a 550 grain .492 pp bullet. plenty big enough for elk.

[Themoose]

Roger, Thanks again for your information. Is the length requirement for the .50 a minimum or maximum(I'm guessing max)?
I have a couple of .50 molds... one throws a .500 diameter bullet weighing 460gr and is just under an inch in length... the other mold throws a .506 diameter bullet weighing 580 and is about 1 1/8" in length(it is a gas check bullet)...
When you go to a 1/28 twist what is the length requirement?

[triggerhappy243]

i am curious as to what you have tried in just a plain lubed lead slug. and what were the results.

[Themoose]

Triggerhappy243,

A lubed 460 grain shoots fine in the 50. I have been enjoying shooting paperpatched bullets in my 2 45's and would like to try it in the 50's.... I would like to do away with both sabots and greased bullets. It's not the end of the world if it doesn't work in that twist.. I can still use the rifle... again just a preference.

[johnson1942]

reduce the smaller one to .492 and it will probably shoot to 300 yards very well. a .50 with a 1/28 twist will do best at about 1.25 long or 550 grains. thats a get every thing bullet and gun. if you send me a bunch of those .500 bullets i will reswage them to a cupped base and size them to .492 and you can try them and see if they work. dont make them too hard, pure lead or 30 to 1, give it a shot it may work.

[Themoose]

Roger,

You are a gentleman and I really appreciate your kind offer... PM sent.

[Good Cheer]

Been meaning to try this one in a Renegade but just haven't got my O2it together.
http://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy192/SNARGLEFLERK/50LRH-450GRPPHB-1_zpsd5ed7da0.jpg (http://s791.photobucket.com/user/SNARGLEFLERK/media/50LRH-450GRPPHB-1_zpsd5ed7da0.jpg.html)

[johnson1942]

man good cheer, is that a well designed pp mould. perfect in every way. what is the diam. of it? makes no matter as long as you can resize it to what you need. where did you get that mould? if guys want to shoot pp in the .50 or even the .45 get a mould made like that one. need to know more about it.