need beginner advice on 320 lee R.E.A.L. bullet with lyman great plains hunter

[Andy]

Looking for beginner level advice on where to start out making up a load for my lyman great plains hunter muzzleloader. This is the one with the 1-32" twist meant for longer bullets as opposed to the regular gpr meant for round balls. This is in .50 caliber and purchased new about 8 years ago. I've only shot about 30 lead bullets through it so far, so virtually new bore. I have not slugged the bore. Now that I cast bullets this has a new place in my interest list so I'm looking to proceed with working up a load for it over the summer.

Here's what my constraints are:
- Have 2 lbs pyrodex RS, looking to use this as opposed to buying other powder as this is my only muzzleloader
- Have the lee 320gr REAL bullet mold and would like to stick with that

Other info:
I have already cast up about 40 nice, weight separated bullets from "pure lead" that I got from dental x-ray screening tabs (1"x2" size inserts) that seems like it must have some tin in it, it is harder than pure lead by a small amount but I don't know the exact content, no hardness tester just scrape testing. If there is some way to use these it would be great, if I should melt them down due to being unknown I will.

I have foundry-stamped pure lead ingots, old pipe lead, range scrap and plenty of tin to add as needed for whatever mix I should make up.

A couple questions to start:
- What charge range is appropriate for these for hunting? Lyman manual just gives a max charge.
- My understanding is that I must measure this by "grains by volume" not "grains by weight" this was a conflicting thing to research but I gather it is extremely important with pyrodex so please comment on this if you have knowledge on it. Seems like pyrodex on a weight scale will yield a 30%+ overcharge vs measuring by volume so I want to confirm this as it is a potential safety concern.
- Some people seem to like wads under this bullet and others don't use them, any thoughts?
- Is this bullet supposed to be lubed? I won't be shooting tons of them so if it works well lube-patched or if paper patching works well with it I would consider doing those things.

I've only been reloading a year and the muzzleloader has been a low priority but it is moving up the priority tree now so I'm getting into it and hope your advice can help me get started in the right direction. If I'm getting terms wrong let me know as my muzzle loading knowledge is very low at this point.

Thanks,
Andy

[triggerhappy243]

measure pyrodex by volume. start at 70 gr. you must lube these. If they are hard starting and seating, go with pure lead. I have not tried lead tinted with a little tin yet. but I know pure lead will work.

[triggerhappy243]

the range scrap will probably be too hard for the muzzle loader.

Try them with and without a fiber wad.

[RhodeHunter]

Hi there. I don't get to use a range that frequently so I like to test-fit a boolit into the barrel first if I have any doubts. You just need a brass rod about 12 to 15 inches long that you can put into the barrel first, before you test-fit your bullets. This is used to slide back and forth multiple times to knock the bullet out after seating the bullet a few inches into the barrel. Do NOT push your bullet further down near or against the rod or you will not be able to slide the rod and knock the bullet out. This is the same rod you will need when you slug your barrel. Lube one of your 40 boolits, with olive oil, Crisco, or bore butter, and follow the above instruction and see how hard it is to seat it several inches into the barrel. Now you will know if there's too much tin. Do you have a micrometer or calipers to measure your cast REAL boolits? A boolit of 320 grains is nice on deer. I hit a large doe and she flipped up into the air a complete 360 degrees and came down dead on the spot.

[PapaG]

Use pure lead. If you can easily scratch it with your thumbnail it should be soft enough. RS is fine. Volume measures for black powder are what you use. The REAL is designed much like the Maxi in terms of use....the lower lands are supposed to slide into the bore and the top land is supposed to be oversize to "grip" the rifling on the way down. Firing is supposed to upset the base and seal the bore. Works best in shallow groove MLs. I never had as much success with the REAL as I did with the Maxi ball and I have tried them in 45, 50 and 54 diameters. TC barrels had fairly shallow grooves and they worked fine. REALs not so much and I couldn't figure out why. I shot some Maxis out of a Douglas premium 45 deep groove barrel with 100 grains of FFg and they went into 3" at 100 yards. The 50 maxis worked in a Jonathan Browning Mountain rifle which also had deep grooves. I'm going to have another go at it with my TC Renegade this year and will try both REAL and Maxis again.
I doubt you'll get much sealing with less than 70 or so grains. I used 100 in the 50 and 54s. Lube with any good bullet lube. Sometimes a card wad on the powder can help. I always use one when hunting so the lube can't contaminate the powder.

[mooman76]

I'd start at 50 gr and work up in 5 gr increments. It gives you a wider range and you will know what works and what doesn't. Pyrodex is lighter than real BP so it is especially important to measure by volume and easier anyway than carrying a scale around.


Some use a over powder wad and some don't. Some say not needed and some say it helps. It's just one of those try and see kind of thing.


I just smear lube on with my fingers and that's all that is needed. It's a little messy but I have a rag handy and don't shoot conicals much anyway.

[Andy]

Thanks everyone, this ought to get me started.

If I use bore butter as the lube does that alleviate the risk of contaminating the powder with it?

[mooman76]

I'd have to say no not completely, but I have used bore butter and haven't had a problem. Just avoid getting it on the base of the bullet. I can't see a little bit hurting anything.

[triggerhappy243]

someone posted here that just a dab on the base somehow improves accuracy. I am going to try it. I have nothing to lose but 5 chunks of lead.

[rodwha]

I have a Lyman Deerstalker with the deeper grooves meant for PRB. It has a 1:48" twist and shoots these quite accurately when using a felt over powder wad.

IdahoRon has the Great Plains Hunter and said he couldn't get them to shoot as well as he wanted. He paper patches the Lee .50 cal pistol bullet and takes elk out quite far.