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Thread: 45 cal ftx

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    45 cal ftx

    Has anybody tried
    using the hornady 45 cal ftx bullets for a 45 cal muzzleloader?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master




    RED333's Avatar
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    I am no expert but I would say no. ML needs soft lead to seal so gases do not go by boolit. Now if you sabot them in a 50 call they just might work. Now let the experts chime in before yall go to far.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    You'll need to contact Hornady as they've changed their website to give less info. It used to show the velocity range.

    The .45 Colt stuff typically doesn't do well as they're designed for much slower velocities. A fellow used an XTP and had it blow up leaving a very shallow wound.

    The .460 S&W/.454 Casull stuff would work better all depending on range.

    The stuff meant for .444 Marlin and .45-70 Gov't is too hard meant for their high velocity ammo.

    Hornady also has muzzleloader specific bullets (SST's and such) you might be interested in, as well as aerodynamic full bore conicals (FPB's).

    The .44 Mag stuff is also perfect.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Billyspetz View Post
    Has anybody tried
    using the hornady 45 cal ftx bullets for a 45 cal muzzleloader?
    You'd have a huge problem.............

    The thing is............ the rifling...............

    Stuffing a .45cal jacketed boolit downbore in a .45 barrel would be a chore for Hercules, no bout adoubt it.

    Jacketed boolits are best shot from frontstuffers inserting the boolit into a plastic sabot to engage the rifling fairly easily.

    .45 cal sabots & barrels properly take .357" cal boolits.

    .50 cal sabots & barrels properly take .44 or .45 cal boolits, depending upon the brand of the sabot.

    OTOH, a .45cal pure lead boolit, hand cast or boughten (like a T/C MaxiHunter, etc, etc - there are several makers of .45 conicals), when lubed, will usually slide downbore in a New York Minute.

    .
    Last edited by pietro; 10-10-2017 at 10:01 PM.
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    I was apparently a bit dense and passed right over them being used in a .45 cal barrel...

    Look at the 200 grn .40 cal SST for something aerodynamic.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Yes I have tried them and they work great if properly sized and shot at proper speed. Most all will need a veggie or wool wad under bullet. If shooting them in a smoker learn about using a "cookie" under the bullet. Dies that can custom size bullets are readily available from places like "Swinglock" and Jeff Hankins. The pistol caliber types are good at smoker speeds. The lighter ones like the 200 and 225 grain ftx. The 250 FTX gave me good performance if you shoot it kinda hot. The .458 caliber 325 FTX is great but you have to shoot it really hot, mostly good for SML use and it has to be sized down in steps. For my smoker 45 rifles I shoot the Hornady 10mmX200XTP - 40X200SST - .401X225 Pittman or Fury 40 cal bullets in Harvester smooth blue 40X45 sabots and they give flawless performance. I have not tried them but hear good things about Lehigh Defense bullets. Pittman and Parker 45 bullets also size well and shoot good sabotless.

    https://www.hankinscustomrifles.com/...ting-supplies/

    http://www.swinglock.net/adjustablebsd.html

    The sizing dies work real good and you can size jacketed as well as lead and alloy bullets.

    My experience. Other opinions and experience will differ. 10
    Last edited by 10 ga; 10-13-2017 at 08:37 PM. Reason: safety, repeatability, dependability, accuracy
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check