Cast boolit for .50 muzzleloader?

[mattri]

Interesting replies, thanks again.

Looking at a Lee REAL boolit or something like the T.C- is there an advantage/disadvantage to running something like that vs running a .44/.45 cast boolit with a sabot?

[triggerhappy243]

the only true way to get an answer.............. is to try them. experiment............. play with it. you will never know what the rifle likes............. until you try it.

[charlie b]

This disadvantage of something like the REAL vs sabots is aerodynamics. The REAL will lose velocity and drop faster.

You have a fast twist barrel so you have the ability to shoot longer bullets. I would either stick with sabots or shoot the longer rifle bullets.

[rainydayman]

My dad likes a hornaday 180 grain sabot but we can’t find them anymore. Is there a suggestion for a mould I can get to cast some up for him. Using TC encore. 2 pellets of pyrodex. Where would I get empty sabots?

[taco650]

Why couldn't you use cast lead bullets in plastic sabots?

[rainydayman]

I think you can I’m not sure what type of mould to get. Or where to get empty sabots

[mattri]

Maybe something like this?

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/51...nose-gas-check

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/83...ets-pack-of-50

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

www.accuratemolds.com makes molds without the lube rings for sabots.

[Themoose]

First of all, Merry Christmas to one and all. I just wanted to add my actual experience to the thread. I just had a problem with my flintlock 50 cal and had to send it back to the manufacturer. They remedied the problem by installing a brand new barrel and returning it to me... all took only about 5 days(including weekend). Both barrels were Green Mountain with a 1:28 twist. I was shooting the same paperpatched Lee bullet as Idahoron showed(actually Ron has gratiously provided me with what I have learned on paperpatching)..Thank you Ron... Now, I am not a spring chicken and just entered my 7th decade and have eyes that have dimmed... so my shooting with iron sights is at best a struggle... anyway to point... I had a number of 50 cal paperpatched bullets from a Mountain Mold prepared and sized to .500 that worked well in the original barrel with 90grs. of Swiss 3F. When I loaded up the new barrel, I noticed that it was a more snug fit.. no, I did not slug the barrel as I was in a hurry to get prepared for the upcoming PA flintlock season only 3 days away... they shot reasonably well, but not quite as good... so, having some time on my hands and a .495 sizing die available I sized some of the MM bullets and the Lee bullets. Ran them thru @ .500 then again @ .495. At the range the next day I fired four three shot groups off a rest at 50yds using a one inch square of painter's tape as a target... The first two groups were with the .500 and I saw definite deer capable groups of about 1 1/2" with vertical stringing... the same with the third group with the Mountain Mold @ .495... then I shot the Lee @ .495... all three shots touching, forming a nice clover leaf group.... It didn't take me long to figure out what my load will be for the opener..All bullets were cast from soft lead and sized as stated, each had lube grooves, but were simply wrapped and sized with two wraps of #9 onion skin paper. Thinking of it later, it made sense... if you have read Ron's sticky or saw his video, you will see that he recommends sizing the bullet so that it slides the barrel with just the weight of the ram rod... The .500 sized bullets would not do that and I was concerned that they were tight enough to tear the paper jacket(they did not, I tried loading some with the breech plug removed just to recover the unfired bullets to see how they fared.) Long winded answer, but clearly demonstrates that each barrel is indeed different... again Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday Jesus...

Kindest regards,

TheMoose

[idahoron]

Thanks TheMoose for the kind words.
Like I have said before the Lee 500 S&W bullet is now in it's 10th year with me. I have never said that they were the perfect bullet but, they were MUCH, MUCH better than any factory bullet I have ever shot.
It does make me feel good to hear from guys that I helped them out. Some of the guys that are doing this are far better than I am and I could learn some things from them.
I know that when I first started killing game with my own hand made loads it mean't a lot to me. Seeing my son killing game was another level of fulfillment.
Hearing from guys that I have helped along the way is amazing. I appreciate every person that has filled me in on their success with paper patching for hunting.

[mattri]

Is this the mould you are referring to?

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/10...nose-gas-check

[Themoose]

I believe that is the one I use. I cast out of soft lead so it weighs around 457 grs. The gas check design works well with paperpatched.

[mattri]

What is the advantage of PP as opposed to just casting a bigger boolit?

[Larry Gibson]

Larry,
How does the RB group with the 1:28 barrel?

Yes it does. However, max velocity is in the 1750 to 1790 fps range for any accuracy past 60 - 75 yards. At 1890 fps and they group 1 - 1/2" at 50 yards but really lose it past that and turn in "improved cylinder" groups of 16"+ (5 shots) at 100 yards which barely hold paper of a 24x26" target. At 1785 fps +/- fps 2 - 3" groups at 100 yards are the norm. I use 80 gr(V) FFFG 777 under a 40-1 Lee RB in a tight .018 twill patch lubed with 1000+ Bore Butter for the 1785 fps load. Using 90 gr(V) gets the 1891 fps and poor accuracy.

Both the shorter Lee REAL 260 gr (40-1) and the heavier 330 gr REAL shoot very well over 90 gr(V) Fffg 777 at 1591 and 1525 fps.

Merry Christmas to all.

[idahoron]

What is the advantage of PP as opposed to just casting a bigger boolit?

Yes the post above with the link to the Lee mould is the right one.
The advantage of the paper patch is consistency. Every time you shoot a naked bullet it will deposit a small amount of lead. Some Sabots will leave behind plastic. Over time that build up will change the way the gun shoots. Little by little until one day you can't hit the barn with it. At that point a lot of guys give up on the gun and buy another one.
With the paper patch the bullet is protected from the fire by an over powder wad and paper. The bullet is protected from the barrel. With that said the Barrel is protected from the lead by the paper. There is no slow build up of lead in the barrel. The one thing I have found is that these are consistent. My sights have stayed the same for years and years. I don't have to go sight in every year. I just go practice.
I am not saying that a naked bullet can't be accurate, it can. But you have to be much more on top of your cleaning to keep it shooting at it's best.
Grease bullets can also be very messy, the paper patched bullets are not.
On the down side. It takes time to make the bullets and grade them. It also takes time to cut paper, wrap the size them. Then there is the time spent packing game, skinning game, cutting meat, grilling steaks. It all takes time.