Hog hunting with REAL bullets.

[DanWalker]

Anyone in here use the LEE REAL bullets for hunting deer and hogs? Curious as to how they've worked for you and what kind of performance to expect from them. My 50 caliber CVA Hawken seems to like the 250 grainers and 70 grains of Pyrodex RS.

[bmortell]

Since i have a perfect track record of recovering all cast boolits heres a 250gr real pure lead impact vel 1300 centered lengthwise on deer hit last rib on back and didnt make it through the hide.

Not what id call a mushroom but the Deer dropped

[DanWalker]

What was the powder charge? Was this the 250 grainer?

[bmortell]

ya 250gr with 80 or 90 gr pyrodex but i chronographed it at 1350 and the deer was close. i dont know much about muzzleloaders, i just grabbed it because it was it was all i could use in the time of year so i cant tell you whats a best load or whatever.

[John McCorkle]

Felt wads.

I'll lead with that since it seems to be the best factor in my load stack.

I use the 320 REAL over a durafelt wad and 95 grains and of pyrodex RS. Very accurate for my gun

REAL boolits need to be cast of very soft lead....cast hot to get the detail in the shoulder (make sure all the sharp edges are filled out completely) and I am ocd....I weigh mine within a grain for consistency and recast the rest (meaning +/- 1/2 grain either side of my target weight)

You don't need that level of crazy but it doesn't hurt. Either way make sure you scrap any that don't fill out the shoulder/edges very crisply, put a lubed durafelt wad under it and enjoy

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

[725]

Your load sounds right on. I've used REAL's to great effect. Did use a REAL in my .54 T/C Scout pistol for hogs. One shot / drop, but then I was only at 30 yards. I was impressed

[DanWalker]

I was just hand lubing these bullets with crisco when I was shooting today. Anyone got a better method that isn't so messy?

[yovinny]

+1 on felt wads,, their use was the only way I had acceptable accuracy and no leading with real's in my 50 lyman rifle.
I punch them from 3/8" felt and saturate them with a good dose of bore butter, before cleaning the excess and bagging them up for use.
I run them with 90gr of ffg.

[725]

Crisco is always going to be messy. Put 'em in the fridge before lubing, but that will only help for a minute. Your hands will warm everything up.

[DanWalker]

I just tumble lubed some with LLA. Will shoot them sometime in the next few days. From what I've read, you don't get the tar like fouling from the BP substitutes. It only seems to occur with real BP.

[rodwha]

I use Gatofeo’s #1 lube that I make. I cool it in a soap mold and cut that into 6 chunks and hand lube like a crayon, though I’ve saved a bunch of chapstick tubes and will try filling them.

I don’t think pan lubing would work well for this, my, application, but maybe with another type of lube that just coats.

I, too, have to use a felt wad. I tried one at 50 yds without one and it keyholed, and was way left and low.

Ultimately if the velocity is 1200+ FPS at target the soft lead should readily expand. Under that I’d much prefer a large meplat like what you see with the Great Plains conical. Big meplats go a loooong way when it comes to lower velocities.

Have you considered a patched ball, assuming you have deeper grooves?

[DanWalker]

I use Gatofeo’s #1 lube that I make. I cool it in a soap mold and cut that into 6 chunks and hand lube like a crayon, though I’ve saved a bunch of chapstick tubes and will try filling them.

I don’t think pan lubing would work well for this, my, application, but maybe with another type of lube that just coats.

I, too, have to use a felt wad. I tried one at 50 yds without one and it keyholed, and was way left and low.

Ultimately if the velocity is 1200+ FPS at target the soft lead should readily expand. Under that I’d much prefer a large meplat like what you see with the Great Plains conical. Big meplats go a loooong way when it comes to lower velocities.

Have you considered a patched ball, assuming you have deeper grooves?

Yes, I have shot patched round balls out of it. It shoots them just fine. I just have the REAL mold and would like to try to get it shooting. I've seen where guys get sketchy blood trails with roundballs as well. All I've ever hunted with were saboted jhp's or maxi hunters. Haven't taken a critter with a ML in 25 years. Looking to get back into it with this old rifle.

[gon2shoot]

No issues with the Real, 75gr of fff3 gets results if my eyes cooperate.

[Rick R]

I hot a big six point at 70 yards two years ago. 320gr REAL with a Bore Butter felt wad over 100gr of ffg. Very short blood trail. The deer simply fell over, raised his head once then expired.

I’ll be using them again this year.

[Yooper003]

If I don’t have both my tags filled by the time muzzleloader season rolls around I will be shooting the 320 REAL in my wolf . It shoots very well with a felt wad over 100 gr. Of BLACKHORN 209. I even powder coated some & it keeps them nice & clean & not sticky.I think I will carry some .430 cast & green sabots in case I need a follow up shot, surprisingly they shoot pretty close at 50 yds.

[DanWalker]

Shot the ones I cast the other day. They seemed to shoot well enough. It was just some informal plinking from an improvised rest, at a steel target 50 yards away, but it showed promise. The LLA didn't leave any hard fouling at all. Was loading it on top of a wad soaked in bore butter, and 65 grains of pyrodex P.