Casting for a muzzleloader

[micky_blue]

I don't know if this goes here or in the Muzzle loading section so please bear with me.

I just got a 50 cal Cramer Hp Mihec mould for my 54 cal muzzle loader. I have been shooting 325gr Barnes out of the gun but plan on switching to these new boolits when I get some cast in the next few weeks. My question is what alloy mix should I use. My gun only has a 20" barrel and with the Barnes I would guess I was shooting 1500-1600 FPS max. Since this is a deer hunting load and my shots are almost always under 100 yards, is mixing Pb with WW a good idea or are straight WW fine?

Edit - If it matters, I have been loading 90gr of Blackhorn 209 in a Green Mountain 54-120 with the above Barnes sabot. I have considered going up to 100gr but that gun is small, light and very quick to point, which means is also has a nice recoil. I have no desire to approach maximum power charges.

thanks for the advise
micky

[Larry Gibson]

I use 1-16 tin - lead alloy cast bullets in my .50 cal TC BLK Mtn Magnum. I load them to 1550 fps. They hold up very well to the accelleration and expand excellently with almost complete weight retension in animals. Mine are not saboted however but that alloy should do very well in sabots also.

Larry Gibson

[white eagle]

are you using a sabot
if you use the h.p do like Larry sez
if you cast without the hp anything that is accurate will work
full bore ww is a bear to push in

[RugerFan]

Shooting .429" FNs out of sabots in my .50 cal ML, I have had very good luck with 8-9 BHN (I used range scrap, but 50/50 WW:PB should do). Straight WW didn't expand as well, so I would go a little softer.