.50 cal plastic gas checks

[AR-15 Cowboy]

I just started casting boolits for my muzzleloader. .50 R.E.A.L. I had previously been using Aerotip .50 cal but they are way too expensive. I use these for killing hogs at my ranch. The Aerotips have a plastic like gas chek. Is there anywhere I can buy those? The R.E.A.L bullet (Rifle-Engraved-At-Loading) is supposed to not need it, this is why Lee molds says use only pure lead to cast them so they engrave better with the softer metal. But I haven't had that kind of luck. I've tried wads on top of the powder, that didn't seem to help. I took a plastic gas check off of one of the Aerotips and that seemed to be the answer. If I could find a source for those plastic checks it would be easy to attach them to the bottom of the boolit. I'm new to the group here so forgive me if I missed any earlier discussions about this. Thanks guys.

[stubshaft]

Exactly what is the issue you are having that you need a gas check?

[AR-15 Cowboy]

I only have about 2/3 the velocity that I have with the Aerotip. And at fifty yards the groups are terrible compared to the other round. At first I thought it was my lube. But I've tried 4 different receipes. When I push the Aerotip plastic check in with the REAL boolit it responds just like the Aerotip.

[stubshaft]

Interesting, it would appear that you are getting alot of blowby without the GC. Unfortunately I don't have any idea where you could buy just the GC's. I wonder if the old Ball-et wads are still available, you could cut them in half?

[nicholst55]

How about adding an LDPE over-powder wad? The BPCR guys use them for the same purpose that the OP wants them for. Buffalo Arms carries them, or you can cut them yourself.

[excess650]

The LDPE wads would be one possibility, but 50cal sabots with the petals removed is another.

[AR-15 Cowboy]

The cut off Sabots might be the answer. Can you buy just the plastic part of the Sabot?

[MBTcustom]

You sure can, I got these from gander mountain.
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l481/goodsteel/IMG_2094.jpg
By the way, if you need a cheap accurate boolit for your muzzle loader, these work very very well with a soft cast 230 RN Lee boolit. I was getting very tight groups with them and I shot a deer last year with it. DRT. I never recovered the boolit something to think about.

[omgb]

Hornady makes a gree plastic cup designed to aid in shooting hard cast round balls. If you took one of these and cut the cup off the front it will work as a gas seal.

REALs work in my In-Line but....it takes a stout load of 100 grains or more. Cast them soft or you will never get them in the gun.

[tacklebury]

Sounds like you're pushing the REALS hard enough that you are stripping the lead off due to twist rate. They are really designed with soft lead to be used in a 1:48 or slower 1:66 twist as I understand it. You might bump up the hardness just slightly to see if you get improvement.

[tomme boy]

Use a felt wad.

[wgr]

are get the longer reals i think 320 grain

[indymadcaster]

28 gauge shotgun wads......................... we used them in savage ml10 in the early days before Dale @ MMP made subbases.......cut the gas seal bottom off use for your gas check.............................and then trim the collapsable section out use shot cup in 50 cal ML for small game shooting!!! i use 1/2 oz of #6 with over shot felt wad and 70 gr FF it works great on squirrels and rabbits out to 50-60 ft
:popcorn:

[excess650]

The cut off Sabots might be the answer. Can you buy just the plastic part of the Sabot?

Yeah, they're made my MMP and Harvester as well as being sold under the TC, and Hornady brand names (among others).

If they'll stand up to 110gr Blackhorn 209 under a 300gr jacketed, they should be able to handle BP under a REAL.

[mooman76]

You could try the foam plastic trays that meat comes in. I cut and use them as a filler for my 45-70.

[MBTcustom]

You could try the foam plastic trays that mean comes in.
What is "mean"?

[mooman76]

Sorry. Bad typing. I meant meat.

[AR-15 Cowboy]

Well, thanks guys, you gave me a lot of options to try. I'll try goodsteel sabot with the wings cut off first, and then post back and let you know. I plan to try all the ideas presented but Gander Mountain store is close to my sons house and he is getting me some. I'm in a war here with the ferrel hogs. Three weeks ago they put out the left eye on my border collie which so far has cost me eight hundred dollars. And that includes my sons discount ,(he is a veterinary student at Texas A&M).

[mooman76]

Wish I was close by to help you out.

[frontier gander]

with the REAL bullets you will want these,

WAD-510-A
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/categories/tableList.aspx?catId=2&subId=37&styleId=118&partNum=WAD-08-A&PageSize=25&Page=5

Melt some lube till it is liquid and then soak the wads in the liquid lube until they soak it up good, put them on a paper plate to dry and they will be all ready to go.

The wads for me originally did not work until i started lubing them.

[MBTcustom]

Frontier gander, did you lube the boolit also? What size card did you use? What lube? What caliber? Twist rate? Details my good man, we need details!

[frontier gander]

Yes i used a mixture of beeswax and Olive oil and just lightly lubed them. Over lubing just causes a mess and causes fouling to build up. I used the WAD 510 A i listed.

.50cal with 1:48 twist "multiple muzzys" with both the 250/320 REAL as well as the Lee S&W 500 440gr .500" conicals.

[jonas302]

How tight do those reals fit in the barrel they should push in pretty hard I have one that shotguns them that they fit to loose in. And one that you have to stand on the ramrod that one throws them in darn near the same hole at fifty yards

[AR-15 Cowboy]

They are real tight. I size mine to .501 with a Lee sizing die and cast them in pure lead and it still takes some effort to get them down.. The trick is use a tough rod and once it starts moving keep going with it in one swift move.But I'm an old man and kind of frail, my 21 year old son stuffs them down no problem.

[nanuk]

I use a short starter, and also have relieved the first 3/4 inchs of barrel so all my boolits fit down inside before I drive them into the rilfing

also, for wads, I use PFF about the size of a plum, stuff it in, then seat a boolit on top.

it tightened up my groups some. I use it under everything now.

Traditions 209 50 cal with a 1/28ROT barrel.

[nanuk]

28 gauge shotgun wads......................... we used them in savage ml10 in the early days before Dale @ MMP made subbases.......cut the gas seal bottom off use for your gas check.............................and then trim the collapsable section out use shot cup in 50 cal ML for small game shooting!!! i use 1/2 oz of #6 with over shot felt wad and 70 gr FF it works great on squirrels and rabbits out to 50-60 ft
:popcorn:

that exact process was suggested to me, and I now have component. will be trying this this spring.

[MBTcustom]

also, for wads, I use PFF about the size of a plum, stuff it in, then seat a boolit on top.
Clue me in here, what the heck is PFF? and its off the plumb by how much?:kidding:

[kenyerian]

very interesting post. I've also been trying some different things in an attempt to get away from the expense of the various factory sabot bullet combinations with limited success. My most consistent grouping's have been with a patched round ball. I don't have a REAL mold and was considering trying one next. I have used the TC Super Glide Sabots and they do work. Just looking for something better.
Maybe Paper Patching might be the answer.