rlb's first group with 500 S&W bullets out to 100 yards

[idahoron]

Rich sent me great news today with a picture of a group he shot. I am again going to post the picture for him. I know some guys are going to want to know all the info so I am going to let Rich tell all about it. All I can say is the load was what I told him it would be, accurate. The big thing for me in this test is how the paper patched bullets did in a Lyman Great Plains Hunter. I am excited to know that a factory side lock rifle is still being made that can easily shoot as well as a inline. Congratulations to Rick in putting it all together. Hey Rick, I bet that guy that sold you that rifle would like to kick him self for letting you get it for such a good price. Ron

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/Muzzleloaders/Richsfirstthreebullets500SampW100yards_zpsaaae19b9 .jpg

[johnson1942]

that should make some paperpatch converts.

[chickenmcnasty]

I'm gonna need a gph! That is awesome. Can you give more details on the load and bullet info?
I'm really searching for the longer range muzzleloader and this looks like the ticket!

[idahoron]

If he followed my load he used, The bullet is a Lee C-501-440-RF with two wraps of 9# onion skin paper. I use an over powder wad that measures .62 to .64 over 80 grains of pyrodex P. I am hoping that he can offer you some closer insight soon. Ron

[rlb]

Well my wads are only .055" thick measured with micrometers. Otherwise the rest of what Ron said is what I used. I also use RWS EXTRA caps. I swabbed, 1 Windex and 2 dry, between shots. I also weighed each charge at 65.5 gr. the first 2 shots are the tightest and then the third opened it up. That very well could've been the nut behind the gun. I am very pleased with the gun and the bullets. Thanks to Ron and his patience.

I don't size my bullets before I wrap them either. They come out of the mold at .501" and after I wrap them they fit through the sizer very easily and the paper is tight. I found if I start the bullet into the die with my fingers, twisting it counterclockwise, then pushing it through, it's much easier on the paper.

[chickenmcnasty]

I guess I need to do more research into sizing. I'm clueless in that regard.

[johnson1942]

you can resize after you patch or before you patch. both ways seems to work very well. probably the most gereral for every one safe way of only buying one push through resizeing die is get one, one thousands under the top of your lands bore diam. then you can resize the wrapped bulltet to that and it will go down your bore but not be too tight or too loose.i my self prefer to resize before wraping. to get this right i had to buy about 3 resizeing dies. one rifle takes a .495 wrapped and another takes a .494 because its bore is tighter. the wrapped bullet comes out .499 and .498. each gun is different. my .45 cal 1/18 twist takes a .440 bullet and when wrapped it comes to .448. its snug and really shoots accurately. i got a cheap micrometer from menards 25 years ago and i couldnt do my math with out it. it still measures right on and it is a tool to help when you go into paperpatching. paperpatching seems hard to figure at first but once you get into it it is like anything else it becomes second nature. i encourage you and any one not to quit and get what you want out of it. i like the accracy, ease of loading , knock down power, and the indepenence it gives me from commercial bullet makers. i cast and swage my own. just look at the groups in this post and figure the knock down power it gives with that bullet. when i shot my first deer with paperpatch it dropped like a rock and was hit in the chest so hard it was coughing up ground bone on its last breath. when it hit their was a loud woooop. no trailing a deer and putting down a wounded animal.

[rlb]

Well, went out today and fired 3 rounds. Seems this gun with this combination wants to shoot right at 1" at 100 yds. I am very impressed with the Italian barrels for the muzzleloaders. I guess I won't have any trouble taking game out to 200 yds if needed. Thanks again Ron for all of your help.

[C. Latch]

Just curious, is paper-patching legal for Colorado's muzzleloader season? I know sabots are not legal. Never heard paper-patching addressed.

[rlb]

They probably won't address paper patching because it isn't common. I doubt they could find anything in the regs saying you can't. Hopefully someone from Colorado will chime in.

[idahoron]

Just curious, is paper-patching legal for Colorado's muzzleloader season? I know sabots are not legal. Never heard paper-patching addressed.

Your probably like Idaho. Idaho's reg's say the bullet has to be within .010 of bore diameter. They do that to allow a PRB but not a sabot. The paper patch I do makes the bullet right at .496 so I am well within the legal limits of that regulation. Colorado did have a regulation about the bullet had to be less than two times it's length. These bullets are .900 long so they are perfect for length. I know my bullets have killed deer in Colorado so I am sure they are either legal or the guy I sold them to is a poacher.

[idahoron]

Well, went out today and fired 3 rounds. Seems this gun with this combination wants to shoot right at 1" at 100 yds. I am very impressed with the Italian barrels for the muzzleloaders. I guess I won't have any trouble taking game out to 200 yds if needed. Thanks again Ron for all of your help.

Man I got to tell you I am so happy to see a Lyman rifle like this load. To the other guys watching this post. I wanted to see this rifle shoot so bad that I was going to send Rich the bullets and wads to test it. Get this Rich even offered for me to come shoot his gun and he offered a bunk if I came up. I wanted to see this combo shoot so bad I was probably more excited than Rich. The reason I was excited is Green Mountain is no longer making the barrels I use. So when guys ask how do I set up a Hot Rod? Now I can tell them all you got to do is buy a Lyman. I don't think I will evern need to buy one my self but if I find one for a steal I night pick it up.
So tell me Rich, did your confidence level in the gun JUMP? Will it jump again when you start shooting milk jugs at 150 yards? 200 yards? The main thing this load did for me and my son was build confidence in ML rifles and what they can do. You just started your journey I can't wait to see how you do at long range. Congratulations my friend you deserve it, your the guy behind the trigger that is shooting 1" groups with a peep sighted ML. Some day when your in my area stop in. If I am up there you can bet I will pester you to see that rifle. Ron

[C. Latch]

Your probably like Idaho. Idaho's reg's say the bullet has to be within .010 of bore diameter. They do that to allow a PRB but not a sabot. The paper patch I do makes the bullet right at .496 so I am well within the legal limits of that regulation. Colorado did have a regulation about the bullet had to be less than two times it's length. These bullets are .900 long so they are perfect for length. I know my bullets have killed deer in Colorado so I am sure they are either legal or the guy I sold them to is a poacher.

Thanks! My dad's considering a blackpowder elk hunt this year and has asked if I'd work up a load for him (he's a hunter, not really a shooter).

[rlb]

Ron,
To see this rifle do it more than once has greatly boosted the confidence. Now we'll work on the sight settings and get some good bullets casted up and go to town.

[idahoron]

If he was more of a shooter he might not have to hunt so much :)

[idahoron]

Rich I will find my data that will give you approximate clicks from 50 to 100, 100 to 150 and 150 to 200. Ron

[idahoron]

Ron,
To see this rifle do it more than once has greatly boosted the confidence. Now we'll work on the sight settings and get some good bullets casted up and go to town.

Rich, these sight setting may or may not work for you. A couple things might change them. I have my sight altered with a spacer under the front screw. This gives me a more vertical lift. If yours is more slanted than mine it could throw off the clicks.Here you go.

From 50 to 100 - 34 clicks
From 100 to 150 - 27 clicks
From 150 to 200 - 25 clicks
From 200 to 250 - 22 clicks
From 250 to 300 - 34 clicks

All this is is to help you get on paper and save some lead. You will have to confirm these settings for your rifle.
Ron

[rlb]

I'll try to get to more shooting after Wyoming. This will help a bunch. Thanks again.