any body shoot a picket bullet in a muzzle loader?

[johnson1942]

im very courious about the picked bullet. it is a bullet about twice the length of a roundball and cloth is used to patch it. so that is what i come to understand of what ive read about it. it was very accurate in its day. can anybody shed light on this type of bullet in a muzzleloader?

[Col4570]

Hi Johnson,get a copy of Ned Roberts Book "The Muzzleloading Caplock Rifle" he goes into detail about the Picket Bullet.From what I can remember it has a Round Base going into a pointed nose.As I see it,it would need carefull loading to keep the bullet square in the Barrel.Even if a False Muzzle was fitted to load the Bullet square,would it tilt on firing ?.

[johnson1942]

thanks, i dont have my copy of that book any more. i suspect the picked bullet has as much potential as a paperpatched bullet. hope more tell me about it as i may want to try it.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

You can get most ANY book on an inter-library loan via your local library. I recall very little here about Picket bullets over the years. That's is where I would start a search.

BvT

[Nobade]

I have always wondered how they managed to get them loaded straight. They evidently worked well, but they sure go against everything I know about how to make a rifle shoot accurately!

One thing I am going to try soon is the Wilkinson bullet. Kind of like a picket bullet with a base on it to keep it straight. Those are getting very good results from shooters now that Moose Moulds is making moulds for them.

I have never met anyone or heard of anyone shooting picket bullets. That sounds like a good avenue for experimentation!

-Nobade

[Good Cheer]

Someone on here posted a design a while back that was a modified picket idea, with a round hind end for cloth patch and a bore riding nose. Looked like sheer genius to me.

[johnson1942]

thank you, that was me, and it shoots x ring every time. weighs 533 grains. .50 cal, i use a thin linen patch. it isnt a picket bullet but it is just as you said, it is .493 roundball attached to a slightly over bore rider. goes down easy and shoots good.

[idahoron]

The picture of the picket bullet looked like a sharp tear drop. I have no interest in them at all. Ron

[Nobade]

Check out these:
http://moosemoulds.wix.com/mm2013#!wilkinson/c1msz

They have been getting rave reviews from the skirmishers, I'm going to try one as soon as I get the funds together. 577-420 for the Parker Hale.

-Nobade

[johnson1942]

does the back part ingrave? very interesting.

[Nobade]

It collapses at the shot, gets shorter and wider to take the rifling. You don't put any lube in the groove, just dip lube the back end. Supposedly a lot more accurate at longer ranges than a standard minie'. We shall see...

-Nobade

[Coffeecup]

I have always wondered how they managed to get them loaded straight. They evidently worked well, but they sure go against everything I know about how to make a rifle shoot accurately!

I've experimented a bit with picket bullets. Both rifles were set up with false muzzles, which made alignment while loading a bit less complicated.

[AlaskanGuy]

Here ya go Roger my friend.....

http://perryadamsantiques.com/shop/brass-picket-bullet-mold/

And here is what they look like...

103477

103478

And here is another one for sale.... It might be best if you just have a mold made for ya..... Lots of folks around here can do it for ya roger... Or Moose molds has a mold for ya.

http://www.corinthcivilwarrelics.com/viewer.php?id=1340

AG

[Dryball]

The Moose and Pickett boolits sound like a great idea. Does anybody know the optimum twist for these...do they prefer fast or slow rates?

[johnson1942]

that is just like the picture in my old lost book. as far as twist goes. just use the green hill formula figureing the length and width of bullet to their formula. it would be a inbetween twist for a shorter bullet like that. some real neat bullets have poped up on this post. real great inventers out their of days gone past and even these days. all fun to shoot if they hit the mark consistantly.