Ardesa .50cal BP ML pistol

[dromia]

A mate of mine has just acquired an Ardesa .50cal BP ML pistol and wants to know if anyone has any experience with this pistol, loads and suitable boolit moulds.

[Buckshot]

..................Nope, but I have an Ardesa 45 cal long range (Rigby, Gibbs type) muzzle loader barrel with Metford rifling. They're made in Spain and at one time I believe Navy Arms imported them into the U.S. Both rifles and pistols. They had a website, but don't know about now as the last time I looked was several years ago.

I was e-mailing them about having a rifle sent to me here and they seemed agreeable but we had an eventual communications breakdown (different languages, ya know:-)?)

Found their website: http://www.ardesa.com/avancarga/eng/home.htm

................Buckshot

[dromia]

Thanks Buckshot.

Looks like he's got a choice of either the Lyman 320 GN Maxi ball recommended by Ardesa via the web site or the Lee 250 or 320 GN REAL boolit over 30 gns FFF

Powder load from Ardesa as well.

Knowing this loon he'll go for the Lee.

As he'll be paper punching the lighter boolit might not be a bad idea.

[northmn]

I do not know what the 50 cal pistol looks like, but most do very well with round ball and will not kick so much. A 170-180 round ball is still formidible. Pistols use fast twists to accomodate light charges so that good accuracy could be obtained ffrom 25 to 50 grains depending on use. 25 for plinking 50 for hunting. Try a 015 patch such as the ones you can purchase precut and a 490 RB for starters. Black works best in a traditional styled weapon but you can use pistol grade (p) or 3f equivalent 777 and magnum caps.

Northmn

[Geraldo]

From a quick look at the website, it appears that these are the same pistols marketed by Traditions in the US. Maybe that will help get you some info.