Choice of conicals

[dfwdon]

Good afternoon all,
I just got my new barrel for my Lyman Deerstalker. I now have a .50 cal front stuffer to feed and care for. This new barrel has a 1:48 twist and I have decided I need to shoot some conicals. I will be buying a mold and casting of course but am looking for some opinions on two different ones that I like. Has anyone out there shot both the Lyman Great plains bullet and the Maxi-ball?
I sure like the look of the Great Plains bullet more but looks only matter till it is down the barrel.
I appreciate any feedback or knowlege you can share.

Thanks,
Don

[357maximum]

I would look real closely at the 250grain lee R.E.A.L mould...I am having big success with them in a pair of 1/48 50's. The 275 maxihunter shines also, but moulds are not there..it would be a custom thing to get a mould like that.

I seat the 250gr reals over a 9/16X 1/8' hard dry felt and 72 to 84 grains of Wano shutzen or goex 2 and 3 f. Ripping holes at 75 all the time , and most of the time at 100...buckhorn sights .......and I have been a scope shooter my whole life.

[Flinchrock]

Good afternoon all,
I just got my new barrel for my Lyman Deerstalker. I now have a .50 cal front stuffer to feed and care for. This new barrel has a 1:48 twist and I have decided I need to shoot some conicals. I will be buying a mold and casting of course but am looking for some opinions on two different ones that I like. Has anyone out there shot both the Lyman Great plains bullet and the Maxi-ball?
I sure like the look of the Great Plains bullet more but looks only matter till it is down the barrel.
I appreciate any feedback or knowlege you can share.

Thanks,
Don

I think I would go for the Maxi in that barrel,,,

[Maven]

dfwdon, I often shoot conical bullets in an inline rifle with a 1:28 twist. Lee makes a 250gr. as well as a 320gr. REAL (conical) bullet mold: I purchased each of those molds, but they cast too small for my rifle and produced only mediocre accuracy. However, I have tried T/C and Lyman Maxi-Balls in my current rifle as well as one with a 1:48" twist. Both Maxi- molds produced projectiles that were superbly accurate (50 shots touching @ 50 yds. from a rest in both the 1:28" and 1:48" twists). I've also tried pre-cast, pre-lubed T/C Maxi-Hunters, which approximates a hollow-pointed cylindrical shape, but my 1:28" twist rifle didn't care for them at all. As for the Hornady Great Plains swaged conicals, I agree, they do look nice, but at 385grs. and 410grs., your 1:48" rifling may not stabilize them. Flinchrock is right, the Maxi-Ball is the way to go, especially since both Lyman and T/C molds in excellent condition can be found pretty commonly on the auction sites.

[dfwdon]

I think the Maxi is around 370 Gr.
Thanks for the advice.

Don

[RugerFan]

I used to have a Traditions Hawken style ML with 1:48 twist. That Great Plains bullet was noticeabley more accurate in that gun than the maxi-ball or Lee REAL bullet.

[frontier gander]

Well i have 3 of those cabelas sporterized hawkens, 2 50s and one 45 carbine. Heres a picture of that little 45 struntin its stuff with a 225gr aerotip powerbelt and 80gr pyrodex rs. 58 yards, factory sights.
This rifle would not shoot maxiballs or great plains bullets to save your live.
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm53/thepowerbeltforum/275grPART2-80gr.jpg

[725]

You really have just got to shoot it & see. Maxi-balls have alway been best for me. And do they hit with authority. In my in-line, I like the T/C Shock Wave only because I haven't gotten around to trying the maxi yet. So much experimenting left to do !!!!!!!

[Gerry N.]

If you're gonna hunt in WA in the primitive season remember that you are required to use real black powder, a pure lead projectile with no sabot and must have an arm with exposed ignition.

Other than that, I'd suggest you beg, borrow or buy a few of each projectile you're considering and test 'em

A .490" round ball weighs 180 grains and will kill very dead any deer on the continent. It will more than likely be the most accurate projectile you'll find.

Gerry N.

[dfwdon]

Well I went out to the range and shot a bunch of Great plains bullets from my Lyman mold. I am happy to announce that these were very accurate at 50 yards. Opened up a bit at 100 yards but that was due to me. With 90 gr. of Pyrodex Select, I got an average velocity of 1390 fps. I also cast up a bunch of maxis butwillhave to wait to try them out. So far I am very happy with the Lyman GP bullet.

Gerry,
You are right on the ignition but Washington does allow black powder substitue and is even proposing to allow non-lead projectiles this year.

Don