Projectiles

[Luper]

Can anyone offer up their opinion on the .50 cal 250 grain LEE REAL on deer and just in general? Also opinions on any other .50 cal full bore projectiles under 300 grains, preferably LEE but it doesn't really matter? Thanks guys in advance.



P.S.-What would happen if I tried to shoot a round ball out of a muzzle loader with a 1-28 twist.

[mooman76]

The Lee real shoots good in the right twist. 1-28 may be a bit tight but it should still shoot, you just won't be able to push it as hard. Only shooting will tell. Same with the roundball. A really tight patch will probably work better.

[Greg in Malad]

Luper,
I just finished casting a batch of Lee .50-250-REAL to shoot tomorrow. My rifle has a 66" twist and my buddy's has a 48" twist, the bullet is only .570 long so it should shoot good in both. Your 28" twist should shoot any conical well. I think the Lee REAL is the only full bore conical 250 grains or less.

[northmn]

A 1-28 inch twist should handle light loads with a round ball, only experimentation will tell.

Northmn

[Luper]

all right
well i got some stuff to figure out before go to the range

[pietro]

[What would happen if I tried to shoot a round ball out of a muzzle loader with a 1-28 twist.]

You might be pleasantly surprised - then, again, you might not.

It certainly won't hurt to give them a try.

.

[Greg in Malad]

Back from the range, It never ceases to amaze me that the wind can be calm at the house and be blowing 30 MPH a few miles away.
The Lee 50-250-REAL casts .517 with pure lead and is extremely hard to start in my T/C barrel with the QLA muzzle and all but impossible in my friends T/C hawken without the QLA. Even with the difficulties they shot as well as everything else in the high wind ( 1.5" to 3"@ 50 yds).
I have only shot two deer with a REAL bullet, both .54 cal, and both left large exit holes and short blood trails.

[mooman76]

I'm surprized your's shot that will with a 1-66 twist but it is a short real and as they say every gun shoots different. I shot them out of my 45 Kentucky CVA. They shot ok. Good enough for hunting but I would get fliers about every 3rd or 4th shot. They shot real well in my CVA with a 1-48 twist. Your's sounded a bit large even for a REAL. I will have to measure mine. Mine were a little hard to start but not really that bad and I used reclaimed range lead. I just have a regular muzzle on mine and I have several including a inline.

[Lucky Joe]

The Lee REAL boolit soft lead shoots very well out of my H&R .50 cal Muzzleloader 1:28". Can't remember the dia. of mine but it loads real easy. You have to tinker with all of them.

[curator]

The Lee .50 caliber 250 grain REAL shoots fine in my T/C 1 in 48 twist barrels and is somewhat more lethal on white-tail deer than round ball, particularly past 75 yards. The 320 grain REAL shoots accurately in my 1 in 28 twist Wolf in-line too. Both bullets are more accurate with a felt wad under them. Lacking the wad I have used 40 grains (measure) cream of wheat filler. REAL bullets are somewhat difficult to load in T/C barrels because they are oversize for them (or the T/C barrels are undersize) I take a small rubber mallot to save my hand and make sure the end of my ball-starter pretty much matches the coutour of the bullet so it doesn't deform. REAL bullets: great accuracy, extra energy (compared to round ball) no patch, fast to load, and easy to cast from pure lead--what could be better?

[Greg in Malad]

Moonman,
Every rifle is different, I have a RCBS 45-280-Minnie that shot terible in my T/C Seneca with it's 48" twist, but shot great in a flint lock kentucky with a 66" twist. Didn't make sense then or now. My .54 T/C hawken wont shoot a R.B. or a Maxi with any degree of accuracy but loves the 300 grain REAL, and it loads easy too.
On a side note, I don't if I should celebrate or be ashamed, but I just "won" a .36 cal barrel on E-bay for the Seneca. Does anybody know where I can get a maxi ball mold, they seem to be quite popular, maybe we need a group buy.

[swamp]

Greg in Malad
I have T/C Senaca in 36 that I got so far back I can't remember when it was. It was the origanal calibre for the Senaca. The Maxi shoots real well in it. I think it was designed to shoot the Maxi.
I don't know how your 36 barrel will do, but I have had real good luck with 357 boolits up to 158gr. Was out of Maxi's and didn't want to cast so grabbed some 357 and 9mm cast just so I could shoot it on a camping trip. Also have used HBWC in it & shot fine.
Did not seem to be any problems with accurecy.
At least you can shoot it while getting a 36 Maxi.
This was not at target for group just a couple of days of plinking.
swamp

[Greg in Malad]

Thanks Swamp,
I was wondering if .357 bullets would work, I have a Lee 125 F.P. mold that drops at .360 with WW's. I will cast some with pure lead and see how they work. And welcome to the forum, it's a good place to pull up a chair and make some friends.

[mooman76]

A 36 being so small will need a real tight twist. I tried a 32 with a 1- 48 and it wouldn't shoot well at all with conicals.

[swamp]

Greg
If you can't find a 36 Maxi I could cast up some and mail them to you. I believe quite a few of them would fit in a $5.00 box. At least enough to see what your new barrel is like.
My mould is an origanl T/C Maxie that I got when I got the rifle.
I think you will enjoy the Senaca in 36. You can shoot all day and not use up a whole lot of powder and lead.

[P.K.]

The Lee .50 caliber 250 grain REAL shoots fine in my T/C 1 in 48 twist barrels and is somewhat more lethal on white-tail deer than round ball, particularly past 75 yards. The 320 grain REAL shoots accurately in my 1 in 28 twist Wolf in-line too. Both bullets are more accurate with a felt wad under them. Lacking the wad I have used 40 grains (measure) cream of wheat filler. REAL bullets are somewhat difficult to load in T/C barrels because they are oversize for them (or the T/C barrels are undersize) I take a small rubber mallot to save my hand and make sure the end of my ball-starter pretty much matches the coutour of the bullet so it doesn't deform. REAL bullets: great accuracy, extra energy (compared to round ball) no patch, fast to load, and easy to cast from pure lead--what could be better?

What thickness did you use? As for the COW this is probably a noob question but what are the advantages of adding it to the mix?

[Greg in Malad]

Swamp,
Thanks for the offer, I have 20 maxi's on the way that I can use first. I bought this barrel for round balls, but conicals sure load faster when rabbit hunting with cold fingers.

[mooman76]

Someone here resently was commenting that they got a mould and din't know what it was. Turns out it was a 36 maxie. Maybe they would want to sell it.

[SmuvBoGa]

PK,

I THINK that the COW is used to hold the smaller powder charge together, in one place, so you do not have to use more BP that you want - yes, there is room for lots of powder but MOST times you get better grouping with a reduced load.
The .50 cal REAL has plenty of power for white tail - MUCH more that with patched round ball. It all depends on knowing your gun, how to aim & what you can do. :-P

[White Smoke]

It's not under 250 but you might try T/C's 275-grain Maxi-Hunter. They usually work pretty well and are a damn good bullet. The only way to tell if a RB will fly from your rifle is to try it.

[P.K.]

PK,

I THINK that the COW is used to hold the smaller powder charge together, in one place, so you do not have to use more BP that you want - yes, there is room for lots of powder but MOST times you get better grouping with a reduced load.
The .50 cal REAL has plenty of power for white tail - MUCH more that with patched round ball. It all depends on knowing your gun, how to aim & what you can do. :-P

I plan on putting plenty of them through my CVA. I'll drop the load to starting grain of 50 and work it up from there. With the patches I am using now a 2 inch group is all I get with a RB. I'm hoping the REAL cast will tighten it up a bit.