44 Conicals

[reddog]

If your cyls. are .457,,,what size ball would you use and where to get them???

 

[tsafa]

I use the Lee molds. Regardless what they say the 200 grain is only 190 grains with 99% pure lead. The Rugger one is only 210 grains with 99% pure lead.

I load my 1858 with 190 grain conicals and the Walker with 215 grains. The key to seating easy to use a hammer to reshape the base a little so that the base of conical will enter the chamber easy. The reshaping forms a slight dome in the base of the conical, which "may" further expand the bullet to fit the riffing like a minnie ball does.

You only want to reshape just the very base of the conical to be full width above the very base.

For making .36 cal conicals, I just use a .357/.358 mold. The conicals are not quite wide enough. I put them over an anvil and 4 light taps will expand them so they fit just right. I then reshape the base for easy seating.

I bet you back in the old days, the guys worked the bullets in a similar manor given the inconsistencies in manufacturing.

Look at my ballistics webpage to see how the various changes in ball diameter effect the ballistics of black powder firearms.
http://www.poconoshooting.com/blackpowderballistics.html

 

[Gatofeo]

I cast the Lee conical from what amounts to pure lead, registering 0 on my Saeco hardness tester. I can also dent it with my finger nail.
My .450 bullets come in at 205 grains. Perhaps Lee has changed the design ever so slightly since I bought my mould about 15 years ago.

I would NOT use hard lead in revolvers. With such bullets, it can be very difficult to seat the bullet in the chamber. With poorly made or heat-treated revolvers, the hinge of the rammer may be bent or damaged.

Modern .45 caliber lead bullets are not really suitable for cap and ball revolvers. The proper bullet requires a heel -- a reduced diameter step on the bullet's base -- so it may be started in the chamber. Without this heel, it's very difficult to get the bullet started straight in the chamber.

Many modern lead bullets are too long to fit under the rammer. The original conical bullets were rather short, compared to today's bullets, so they would fit under the rammer, especially if a paper tube containing powder were attached.

Lee designates its .450 and .457 bullets by the nominal diameter of the forward driving band. This diameter has nothing to do with the heel diameter.

You want a 220 gr. bullet, believing that 200 grs. may be too light. Huh? We're talking about 20 grains difference, about half a .22 Long Rifle bullet. Accuracy will count far more than 20 grains of lead.

I'm with CaptainKirk: when it comes to protecting yourself against a wounded, angry, terrified animal that can kill you with teeth, jaw pressure, claws, tusks or impact -- carry a modern firearm for backup.
For boars, a .45 ACP would be good. A .357, .41 or .44 Magnum revolver would be too.
Remember, you'll be scared too if it rushes you.
A wild, dangerous animals is your potential killer.
Why would you risk your life, the security of your family, the grief of friends and a wheelbarrow of medical bills on a weapon that has a long history of unreliability?

God knows I love my cap and ball revolvers, and I've written tens of thousands of words on their use, care and history, but I would never carry one for self defense when a modern gun could be had.

 

[xia_emperor]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vx_nQphKO4&feature=player_embedded

this is what I think you maybe looking for.

 

[gmww]

Very nice!

 

[xia_emperor]

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_99_311_313&products_id=3681

there are these as well.