50 cal. hornady great plains bullets

[nwtradegun]

i am looking for info of anyone who has used 50 cal. great plains bullets in a cva 1 in 48 twist and load data

 

[Don Steele]

Can't help you with your CVA. I do use them for hog hunting in my 50 caliber T/C, factory original 1:48 barrel. My best groups come with 90 gn charges of Goex 3f BP. When working up a load for that rifle, I tried TC's Maxi ball, PA Hunter, Buffalo Bullet Co. 385's, TC Maxi-Hunter 275, TC Maxi-Hunter 350's. Nothing came close to the Hornady for groups at 50 yds. out of my rifle. The Great Plains has a hollow base, with a pretty thick skirt. IMHO, it takes a pretty stout load to fully expand that skirt and take full advantage of it.
90 gns. of 3f is a right stout load, and may be more than necessary but it gets me 1 hole groups from a rest @ 50 yds.
The last hog I shot with one was an approx. 140 lb. boar. 20-25 yd shot through the atlas joint (where the spine attaches to the skull). I was in a tree stand, he was "Snuffling" along a trail, head down. The Great Plains bullet penetrated the spine, dropping him on the spot...passed through the entire chest cavity diagonally, stopping in the brisket. Retained wt. of the recovered bullet is 350 gns. It expanded into a nearly perfect mushroom measuring .875 in.

 

[Rat Trapper]

The HOrnady great plains bullets are tack drivers out odf my TC Hawken 50 cal. 90 grains of tripple seven 2f with a felt wad under the bullet.

 

[Vaino]

A friend uses my .50 TC Hawken for elk using 410 gr buffalo Bullets....but my supply is rapidly dwindling. Glad to hear that the Hornady GPs bullet does so well in the TC w/ it's 1:48.

One question...what is the fit of the GPs when loading and does the hollow base really do any good? It's a necessary feature of a Minie Ball which is undersize for easy loading in a fouled bbl, but is that the case w/ the GPs?

The Buffalo Bullet is flat based and the rifling does imprint the dia. and I don't use an OP wad and the accuracy is excellent.

The GPs weigh less than the BB which is a good thing...a less loopy trajectory. Any info would ne greatly appreciated......Fred

 

[azmntman]

They are the ones I used for years in an older CVA. Excellent bullet, great groups. Killed a big cow elk DRT. But they will knock ya around a bit at max loading (I once shot a .58 with 120 grains fff) Note I said ONCE :shocked2:

 

[excess650]

I used the 410gr Buffalo Bullets in my .50 Grey Hawk over stout charges of ffg with excellent accuracy. They shot better than any other conicals that I tried. Unfortunately, I'm out. :cursing:

 

[azmntman]

I was shooting 70 gr fff with mine. That still lets ya know the gun went off but acceptable recoil. Best conical in ALL my guns. They are very deadly as well (but as per the 9K posts this year already not a bit deader than a PRB, which is my go to now. May try the conical again when I get my buffalo tag)

 

[nwtradegun]

thanks for the info. I tried plastic sabotted bullets it hates them. I will nail down a couple of boxes and try them.

 

[Rat Trapper]

I alwys found witrh my rifles that a heavy charges peroduced better groups than light loads with the great plains bullets and a felt wad under the bullet helps.

 

[Vaino]

Had what I thought was a goodly supply of 410 gr., .50 cal. Buffalo Bullets that I bought yrs ago, but will just make it w/ my friend's elk hunt this fall.

The slightly less weight of the Great Plains is probably due to the hollow base and nose....2 features that I'm not too crazy about, but we'll find out next year. The powder charge w/ the Buffalo Bullet is 100 grs 2f and that will be the starting point w/ the GPs.

Thanks to everyone for their input......Fred