Colorado Muzzleloader Projectile Conundrum

[brassell31]

Several years ago Colorado changed when one can use a roundball or conical for big game hunting. 40-50 caliber roundballs in the past were acceptable for deer and Pronghorn. My sidehammer caplock shoots a .433 roundball weighing about 120 grs. Worked perfectly on a forkhorn Muley buck 6 years or so back. The shot was close to 90 yards and it double lunged him and passed through the body and out. He ran 120 yards and died. Now I have to uses a projectile that weighs 170 grains minimum for that caliber, which means a conical. The twist on said rifle is close to 1/60. If I can find a conical small enough to fit the bore, I'm wondering if that slow twist will stabilize a conical? Anybody have any experience with this or advice? The bore groove diameter is .448" (Miroku barrel).
Colorado also allows that .50 or better must be used for elk, and has to be a conical up to .54 cal, where a roundball is allowable. Sabots are not allowable in Colorado. 2 years ago I shot a similar sized Muley at the same distance with my .54 flintlock, it double lunged him and actually left a groove on the back of his heart. That ball passed through also. He ran over 200 yards before he piled up. Now I could hunt with the .54 all the time to solve the problem, but it weighs 4 more pounds than the .44, and playing the old age card these days, the .54 is just to heavy unless I'm hunting elk. Any Ideas for the .44?

 

[Treestalker]

A conical in a slow twist barrel can sometimes do ok with a smaller powder charge - if it is not pushed too fast; reference the slow twist Civil War muskets firing Minnie bullets. Only thing is they used a really shallow groove. If you can find a combo that works in your gun, you may do ok with it ; every gun is different. I'd try a Lee REAL bullet with a start of about 50-60 gr 3f.

 

[Frontier's]

you cant use a .44cal for elk. Must be 50cal shooting conical or a 54cal shooting patched round ball.
https://buckskinsbp.blogspot.com/2020/04/hunting-colorado-choosing-muzzleloader.html

 

[bang]

Curious. Would a conical in -010 shoot good patched .015? Patched would insure gas seal and catch riflings.

 

[Frontier's]

Conicals do not use patches.

 

[Elmerfudd]

Conicals do not use patches.

Curious if anyone has ever tried a patched conical. I’m thinking of trying a soft cast 240 gr 44 caliber Keith style bullet that I load for unmentionable revolver light loads. Kinda curious to see how it would do in my hawken 45 with a lubed patch. Possibly a fiber wad underneath. Thoughts????

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Conicals do not use patches.

Curious if anyone has ever tried a patched conical. I’m thinking of trying a soft cast 240 gr 44 caliber Keith style bullet that I load for unmentionable revolver light loads. Kinda curious to see how it would do in my hawken 45 with a lubed patch. Possibly a fiber wad underneath. Thoughts????

Today we normally don't patch our conical bullets as we are only reaching out to 100 yards or so, but patched conicals were the primary manner that projectiles were launched for the shooters using target rifles out to 40 rods (220 yards) post WW2. See The Muzzle-Loading Cap Lock Rifle by Ned Roberts.

The Muzzle-Loading Cap Lock Rifle ONLINE

LD

 

[Frontier's]

99.9% of conicals on today's market do not use patches. Paper patched bullets and conicals are not exactly in the same category.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

..., Now I have to uses a projectile that weighs 170 grains minimum for that caliber, which means a conical. The twist on said rifle is close to 1/60. If I can find a conical small enough to fit the bore, I'm wondering if that slow twist will stabilize a conical? Anybody have any experience with this or advice? The bore groove diameter is .448" (Miroku barrel)..., . Any Ideas for the .44?

. I'd try a Lee REAL bullet with a start of about 50-60 gr 3f.

Well first, you might try a Lee .429 bullet mold throwing a 200 grain bullet, using a paper or linen "cross patch". Slow twist barrels usually work better using short, kinda stubby bullets. The mold is made for use with bullet alloy, which you could use, but you could also use pure lead, understanding that it might be a tiny bit smaller when cooled, and perhaps a tad heavier (say .425 and 210 grains)

Check my previous post for the reference that explains how to patch the bullet. It's pretty simple.

The great thing about Lee REAL bullets. as mentioned by Treestalker, is that if what they have doesn't work, you can have LEE make you a mold. I have a .40 which shoots a .390 round ball, which is about 90 grains of lead, but, a friend with a .40 had a custom mold made, and now I have a small supply of 180 grain conicals for the rifle.

So you could have made a mold that throws a 175-200 grain conical for that rifle. The REAL bullets have a slightly enlarged forward band, and "REAL" is an acronym for Rifling Engraved At Loading. You use a short starter and the bullet swages onto the rifling, so no worries about it engaging when fired.

LD

 

[Elmerfudd]

I think I’m going to try it with a 240 gr .44 or a 286 gr .45 Keith style just for grins.

 

[Frontier's]

44cal projectile is not colorado legal.