Do you think this would work?

[Tacitus]

I respectfully submit this question to the venerable collection of esteemed gentlemen that constitutes the ML braintrust of this site, what say you?
My Kibler .45cal SMR's regular diet is 120 grain .440 round ball, with a .015 ticking patch, and 55grains 3F.
I have an excess supply of hard cast 300 grain .430 bullets from when I use to reload .44 mag.
The bullets weigh 2.5 times the weight of the round ball and therefor peak pressure is my foremost concern, but after all is it really much different than shooting a minnie?
The question is, in your opinion would it be prudent to shoot this bullet with a thick patch out of the SMR?

 

[BillyC]

I don’t know much at all about ML shooting yet but it is my understanding that the 1:72 twist rate will only stabilize a round ball. Not sure what would happen as far as pressure goes but I wouldn’t think an unstabilized bullet would be very accurate.

 

[kyron4]

Best bet would be sell or trade for pure lead or pure lead round balls.

 

[nchawkeye]

On top of pressure and twist rate, is depth of rifling...A true barrel made for patched round balls has deeper rifling than those for conicals...Even with heavy patching or a sabot with the heavier projectile I think you will have more gas leakage...It may or may not be accurate, may or may not ruin your barrel...

Also, with the stock design of a southern mountain rifle, the recoil will be punishing with heavier charges, that may damage your stock...

If you need a heavier projectile for larger game, move up to a .54 or a.58...

 

[Sean E Bug]

I doubt it will stabilize the bullet. conical need faster rates of twist than round balls.

 

[DixieTexian]

I don't see any reason not to try, but I wouldn't have big expectations.

 

[64Springer]

Won't work.

Too much lead.

Not enough rotation.

That bullet is designed for a twist in the 14/16/20 to 1 range.

 

[longcruise]

I don’t know much at all about ML shooting yet but it is my understanding that the 1:72 twist rate will only stabilize a round ball. Not sure what would happen as far as pressure goes but I wouldn’t think an unstabilized bullet would be very accurate.

I'm pretty sure it's a 1:60 but, true, not likely to stabilize. It is what it is, a 45 caliber ball gun.

 

[Bubajunk]

Best bet would be sell or trade for pure lead or pure lead round balls.

The most sensible option would be this /\ /\ /\

 

[necchi]

in your opinion would it be prudent to shoot this bullet with a thick patch out of the SMR?

Nope.

 

[Tacitus]

Thanks for the input gents. I don't have a need to shoot them. The box has been sitting on my bench for so many years that I had grown oblivious to their presence. Started some pre-Spring cleaning of the bench in preparation for upcoming projects and took notice of the bullets. I thought to myself, what would be a quick way to use up these bullets and be rid of them. As pointed out by you there is little chance they are worth the trouble to try and I am insufficiently curious enough to find out. So, I'll just trade them away.

 

[Eterry]

The one thing not mentioned is trying to use Hard Cast bullets in a muzzleloader.
You'll have the Devil's own time getting a hard slug seated, if you do it'll raise pressure thru the roof.
I predict you'll end up with one stuck in the bore.

 

[Boomerang]

It will shoot, but it will be tumbling through the air.

 

[Will]

It would be an experiment in frustration.

 

[Jim in San Diego]

It will shoot, but it will be tumbling through the air.

Exactly! I have interchangeable barrels on my Lyman great plains with one fast twist and the other slow. (Conical vs. PRB)

I mixed them up one time as I was sighting in for the deer season with what I THOUGHT was my fast twist barrel.

The resulting hole was a perfect side image of my conical. Like a cartoon character running through a wall!

Twist rate DOES matter!

 

[Coinneach]

Thanks for the input gents. I don't have a need to shoot them. The box has been sitting on my bench for so many years that I had grown oblivious to their presence. Started some pre-Spring cleaning of the bench in preparation for upcoming projects and took notice of the bullets. I thought to myself, what would be a quick way to use up these bullets and be rid of them. As pointed out by you there is little chance they are worth the trouble to try and I am insufficiently curious enough to find out. So, I'll just trade them away.

Brother Tacitus beware of the wicked evil that are Conical projectiles, history well records that when mankind abandoned Gods endowed hallowed round cast Ball; civilised behaviour diminished and our species succumbed to the Barbarians both within and without the Walls we once held as secure.