Help me decide.... fast twist Pedersoli, White Muzzleloader Sporter or.....

[tenngun]

Sorry, we see a lot of old guns with drums. Does your breach plug blow out, or your touch hole liner?
while ultimately it can’t be as strong as a snail under normal powder charges, properly set and cared for it won’t fail.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Sorry, we see a lot of old guns with drums. Does your breach plug blow out, or your touch hole liner?
while ultimately it can’t be as strong as a snail under normal powder charges, properly set and cared for it won’t fail.

Maybe with light loads and PRB's.
The original post was about shooting conicals. Big heavy bullets build more pressure.

 

[tenngun]

Maybe with light loads and PRB's.
The original post was about shooting conicals. Big heavy bullets build more pressure.

They do that’s true, but at the same time how much of a charge do you need? It seems to me 90 grains 2f was TC top charge for those with a maxie.
If my drum wouldn’t be safe with that charge I wouldn’t want to shoot ball out of it.
Snails are stronger, no doubt. But reasonable charges are safe with a drum.

 

[Idaho Ron]

They do that’s true, but at the same time how much of a charge do you need? It seems to me 90 grains 2f was TC top charge for those with a maxie.
If my drum wouldn’t be safe with that charge I wouldn’t want to shoot ball out of it.
Snails are stronger, no doubt. But reasonable charges are safe with a drum.

That's the problem. Guys are starting out at 90 and some run as high as 120 grains.
I personally only use 80 grains. When shooting big conicals even at 80 grains, higher pressures will erode nipples. If the nipples are eroding then the drum will too due to the threads. I have personally never seen a old school long range rifle with a drum.

 

[Ozz]

Thanks for the information gentleman. I’ll let you know what I decide.

 

[SDSmlf]

They do that’s true, but at the same time how much of a charge do you need? It seems to me 90 grains 2f was TC top charge for those with a maxie.
If my drum wouldn’t be safe with that charge I wouldn’t want to shoot ball out of it.
Snails are stronger, no doubt. But reasonable charges are safe with a drum.

Curious where the ‘90 grains 2f was TC top charge for those with a maxie’ came from? I remember it being 120 grains max of 2F under 530 to 560 grain maxis. That is also what TC states in their loading manual. Easy to understand how guys get to 120 grains of powder, though for me most of the fun is gone before 100 grains.

 

[tenngun]

Curious where the ‘90 grains 2f was TC top charge for those with a maxie’ came from? I remember it being 120 grains max of 2F under 530 to 560 grain maxis. That is also what TC states in their loading manual. Easy to understand how guys get to 120 grains of powder, though for me most of the fun is gone before 100 grains.
View attachment 113683

Old memory. After I got my first ml I found a copy of TC hand book. So in my minds eye I was recalling a 120 grain ball charge and a 90 grain maxie charge, but this was forty years ago.
I remember at the time why Maxie’s took a less charge

 

[user 48679]

So, what's the difference between a snail and a bolster?

A "snail" is a coiled-appearing nipple mount that's integral with the breech into which the nipple screws.

A "drum" is a cylinder screwed into the side of the breech which is itself threaded to accept a nipple.

They are both "bolsters" (nipple mounts).

 

[Bad Karma]

Curious where the ‘90 grains 2f was TC top charge for those with a maxie’ came from? I remember it being 120 grains max of 2F under 530 to 560 grain maxis. That is also what TC states in their loading manual. Easy to understand how guys get to 120 grains of powder, though for me most of the fun is gone before 100 grains.
View attachment 113683

Those big bores sure can eat the powder! I have always thought the .58 could have handled 150 grains under conical bullets easily and safely but T/C’s lawyers thought differently.