Loading conicals

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jtmattison

70 Cal.
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After reading RTF's post in another topic...

Russ T Frizzen said:
I'd work with the balls first. Getting the conicals to shoot well can be a real bear. They are difficult to seat straight and most folks find the ball loads more accurate anyway.

Are conicals such as the Lee 200 grain conical hard to load straight?

Are they inherently less accurate than a roundball?

HD
 
I have a Lee conical slug mold for both my Rem. '58 and my ROA. IMO and experience they load fine due to the reduced heel on the slug but it does take a little 'wriggling' to get 'em started right. accuracy (groups) is as good as RB's in mine and when loaded hot considerably more 'whack' on steel plates. I like 'em.
 
They tend to be fussier to load because they have to go into the chamber straight. Their velocities are lower than with ball so the trajectory isn't quite as flat. Most of the guys that I shoot with have found them to be less accurate than ball loads probably because it is so difficult to get each chamber loaded exactly the same--each conical isn't seated exactly square. But it is interesting to play with them and your results may differ.
 
RTF,
Your points make perfect sense. I can see how loading them straight can be a slight challenge. Roundballs go in straight every time unless they are flawed and not concentric.
I appreciate your input as well a everyone else's.
I'm new to C&B so I am trying to learn.

HD
 
HD i am not new to shooting cap and ball revolvers i am just a hack. I like the questions you ask i learn a lot from the replys. Today i am going to cast my first 44cal real bullets.

Mike
 
a .38 Special case holds right at 24gr 3F
a .357 Mag case holds 27gr 3F (getting warm load here)
a 7.62X39 (AK or SK caseing) holds 32gr 3F(fairly hot load but leaves room for a felt, a slug (or ball) and generous smear of your favorite lube/sealer. this also shoots well in my '58 Remmy 'Buffalo' model.
In my experience the .38 caseful is about right for plinking/target/woods bumming load but have to 'stack' felts to bring the slug up in the chamber.
 
I find the Lee conicals easy to load and they are pretty near as accurate as balls are. The .44 cals are easiest with the 130 grain .36's being a little fussier. I hate the Buffulo brand conicals I can't get them loaded straight and I can't hit sh#@ with them.

Don
 
I just cast my first bullets today 200gr .450 bullets will they be all right to shoot my 1858 steel frame Remington. What about a 44 brass frame Colt. Just use wads and lube the bullets with Bore Butter as i am loading? Is 25gr of fff a good charge for these bullets. Do you guys size the bullets?

Mike
 
Mike 56 said:
I just cast my first bullets today 200gr .450 bullets will they be all right to shoot my 1858 steel frame Remington. What about a 44 brass frame Colt. Just use wads and lube the bullets with Bore Butter as i am loading? Is 25gr of fff a good charge for these bullets. Do you guys size the bullets?

Mike

I think they should work fine in your revolvers.

I plan on using mine with 20 grains 3f Goex with a lubed felt wad over powder. I pan lubed my bullets with my beeswax/olive oil lube. I made a very firm lube, melted it, set the bullets in a shallow dish, poured the lube in to cover the lube gooves, and after it hardened in the fridge I just pushed the bullets out of the lube with my finger. It left them perfectly lubed.
No, I don't believe anyone sizes these bullets. They are sized when you load them in the chamber.

HD
 
They are fine in your steel framed gun but probably best avoided in the brassed framed ones. You will notice a marked increase in recoil with the heavier conicals. I stay with ball loads in my brass framed guns though I'm sure there are guys out there who shoot conicals out of their brass framed guns and report no problems.

Don
 
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