Looking for a good flintlock conical

[dfulmer]

I am looking for a good conical to use in both my 45 cal (1 in 60 twist) and 50 cal (1 in 48 twist) flintlocks. I will be hunting deer and I am mostly concerned about accuracy. I know I will need to do some shooting to test things out but I would like a good place to start. Any one have experience with Buffalo Bullets or Warren bullets? Also please let me know what your preferred charge weight is also. Thanks, Dan.

 

[omarick1948]

Dan,..You don't mention the diameter of the barrels you have on your rifles, but this is a big safety factor along with the type of breeching your barrels have installed....Conical bullet weight, along with the powder charge used can drastically increase pressures.

A patched round ball kills a deer just as dead as a conial without the pressures and in most cases, are just as accurate or more so, at the average muzzleloading distance's responsible hunters shoot from at their target.....I've put a lot of vension, antelope, elk, bear and one buffalo in my freezer over the years and all with round ball!

Just an opinion!

 

[papellet]

I like the Buffalo balletts and the Hornady great plains, virtually the same bullet. I think they are around 240 or 245 gr for the 50 cal. I use them in my 1:60 gpr and tvm as well as my !:48 renegade.

 

[gacitizen]

I basically asked this exact question for the same barrel caliber and twist.

Was told a short conical such as the REAL among others would be a good choice.

 

[paulvallandigham]

It will be very difficult to find any conical that will shoot well in the 1:60 .45 rifle. In the .50 1 :48, you can shoot ballettes, or the Lee R.E.A.L. slug. Both guns are really designed to use a PRB for deer hunting. The .45 with a 125 gr. PRB has killed deer out to 100 yards and beyond. The 50 with its 175 grain RB has killed deer beyond 100 yds. Most deer are killed inside 50 yards, where both guns shine. Use a 60 grain load of FFFg Goex powder behind that .45 cal. PRB and you should do fine. Use a 80 grain charge of FFFg powder with that .50 caliber rifle using a PRB and you should be fine. Inside 100 yards, the ball will be expected to completely penetrate a deer on a broadside, lung shot.

 

[gmww]

Hello Dan, I've had relatively good results accuracy (hunting wise) and killing with Maxi-balls. That includes the 1:60" twist in my .45.

 

[Wes/Tex]

I'm with Paul here. Balls have been found to be 16% to 17% more lethal than conicals in modern tests. Conicals only beat the patched ball in total penetration. Since about half of round balls completely penetrate deer sized animals, more penetration is just lost energy.