Musket Pellets

[musketman]

Wouldn't it be nice if pellet gun technology could be applied to muzzleloading rifles and muskets...

They look like they would do some serious damage in the larger sizes... :winking:

Do you think it would be possible to have a mold made to cast these giant pellets?

Would you shoot it?

 

[Stumpkiller]

Either Lee or Lyman used to sell a "Diablo" pellet shaped slug, sized to fit in a regular 12ga. shotgun wad cup. I tried to find it half-heartedly earlier today and came up empty.

BRI sabot slugs look for all the world like .50 cal airgun pellets when the sabot halves fall away.

 

The pellets are designed with the "wasp waist" to help stabilize them. Sabot slugs are designed the same way for the same reason, weight forward to help keep the bullet/pellet nose forward in flight.
You absolutley can have a mold cut and make a bullet like that.
And YES I would shoot it. We might consider asking anyone interested in persuing this to chip in for the cost of having the mold cut. The mold could be sent to memebers with the time to cast them. Bullets could be sent to investors with the investor paying the shipping for, say 20, to test in various rifles with various rifling twist rates.
Among the members there would have to be a wide range of rifles to test the bullet/pellet in.
I have never had a mold cut for myself as the cost is high. From 150 to 300 or more bucks, but split among, say ten people the cost would be within anyones range.
This would be an excellent way to test this theory at very resonable cost to the individual.
I suggest caliber 50, with serious thought given to design.
The wasp waist might do well in a smooth bore.
This fascinating idea needs some thought and input from anyone intersted.
I'm in.
I have the Oheler 35P chrono, a little time to fool with testing, and a range of .50 rifles from 1:60 to 1:28 twist, an in-line and cappers.
We could go from .50 to other calibers including the really big one as it would surely be possible to come up with at least 10 people to share the cost.
15 to 30 bucks each is reasonable.
Two or three packs of good store bought sabot bullets would cost that much!
Let's kick this idea around.
Hollow or solid base?

 

[Stumpkiller]

Got it!

Lyman. 525 gr 12 ga pellets.

Watch out starlings!

 

I jest 'membered supthin'.
Years ago when the 1st sabot slugs came out I tried some in the 12 smoothbore. Awfull. What few shots hit the paper at 50 hit sideways. They NEEDED rifling to stabilize them.

Stumpy. You think the 12 gauge pellet might be a bit much fer starlings?

 

[musketman]

I jest 'membered supthin'.
Years ago when the 1st sabot slugs came out I tried some in the 12 smoothbore. Awfull.

If you loaded them backwards, it would make one heck of a hallowpoint... :shocking:

 

Those 'first' ones by "BRI" were the same as Winchester and Federal are still selling today. The do require a twist of around 30" or perhaps 28", as the normal rifled 12 bore 36" twist still yaws them at 50yds., badly. There is generaly a figure "8" hole, instead of a perfectly round one.
; The standard Foster slug is still the best in the smoothbore, with it's solid nose, and HUGE hole in the back to give it a shuttle-cock effect. A wind sock is sort of the same idea. BTW- The grooves on the sides or a "Rifled Slug" DON'T spin :bull: the slug in the air as they are mostly smashed smooth by the bore, and there is a solid rib around the back end, anyway, to cut off any air in the remaining groove that might be trying to spin them. - TRUTH!
: I considered the Lee mould of the Foster type, but cross-keyed for strenght, but because of the design, the mould is not easily modified in size or to thicken the skirts if required, so I never bought one. I did, however make up an adjustable mould that cast a 580gr to 1,200gr. HB slug for the .69 rifle that was a success. This one looked identical to a foster slug from a Lyman mould, but only cost me an old mould no longer used. I re-bored it with a modified 11/16" drill and made up a plug for the hollow base that made for nice thick skirts. Due to the shank being the full .687", and when rolled with a wood rasp on towels, it gained in size to .692" with lots of cuts for lube, it was adjustable to 1,200gr. from a low of 580gr. With 8 second re-loads using paper ctgs. and round balls, I didn't need the slug for a fast second shot, but the light 580gr. slug, shot to the sights to 50yds. and was as accurate was RB due to it's being very short, barely longer than a round ball. I stayed with the round balls and paper ctgs. as they were more convenient and faster to load.
: Big slugs are really cool & fun to play with- especially at 1,00gr. or more - the only problem with the waisted ones is to maintain integrity when the powder charge goes off(the waist might collapse irregularly) and the skirt has to be thick enough to not blow out & rifling twist fast enough to stabilize a bullet that long. After that, it's all gravy( & recoil!