scattergunning

[jeremytl]

This may be a ridiculous question but as I've stated in recent previous messages, the muzzleloading world is a new arena to me: Can I use my flintlock as a shotgun? I reload for my other guns, so I have all the common shot sizes. I wasn't sure if there is such a contraption that can hold a load of shot in the barrel. The local squirrel population around here is way out of control and I think it'd be great practice.

Also, there is a box of cast conical bullets that my Granfather had with all the other stuff that accompanied his flintlock. They weigh out at about 245 grains, obviously significantly more than the typical .50 caliber roundball. Any ideas about what he may have used thes slugs for and what kind of powder load? Thanks

 

[Stumpkiller]

If your flintlock is a rifle you should not try shot. The rifling will grab lead fouling and the pattern will be terrible because it will be spun as it leaves the muzzle. Just not a good plan. Anything that would hold the shot together well enough in the barrel would hold it together all the way down range.

If the conical looks exactly like this one and has a solid base, I suspect you have .50 cal Lee R.E.A.L. bullets. Most conicals would be heavier than 245 gr. in .50 cal.

They need to have a grease-type bullet lube applied before shooting, but no patch is necessary.

 

[jeremytl]

Charlie,

That is exactly what they look like. What is this "grease type bullet lube"? Do you know how much 2F powder to use to throw this 245 grainer out of the barrel? Thanks. I'll stick to my double barrel for the shotgunning.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Any patch lube that comes in a tube or a jar. T/C Natural Lube, Wonder Lube, even Crisco will work in a pinch. As opposed to liquid lube that comes in a bottle. You need something that "sticks to the ribs" of the bullet and helps to keep the fouling soft.

With that conical I'd go with 85 to 95 grains of FFg. That's still a conservative load but it's best to start there. I use the next size heavier (320 gr) with 90 gr FFg and I believe it will kill any large game in America out to 100 yards. Yours, being lighter, will be going faster and should be grim death on whitetail sized game.

The plain old round ball ain't too shabby, neither. Conicals are getting all the media because the folks that make them have a higher profit margin. There's not much you can say about a round lead ball to make yours more attractive than the next guy's. They killed game reliably for 300 years before conicals appeared. Casting your own balls is a hobby within the hunting /muzzleloading lifestyle (hunting is NOT a hobby).

I think when my current stock of conicals runs out I won't be casting any more.

 

[jeremytl]

Charlie,

Actually, upon closer examination, the cast conical bullets
I have have three rings, as opposed to the four rings on the picture you posted for me. I was going to try them today at the range but when I opened the box and saw them, something didn't jive right. I got the correct lube you recommended but I won't attempt to fire the cast bullets until I clear up this "three ring mystery", other than the three rings opposed to yhe four rings on the conical pic you posted, everything else seems to be identical. Is the conical you posted also 245 grains? If so, it must just be a different cast mold. My Grandfather had some old ones.
Thanks, Jeremy

P.S. Why not cast any more after you shoot all that you have? Just curious... Thanks again.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Oh, don't worry about the grooves. I was just trying to positively identify your conicals from the information on hand. If they have three bands, they're just not Lee R.E.A.L. bullets. There are dozens of designs by many manufacturers. Not many that are 245 gr. for .50 caliber. Don't over complicate this. Muzzleloading is fairly simple and easy. Heck, even guys from Texas can do this. :haha:

Here are samples of T/C styles:

Maxi-Hunter

Maxi-ball

All of them are lubed identically, so don't sweat the rings.

There are two reasons I'm not going to futz around with conicals. They are harder to produce - I get many rejects for wrinkles in the lead and weight variations - and I'm getting more and more into the traditional aspects of muzzleloading. Patched round balls are what was used in the past when the rifles were created.

I wouldn't try to talk antyone else out of conicals. They are more efficient projevtiles. I'm just moving on . . . backwards.

 

[jim gray]

I have a box of Buffalo Bullets thaat are .50 caliber and weigh 245 grains. I haven't shot any of 'em as of yet. I also have a box of PA conicals made by Hornady. These are 240 grains in .50 calber and group pretty well with out of a 1:66 twist barrel. I haven't cast anything but round balls, yet.

Neither of these bullets have lube grooves. There is a cross hatch type pattern on the sides of the Buffalo Bullets and some very shallow grooves running up and down the sides of the PA conicals. Both are pre-lubed.