T/C Maxi Balls and Elk

[azmntman]

FWIW I will be huntng cow this year with my Traditions TN (its super short and will fit well on My Mnt Bike rack and in the blind). Will use a "Ballette" (kinda close to a .54 in weight). My TN is a 32 twist as well, a rare bird. Have had no luck finding a 66 twist barrel and have not shot RB in it. I personally prefer PRB.

As for soft or hard, if you can shoot you'll do well with soft lead in the boiler room. If you think ya might ia shoulder I still say soft. Pop shot his yearling buff with a soft conical and it blew through a shoulder, destroyed the lungs and we recovered on the far side underskin. I'd say a yearling Buff about like a big Bull elk in bone density?

 

[azmntman]

I never shot an elk but I did stay in a motel 6 one night

Well, probably the same amount of excitement? I'd carry a side arm in either endeavor.

 

[BS]

=I am getting a TC Renegade with a Green Mountain 50 caliber fast twist barrel for an elk hunt this fall. I have a maxi ball 50 caliber mold. I believe it will cast about a 370 grain bullet but I haven't weighed any yet. My question is what lead hardness should I use for elk. Pure lead or lead with a little tin, such as 20-1 or 30-1 ? For a harder bullet for more penetration on elk.

What is the twist, and what is the accuracy that you get with the Maxi ball?

The main thing is getting a bullet that shoots well.

I have a 1-28 twist barrel that shoots a 520 grain bullet.

A bit harder than soft, but loads with just a little resistance and stays down on the powder.

 

[longcruise]

I never shot an elk but I did stay in a motel 6 one night

Heck I used to stay in Motel 6 all the time that was back when they cost $6.

 

[ETipp]

Heck I used to stay in Motel 6 all the time that was back when they cost $6.

Yeah, me too. Except I found that Tom Boedet was a liar. They did not leave the light on for me one night.

 

[tom_in_vt]

I wouldn’t be uncomfortable with up to 3% antimony. A little harder than soft lead is fine.

 

[BS]

I am going to try some 40:1 for my bullets.

Also,

I have read only to lube the bottom groove on the Maxi ball.

 

[R Ellis]

I am going to try some 40:1 for my bullets.

Also,

I have read only to lube the bottom groove on the Maxi ball.

That is correct lube bottom grove

 

[leadhoarder]

I am curious as to why to lube only the bottom groove. I have not tried them yet but I have a maxi mould I will put to use pretty soon.

 

[64Springer]

I'd tumble those suckers in 45-45-10 and let them fly.

 

[stikshooter]

I am curious as to why to lube only the bottom groove. I have not tried them yet but I have a maxi mould I will put to use pretty soon.

Lube top band too and it goes unstable , off balance from too much lube (bottom lube only)/Ed

 

[coupe]

One other important point Rich, use a felt wad or a sacrificial patch to protect the base, that is what steers the bullet. This was proven true by Idaho Lewis! If not familiar he is a long range shooter, 5, 6, 700 yards with renegades and iron sights and many many posts.( I think the felt wads are best )
coupe

 

[64Springer]

All these tricks of the Renegade trade, any rifle for that matter, are barrel dependent in my opinion.

One guy says use soft lead. So the powder charge can somewhat obturate/slug up the base of the bullet.

One guy says lube just the bottom groove. So the bullet remains stable in flight.

One guy says use a felt wad between the powder and the bullet. So the powder charge can't somewhat obturate/slug up the base of the bullet.

Pure lead is best. 20:1 is best. 30:1 is best. 40:1 is best. Antimony is terrible. Antimony is fantastic. Tin is terrible. Tin is fantastic.

There are more muzzleloading myths than stars in the sky.

 

[SDSmlf]

All these tricks of the Renegade trade, any rifle for that matter, are barrel dependent in my opinion.

One guy says use soft lead. So the powder charge can somewhat obturate/slug up the base of the bullet.

One guy says lube just the bottom groove. So the bullet remains stable in flight.

One guy says use a felt wad between the powder and the bullet. So the powder charge can't somewhat obturate/slug up the base of the bullet.

Pure lead is best. 20:1 is best. 30:1 is best. 40:1 is best. Antimony is terrible. Antimony is fantastic. Tin is terrible. Tin is fantastic.

There are more muzzleloading myths than stars in the sky.

I thought 45-45-10 was the magical panacea?

I'd tumble those suckers in 45-45-10 and let them fly.

 

[64Springer]

It is.

Greatest tumble lube ever created.

Not greasy. Not tacky. Doesn't chip off.

It's the perfect lube for cast bullets.

 

[SDSmlf]

It is.

Greatest tumble lube ever created.

Not greasy. Not tacky. Doesn't chip off.

It's the perfect lube for cast bullets.

Personally tried it using both Johnsons Paste Wax and carnauba wax. Still had excessive leading. What particular qualities does it have that make it so great.

 

[R Ellis]

Not all the advice given is a myth some of us have been doing this stuff long enough to have dispelled the myths and found the reality of this b/p shooting

 

[64Springer]

Personally tried it using both Johnsons Paste Wax and carnauba wax. Still had excessive leading. What particular qualities does it have that make it so great.

I have yet to see any signs of leading.

Because I use wheel weights with antimony and tin.

Harder lead, 11 to 15 BHN smears much less.

And the fact that it stays put without being sticky or goopy is a great plus in my book.

 

[ETipp]

My next conical lube will be what Idaho Lewis recommends or what Chorizo is using.

At this time, I have a few Maxi Balls I casted from some Hornady GPB and some of the old Buffalo Bullets.

Also have ingots from scrap range lead to melted down chilled shot, as well as various other conical(s).

Once I establish which one of those is best suited for my particular ML's, then I intend on testing the two different lubes stated above.

I do not have a BH tester as of yet. But I can say for a fact that Maxi Balls are very effective on big game even when hard casted. They do not need to expand to be this effective. Not one, out of the many big game critters I have shot with .50 cal, hard casted Maxi Balls went more than a very few yards. Most took less than 5 steps. The last elk I killed was every bit of 125 yards + and it too only took a few steps before stopping. I still have that Maxi Ball. It is only two out of all the others that I did not pass through. The other one went through a large downed tree limb and into the critter. There was tree bark in the bands when I dug it out of the critter.

There's something about a big old, solid chunk of lead fired from a ML, that does not expand, that puts critters down in short order.

 

[stikshooter]

All these tricks of the Renegade trade, any rifle for that matter, are barrel dependent in my opinion.

One guy says use soft lead. So the powder charge can somewhat obturate/slug up the base of the bullet.

One guy says lube just the bottom groove. So the bullet remains stable in flight.

One guy says use a felt wad between the powder and the bullet. So the powder charge can't somewhat obturate/slug up the base of the bullet.

Pure lead is best. 20:1 is best. 30:1 is best. 40:1 is best. Antimony is terrible. Antimony is fantastic. Tin is terrible. Tin is fantastic.

There are more muzzleloading myths than stars in the sky.

Fact based on experience ,not your opinion . Hardness depends on application / barrel condition /Ed