Velocity

[jerrywh]

Dan. do you ever use a buffer wad in front of the powder on the muzzleloaders??

 

[Dphar]

Dan. do you ever use a buffer wad in front of the powder on the muzzleloaders??

Other than a dry patch in some circumstances no.
But my GMs that blow patches with the Dutch Schoultz method do not with an over the powder patch.
Nor do they ever blow them with Tallow, Neatsfoot or Sperm Whale oil.
They also have similar land/groove ratios to the McLemore that does not blow patches with the patch ball fit load.
Though I have not tried the GMs with a heavy FF powder charge so maybe we should disregard the GM blows patches and the McLemore does not. I have never shot FFF in the McLemore but its only shot about 40 shots total.
I have used boot insole felt (soft felt about 3/8 thick) in my 16 bore rifle and it caused massive fliers in limited testing.
But its something that people need to try in the individual barrel.
I have never done velocity testing with and without the extra patch or wad.
Dan

 

[Rifleman1776]

I draw today on the computer a prototype slug I want to make for the .45 with the same weight as a RB.When and if I find the time ,I'll design and make the tooling for them.The idea is to drop a RB in the die and swage it into a slug.Will it work? :idunno:

Using an actual 128grn ball as the limiting factor, the only thing I can picture in my mind is a projectile that will basically end up as a flat disc...for example, will look like an Oxyoke Wonderwad...can't imagine it could possibly have any decent aerodynamics, ballistics, accuracy, etc.

I think the smallest slug T/C made for he .45 was a 255grn maxi-hunter and I do know they were extremely accurate out of their shallow groove barrels but they were longer than caliber conicals of course

Yes, a .45 round ball shot into a deer ends up about quarter sized and round. I have one I recovered.
As for the ballistic quality, face it, this is muzzle loading with old fashioned guns and projectiles. A round ball is as about as ballistically efficient as a thrown brick. It is what we choose to use. Want better ballistics? Buy a 30-06.
BTW: I had a TC/Lyman .45 ca. Maxi Ball mould left over from my shop I closed in 1976. Had in storage all these years. Sold just a couple weeks ago to a member here. Now, this year, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, in all their wisdom, outlawed .45 cal. roundballs for deer hunting. I would express my feelings but those words are not allowed here. :cursing:

 

[Stumpkiller]

A Foster type rifled shotgun slug weighs less than a bore sized round ball; but the reasoning behind that is to gain stability & distance over a loose round ball in a smoothbore.

I'd stick to a round ball in a rifle over some hollow pellet design based on a round ball weight. Smush two round balls and make a conical if you're just looking for some modern advantage.

 

[juancho]

I am not looking for any kind of advantages, as a mater of fact, I'm trying NOT to use my .22LR.
For a long time in Ontario we were limited to .22LR (you can use a shotgun, but I like rifles better)for small game, when the season coincided with a big game season.
They changed that this year, and they limited the power at 400FPE at the muzzle.
With a .45 that translates as 1190 fps.
To be safe , I'm pushing 1000fps with exelent results, however, at that speed is a lot easier to have the ball ricochet from a tree.
A faster RB would come appart or desintegrate on impact, but I cannot go softer that pure lead.
So I thought that a thin wall minie ball pushed at no more than 1000fps should deform and absorb more energie on impact with less chance of a ricochet.

 

[Dphar]

I am not looking for any kind of advantages, as a mater of fact, I'm trying NOT to use my .22LR.
For a long time in Ontario we were limited to .22LR (you can use a shotgun, but I like rifles better)for small game, when the season coincided with a big game season.
They changed that this year, and they limited the power at 400FPE at the muzzle.
With a .45 that translates as 1190 fps.
To be safe , I'm pushing 1000fps with exelent results, however, at that speed is a lot easier to have the ball ricochet from a tree.
A faster RB would come appart or desintegrate on impact, but I cannot go softer that pure lead.
So I thought that a thin wall minie ball pushed at no more than 1000fps should deform and absorb more energie on impact with less chance of a ricochet.

The RB is extremely range limited. A 45 will likely not travel much over 800 yards regardless of velocity and after they hit anything this is greatly reduced. At 1000 fps its not going to make 800 yards irregardless.
If you are concerned get a 32 cal rifle. It will allow enough velocity to cause significant damage to the ball if it strikes anything. A 47 gr RB at 1400 fps has about 205 ft lbs. 1950 gives just under 400. But at this velocity it will cause extreme damage to any small game.
Messing around with minie balls in hunting rifles is really more trouble than its worth.
If you are worried about range and ricochet the 285 gr 45 bullet is far more dangerous than any shoulder fired RB.
Dan

 

[hanshi]

I have to agree. I've always preferred trying to match the gun to the game whenever possible. Prb only, IMHO.