What's up with THAT???!!!!!

[CaptainKirk]

Thanks for all the tips, folks!
My next time out I will try TWO different approaches:
1) Since Steve's .490 roundballs with .015 patches shot reasonably well, I bought some .490 RBs and .015 patches...simple enough! I will start the sighting process from scratch at 65gr and work up to 90 or 95gr Pyro RS using 3 shot groups and track the accuracy. Having never shot RBs save the occasional "loaner", it think it only fair to see how Ol' Betsy does with them.
2) I whipped up a batch of the Emmert's and lubed up 25 R.E.A.L.s tonight. I've also ordered some .50 cal wads and will see how the wadded/lubed bullets fare in comparison to the RBs. A range report will be forthcoming..... :hmm:

(The .495's seemed a bit too tight for my liking.)

 

[50cal.cliff]

When I am just out to enjoy myself I shoot the .490 balls and when I am looking for distance, impact, and tight groups I step up to the .495. And yes the first time I put one down the barrel I thought to myself oh,oh I have screwed up.

I was not sure I could seat it properly and actually packed it with a rubber face hammer I keep in my cleaning kit. I learned to hand walk the rod and not put my and at the end in case it breaks. Another reason to have your rod marked and then there is no doubt as to when the ball is fully seated! A little tight for my liking was almost an understatement!!!!!! :grin:

I must say it is more the rare occasion when I shoot the .495. I was more trying to relate the fact that, the seal of the ball has more benefits than the obvious.

The other thing I was looking at is the consistency you must use in figuring out BP. I did not understand that at all when I first got started. In fact I think that may have been the main reason for missing my first deer with a BP rifle.

It is hard to think that a different thickness of patch, a few more grams of powder or another half a dozen variables can have such and effect on the ball following the same path over and over.

 

[CaptainKirk]

I'll TELL you "what's up with that"!
Got back to the range today. As I suspected, the new .490 Round Balls with the .015 patches loaded well, and grouped well. I think they would have grouped better but for the shooter. :grin:
The problem is the rear sight; the buckhorn in the Trade Rifle rear sight is a shallow Vee, the front sight is wide and rectangular. I need to square off and widen the notch to the width of the front. But that's neither here nor there; that was not the topic we were talking about, was it? So, I made my REALs with the Emmert's Lube the other evening; it worked out very, very well and I ended up with a few very nicely lubed, professional-looking bullets. So, I figure; time to try them out. Now I might mention here that in shooting the RBs, I began working up from my usual 65gr Pyro RS in three shot groups and discovered that my rifle likes 80gr with the PRB best. Very much so. OK; so I decided I'll try 80gr behind my new Emmert's lubed REALs. Stapled up two 8X11 targets one above the other and shoot...from the bench...at 25 yards. I swear to you....there was no bullet hole in either target! WTF? Now I'm beside myself! I could do better THROWING these things at a deer! But wait...there's one secret weapon left in the old arsenal. On Bull's advice, I had picked up a pack of .50 cal lubed wads. I loaded up another 80 grainer and stuffed a wad on top of it, then pushed a Emmert's lubed REAL down on top of it.
Here were the next three consecutive shots:

Eureka!!! We've hit pay dirt! I fired the rest of the lubed REALs with similar results...and the Captain is now One Happy Camper! Guess I won't have to chuck that REAL mould in the scrap bin after all! :thumbsup:
Thanks to all of you who helped me think this one through!!!! :hatsoff:

 

[catman]

25 yards my friend isn't very far for hunting, for paper fun maybe. Most of my shooting for fun is 60 yards to 80 yards max for my woods.
By the way get some real BP Goex 2F or 3F and have some real fun.

 

[CaptainKirk]

No, I agree; 25 yards is just the start. Next trip to the range will be spent at the 50 yard range, and then the 130 yard, working up loads and tracking accuracy. But that was not the point. Point was, my 320gr REALs were all over the countryside at 25 yards...LITERALLY couldn't hit the broad side of a barn...and I couldn't figure out why. Now I know. If you read the whole thread, you'll know too.
In the Big Woods where I hunt, 50 yards is a long shot without hitting a tree. I'm now confident I can keep them in a four inch circle or less at 50...which beats the hell out of the broad side of a barn! :grin:

 

[50cal.cliff]

No, I agree; 25 yards is just the start. Next trip to the range will be spent at the 50 yard range, and then the 130 yard, working up loads and tracking accuracy. But that was not the point. Point was, my 320gr REALs were all over the countryside at 25 yards...LITERALLY couldn't hit the broad side of a barn...and I couldn't figure out why. Now I know. If you read the whole thread, you'll know too.
In the Big Woods where I hunt, 50 yards is a long shot without hitting a tree. I'm now confident I can keep them in a four inch circle or less at 50...which beats the hell out of the broad side of a barn! :grin:

25 yds. is a great starting point! I always figure if you can group that tight at 25yds. you know that if they start to go awry then you got to look at the other variables.
Windage, cleaning or me.
I will usually try the with the same load at50 yds..

If I am doing my part and keep my aim point the same they should group wheter it is dead center or not.

Then I can slowly increase the powder load and see what kind of change I am looking at!
Often times it will either pull the load back on dead center or even tighten up the group.

The key is you change one thing at a time until you begin to see a change. That way you know what caused you to get that change.

I have seen folks have one shot go awry and they don't even fire another round to see if it was windage or cleaning, or them, etc. etc..

They grab a different bullet, put in a differnt patch, and change the powder load and fire again. Now you done changed three variables at least at once and chances are you are not going to get the results you were looking for and now you also don't know which one of the changes made have given you that result!

The one thing I have learned about BP is consistency is the key to getting the same result time and time again.

Sounds like you are on the right track! :thumbsup:

 

[Stumpkiller]

I had very poor results with R.E.A.L. bullets back when I shot lead conicals during regular season (in two T/Cs). Even with a vegetable fiber wad behind them. I have a friend that gets great results with them in his Lyman. They must be a finicky bullet.

 

[nkbj]

The REAL can be finicky. Just a matter of the bullet base and front rings need to be of diameters that will work with a given bore diameter and rifling configuration (not just the twist).
Concerning leading, someone has told me that Kroil will get under leading and facilitate it's removal. Has anyone tried it out?

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

A friend of mine whom I've been mentoring in the Dark Arts just kicked my butt with his .54 T/C and 380 gr. R.E.A.L.'s. Beat me by just (2) measly points (he scored a 130x150) in our Club's Conical Division, but he had to shoot (13) of 'em layin' down prone (OUCH!) to do it! :haha: I was on crossed sticks for my (13) shots at 100 yards, and I still felt those 370 gr. .50 caliber Maxi's (my gun only shoots em' straight in the warmer months, go figure) on my shoulder.

I spotted for him through my glasses and he was in the black of a SR-1 Target at 100 yards (9, 10 & X Rings). Those bullets are really great in his rifle!

Dave

 

[CaptainKirk]

Has he tried it with/without wads for comparison?