Anybody shoot pure lead conicals?

GMB54

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Example, the Knight 45cal 1:20 twist was designed to specifically shoot heavier than normal 45cal bullets.
I can only assume you never saw the original load data from Knight and all the other "Super 45" offerings from other vendors. It was a 155gr 40cal bullet in a sabot with 3 pellets......yep that was the recommended load claimed to duplicate 7mm-08 velocity. There is nothing special about that twist its been used for ages and its still offered today by Knight in 2 models. The Mountaineer and the Ultra Lite. Traditions is now offering a 1-20 and CVA has a 1-22. Plus both offer faster than 1-28 50cals.

Saying they are "designed for sabots" is total nonsense. Many recent Inline Hunter events at Friendship have been won with 45 1-20 and not a single one was won with a sabot. All have been either sabotless jacketed or conicals. Its been ages since anything from White rifle has even been in the top 5. :rolleyes: You can buy a Mountaineer 45 1-20 right now and they have placed or won numerous times.
 

Smo

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If I remember correctly when inlines were first developed they were made too shoot lead conical bullets, giving more knock down power over a conventional round ball..

Not all inlines are created equally….

06269EA7-20BF-4816-8F1E-2ECE7DEA2EF1.jpeg


One of the earlier ones….
 

Grill-n-man

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GMB54 I was mistaken. I just found some lost footage of a NMLRA match winner who stopped by Wal-Mart on his way to the match. Dadgun if he didnt just shove 2 pellets and a Great Plains bullet from the clearance isle down the barrel and bang he struck plum center at a grand. Imagine the look at on all those guys faces who showed with up with custom guns, hand weighed powder charges, and hand cast bullets. Fools wasting money and time like when they could just be shoving any ole thing down any ole barrel.

Sorry couldn't help myself, but in case in other average shooters like myself are curious about lead conicals and their performance please read my original post.
 

GMB54

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Sorry couldn't help myself, but in case in other average shooters like myself are curious about lead conicals and their performance please read my original post.
Sorry but the opening line is total hogwash. Its like saying CVAs shoot Powervelts best. As if the twist and barrel are magically made to shoot them better than sabots. Even though the CVA barrel is no different in twist and number of lands than the vast majority of new inlines.

The biggest mistake people make shooting conicals is using too much powder and not trying different wads. Ive owned no less than 4 45s. Twists including 1-30, 1-28, 1-22 and 1-20. They all shot sabots, Powerbelts and conicals fine when you found the combo it liked. None of them were overly fussy. My 54 is a 1-28 and my last 50 is a 1-32. White rifle 45s were .451 which is in the ball park for many other brands too. I currently have 2 that are .450, 1 is almost .451 and the last is .452 on the lands. Funny part is they are all Knights but from different years and models but they are all Green Mountain barrels.

The vast majority of new 50cal inlines are 8 lands and a 1-28 twist. Lands from .500 to over .502. There are a few exceptions to this such as Pedersoli plus a couple Traditions/CVAs. Cramming a light for caliber conical in a modern inline with 100gr+ of modern subs is usually gunna yield crappy results. People have become so accustomed to that type of load behind a sabot or Powerbelt it never crossed their mind its too much powder. They got no idea a wool wad might work better then a veggie or poly wad. Let alone a 54cal wool wad might even give them better results in their 50cal.

User errors like this are because so many are just seasonal ML hunters wanting another chance to harvest a deer and those people typicaly use whatever the brain dead salesman at Cabelas tells them to shoot. Shooting conicals is not that much different than sabots. Find the size that fits your barrel best and the load it likes behind it. No brand has ever made a inline 45cal or 50cal that is somehow magically "made for sabots or Powerbelts". 🤣
 
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GMB54

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There are much better conicals than the old T/C Maxis. Hornady used to offer a 410gr Great Plains that was better than the 385gr just as one example of a commercially available conical. If you want good conicals go to Bullshop or even NoExcuses for his sizing pack. Once you find the size you need (just like choosing a sabot) buy a conical in the 420-460gr range. They are about $60/100 from Bullshop. Pretty sure Dan can still size them to your needs. NoExcuses does also.

Keep loads in the 70-90gr range if using Triple7 or Swiss. Usually no more than about 80gr is needed. Pyrodex might need a little more. BH209 will need less and may require more tinkering but ive used it plenty with 45cal conicals without a problem. I just dont see how that its any different than choosing the best sabot and load for your rifle. I find it no more difficult and a bit easier to load in the field because i dont need a short starter at all. I use less powder and often less cost per shot.

Somehow most of the guys in PACNW regulated hunts are able to figure this out. You cant use sabots in places like Colorado and Idaho.
 

Remi

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You guys ever check out IdahoLewis on YouTube? His muzzleloader stuff is very interesting


 

ROVERBOY

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I've been shooting 80 gr. Triple 7 with a 350 gr. Maxi-Hunter for awhile. The deer don't seem to notice.
 

Brisco Darlin

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Yep. I used heavy Great Plains pure lead years ago and they're hard to top in terms of terminal performance. If the gun likes them I'd shoot 'em, especially if I'm not hunting where shots will be that long.
That's what i shoot. Few years back when Richard's was getting out of hunting, i asked if they had any. He went back he said yea there is like 8 boxes in back. I said i'll take em all
 
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