Full bore bullet for NEF Muzzle Loader

[Hunter 257W]

The only muzzle loader (rifle) I've ever used is a NEF Sidekick in 50 caliber. Since I mainly bought it for the extra 2 weeks of deer hunting I've always just taken the easiest way to a decent load and used sabots with various under-caliber bullets. Lately I've been thinking of experimenting with full 50 caliber bullets just to see what it will do. This particular Lee bullet looks interesting. Any reasons why it wouldn't be a good choice? Difficult loading, etc.??? I know it's going to take more force to engrave the rifling in a bullet compared to a soft sabot but that used to be the norm until sabots came into being. What say the much more experienced black powder shooters than myself?

https://leeprecision.com/mold-500-360-m.html

 

[FrontierGander]

that only measures .500" diameter so i'd first slug the bore and see if a .500 would be a snug fit or not.

 

[CHRIS WILSON]

I used full bore conicals out of am older CVA optima for a few years. Hornady use to make a 410 gr Great Plains that was a great bullet. Using 90 gr of Triple Seven, it was a devastating load on deer. You might be surprised at the ease of loading with full bore conicals. I found that those conical bullets went down the barrel a little easier than sabots. They felt snug going down the barrel but I did not have to apply the same level of force to get them seated. Before I started playing with different sabot and bullet combos, I felt like I was about to snap my rod on a few occasions. Hornady quit making that size conical a few years back and their 385 gr just didn't shoot as well, so I switched to Barnes bullets and sabots.

 

[Hunter 257W]

I did some searching about the NEF rifle and apparently it's a .501 bore with .510 groove diameter according to this article.

https://www.chuckhawks.com/nef_sidekick.htm

Guess that makes this .500 bullet a no-go. It's a shame because that big flat nose would sure thump a deer.

 

[Hunter 257W]

Looks like the LEE REAL bullet line would be the safest way to go to get a good bullet fit. This one is supposed to be .517 diameter. Those knife edge bands should easily deform with the rifling at loading as they claim. I have plenty of pure lead to cast with. I just don't like the nose profile as good as the other bullet.

https://leeprecision.com/mold-d-c-50cal-320.html

 

[GMB54]

Go to No Excuses website and get a sizing pack.

https://www.muzzleloading-bullets.com/p ... zing-pack/

Sizing pack contains 5 each 420 grain 50 Caliber bullets. Each bullet is sized differently; .500, .501, .502, .503 and .504

Accurate Molds makes a conical mold large enough to custom size for your bore. You can either buy a Lee special order sizer or a NOE sizer.
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_det ... 425M-D.png

They offer .501 thru .504 bushings for their sizing die.
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=104

 

[FrontierGander]

Lyman Maxi ball

 

[shane37110]

I did some searching about the NEF rifle and apparently it's a .501 bore with .510 groove diameter according to this article.

https://www.chuckhawks.com/nef_sidekick.htm

Guess that makes this .500 bullet a no-go. It's a shame because that big flat nose would sure thump a deer.

That Lee bullet is a Minie bullet. Hollow base like the civil war musket bullets. It will expand to fit the bore upon powder ignition. I've used the .58 and .54 versions for years.