(Another) BP Question
- Thread starter DennisCA
- Start date
You do have choices
Be Safe !!!
No and it's certainly your call as this the preferred projectile to shoot out of these. You won't be disappointed. I take it that this is a .50? Most I see, are .45. You can shoot conicals and even sabotted rounds but again, keeping in "The Spirit", I would recommend shooting RB's. ......
Be Safe !!!
Last edited:
DD4lifeusmc
New member
options
As Pahoo said.
There really weren't much around back in those days of conicals for these single shots.
To be a purist you would stay with the RB.
However you could shoot .50 caliber Lee REAL bullets
But being a short barrel hard to say what kind of accuracy you would have.
I also cast the .50 cal REAL if you decide you want any.
As Pahoo said.
There really weren't much around back in those days of conicals for these single shots.
To be a purist you would stay with the RB.
However you could shoot .50 caliber Lee REAL bullets
But being a short barrel hard to say what kind of accuracy you would have.
I also cast the .50 cal REAL if you decide you want any.
FrontierGander
New member
its made to shoot patched balls.
35-40 grains 2f or 3f black powder will be wonders.
I have a cva mountain pistol but shes a powder pig and loves 50gr goex 2f.
Read the manual that comes with the traditions kentucky, they will give load info.
35-40 grains 2f or 3f black powder will be wonders.
I have a cva mountain pistol but shes a powder pig and loves 50gr goex 2f.
Read the manual that comes with the traditions kentucky, they will give load info.
It's not just the twist, PRB specific barrels usually also have deeper rifling grooves than bullet barrels.
Pistols usually have a faster twist than rifles do. One turn in 20 inches would strictly be for bullets in a rifle barrel, but it's a patched round ball twist in pistols.
Pistols usually have a faster twist than rifles do. One turn in 20 inches would strictly be for bullets in a rifle barrel, but it's a patched round ball twist in pistols.
Chestnut Forge
New member
Don't forget that a round ball will put down any animal on the American continent. With proper shot placement.......
horseman308
New member
Over time, you can get a few different sizes (.490, .495., .50), some different thicknesses of patch, different lube, and try different sizes of charge/powder grade (e.g., 3F or 2F; different brands, too). Just be careful with the size of your powder charge and don't increase increments too fast (no more than 5 grains at a time). Safety first, always.
Like any cartridge firearm, each one seems to have its preference on load. But a .490 PRB is a great place to start and seems to be what many (if not most) people stick with in a .50.
Like any cartridge firearm, each one seems to have its preference on load. But a .490 PRB is a great place to start and seems to be what many (if not most) people stick with in a .50.
I recommend recovering used patches after shooting and examining them. If you see holes burned in them, the combo is too loose and there is too much blowby.
I have a TC Patriot pistol .45 caliber. Shooting .440 or .445 balls, it burns holes in patches right where the patch contacts the barrel where the rifling grooves are. Going to .451 balls solved the problem, however, this is so tight that it has to be started with a mallet. However, it shoots very accurately.
I also solved the problem by loading .445 balls using .020 thick cotton duck for patching. It still loads tight, too tight for the field ramrod unless you use a tree or something to push the load down the barrel, however for target shooting I use a steel ramrod with a big handle on it anyway.
I think it's because TC chose to make the rifling grooves so deep in these pistols.
Their shallow groove button rifled rifle barrels don't have this patch burning problem, even with load combos that are loose enough for field ramrod loading.
Some people solve the patch burning problem in TC Patriots by using a Wonder Wad or something similar (hornet's nest, fiber wad, corn meal) between the powder charge and the patched ball.
I have a TC Patriot pistol .45 caliber. Shooting .440 or .445 balls, it burns holes in patches right where the patch contacts the barrel where the rifling grooves are. Going to .451 balls solved the problem, however, this is so tight that it has to be started with a mallet. However, it shoots very accurately.
I also solved the problem by loading .445 balls using .020 thick cotton duck for patching. It still loads tight, too tight for the field ramrod unless you use a tree or something to push the load down the barrel, however for target shooting I use a steel ramrod with a big handle on it anyway.
I think it's because TC chose to make the rifling grooves so deep in these pistols.
Their shallow groove button rifled rifle barrels don't have this patch burning problem, even with load combos that are loose enough for field ramrod loading.
Some people solve the patch burning problem in TC Patriots by using a Wonder Wad or something similar (hornet's nest, fiber wad, corn meal) between the powder charge and the patched ball.
The Italian guns usually have a .500 in. bore(land to land diameter).
The 495 ball is the best in those with a .015 or maybe a .020 thick patch.
If I remember correctly the Spainish and US guns have a .495 bore and use the .490 ball.
If using conicals the right hollow base can solve the deep groove diameter problem with bullets. Size the conical close to .002 inch larger than the land diameter and it'll load straight enough to shoot straight enough. If the conical loads a little crooked it'll shoot crooked.
With the conicals the muzzle being reamed for at least a half inch down to the groove diameter and a gradual lead-in to the rifling is a way to support the bullet in the end of the muzzle straight and load straight. Yoyu know.....like the Thompson Center QLA or like most any modern muzzleloading rifle muzzle. The gradual lead-in facilitates loading easier. So does lube on the bullet.
Finding the right conical may be looking for a needle in a haystack. A sizer usually has to be made. A homemade die with a funnel type mouth to start the bullet in straight and soft mallet it in and drive out with a dowel. Couple .001's larger than the lands is a good diameter for a hollow base or non hollow base.
Those hollow base "Great Plains" conicals by Hornady were the favorites I used to use. The improved minnie hollow base by Lee Precision and it's mould is a good one too.
You can get decent accuracy from conicals with the 1-20 twist to the barrel but....being a light weight pistol it'll kick like a mule.
The 495 ball is the best in those with a .015 or maybe a .020 thick patch.
If I remember correctly the Spainish and US guns have a .495 bore and use the .490 ball.
If using conicals the right hollow base can solve the deep groove diameter problem with bullets. Size the conical close to .002 inch larger than the land diameter and it'll load straight enough to shoot straight enough. If the conical loads a little crooked it'll shoot crooked.
With the conicals the muzzle being reamed for at least a half inch down to the groove diameter and a gradual lead-in to the rifling is a way to support the bullet in the end of the muzzle straight and load straight. Yoyu know.....like the Thompson Center QLA or like most any modern muzzleloading rifle muzzle. The gradual lead-in facilitates loading easier. So does lube on the bullet.
Finding the right conical may be looking for a needle in a haystack. A sizer usually has to be made. A homemade die with a funnel type mouth to start the bullet in straight and soft mallet it in and drive out with a dowel. Couple .001's larger than the lands is a good diameter for a hollow base or non hollow base.
Those hollow base "Great Plains" conicals by Hornady were the favorites I used to use. The improved minnie hollow base by Lee Precision and it's mould is a good one too.
You can get decent accuracy from conicals with the 1-20 twist to the barrel but....being a light weight pistol it'll kick like a mule.
Hawg,
There's the chance of a bullet that's loose,like a coupla .001's under size, moving forward off the powder.
That's why I'd thunk it best to use one a little larger but still easy to load. If a couple .001's over the bore size is not easily loaded then one that's sized to be right at what the bore diameter is may work well and stay put.
A loose hollow base bullet is for those in combat like in the Civil War.
A hollow base bullet a coupla .001's over the bore diameter only leaves .001 inch on either side of the bullet to hold it into the lands. That's loose as I'd want.
Thumping the loose bullet with the ramrod could obsturate it and have it hold in there but I'd still like the .002 inch over the bore diameter to be somewhat assured of the bullet staying on the powder.
That size bullet (.002 over bore diameter)still has some room in the grooves needed to be filled when the hollow base expands.
There's the chance of a bullet that's loose,like a coupla .001's under size, moving forward off the powder.
That's why I'd thunk it best to use one a little larger but still easy to load. If a couple .001's over the bore size is not easily loaded then one that's sized to be right at what the bore diameter is may work well and stay put.
A loose hollow base bullet is for those in combat like in the Civil War.
A hollow base bullet a coupla .001's over the bore diameter only leaves .001 inch on either side of the bullet to hold it into the lands. That's loose as I'd want.
Thumping the loose bullet with the ramrod could obsturate it and have it hold in there but I'd still like the .002 inch over the bore diameter to be somewhat assured of the bullet staying on the powder.
That size bullet (.002 over bore diameter)still has some room in the grooves needed to be filled when the hollow base expands.