bamaranger
New member
With the cost of commercial T/C Maxiballs skyrocketing, I bought an affordable Lee .50/320 gr REAL mold and figured I would cast my own conicals.
Neither my Renegade (1:48) or White Mtn carbine (1:20 , not a typo) would shoot the things worth a hoot. I varied charge weights 70-85 grains, lube types (2) and both 2F and 3F powder. The Renegade showed some promise, but still not near the equal of the Maxiball 370's gr I normally shoot. Volleyball size groups at 50 yds were the norm, and you'd be lucky to keep them all on a basket ball at 100....pitiful. Then I watched a video where a guy used an over powder card wad. I fashioned some caliber size wads from Christmas box cardboard and headed to the range with the tight twisted White Mtn carbine and peep sight.
Success. With 80 grains of 2F and my improvised cardwads, fifty yd groups shrunk to baseball size with clusters touching, 100 yd groups the size of a softball, outstanding. My REALS are a little hard, my alloy is scrap lead, and I have to start the dang things with a mallet, but, now they shoot.
Try a cardwad with your conicals, it worked for me!
Neither my Renegade (1:48) or White Mtn carbine (1:20 , not a typo) would shoot the things worth a hoot. I varied charge weights 70-85 grains, lube types (2) and both 2F and 3F powder. The Renegade showed some promise, but still not near the equal of the Maxiball 370's gr I normally shoot. Volleyball size groups at 50 yds were the norm, and you'd be lucky to keep them all on a basket ball at 100....pitiful. Then I watched a video where a guy used an over powder card wad. I fashioned some caliber size wads from Christmas box cardboard and headed to the range with the tight twisted White Mtn carbine and peep sight.
Success. With 80 grains of 2F and my improvised cardwads, fifty yd groups shrunk to baseball size with clusters touching, 100 yd groups the size of a softball, outstanding. My REALS are a little hard, my alloy is scrap lead, and I have to start the dang things with a mallet, but, now they shoot.
Try a cardwad with your conicals, it worked for me!