Impact of lube on conical performance,

Even though my rifle seems to really like PRBs, I'm continuing to play with different load combinations for 380gr Lee REAL conicals that I'd like to use for elk hunting. Last night, I thought I'd compare a couple of different methods for lubing. Everything else was the same: distance is 25 yards (just the indoor range near my house), using a sandbag up front for stability, 1/8" hard felt wad lubed with mink oil, 85gr of Graf's FFG, and the same mediocre shooter. The results were pretty interesting to me; especially considering the short distance.

First, pan lubed with SPG. The results were... underwhelming. To say the least. :redface: :barf:



The kind folks at Lee recommended that I tumble lube with liquid Alox. Maybe they're on to something...



Now to the outdoor range to test at 50 and 100 yards and tweak the powder charge.

Interesting dsayer, thanks for posting. I've used the liquid Alox quite a bit with good results, but have never done a comparison like that. I've even put a coat of LA on Lyman Great Plains bullets to tighten them up in the bore.

I shoot mine ...un-lubed.....I know, crazy right?

You're not the only one I've heard of that shoots REALs naked. So maybe not so :youcrazy:

No issues with leading, eh?

I don't shoot R.E.A.L.S.....I shoot Maxi-balls... But same principal...I also only use them for hunting, small aircraft, and Fords.....Yes! I know they are overkill for Fords.... :wink:

Since I'm not shooting a hundred in a day, leading is not an issue....For me....
Your mileage may vary. :grin:

If you stop, and think about it....Rifling is engraved at loading....So......lube is irrelevant for leading.....It does help with powder fouling though....a little....

Yes, I've found that a 36cal round ball is more than sufficient for Fords. :haha:

:hmm: I have a CVA .36 Bobcat that wil not shoot a group (nice patterns though). Maybe...just maybe thisone was a small run of .36 for Fords? I bet I could hit a Ford :idunno:

:rotf:

azmntman said:

:hmm: I have a CVA .36 Bobcat that wil not shoot a group (nice patterns though). Maybe...just maybe thisone was a small run of .36 for Fords? I bet I could hit a Ford :idunno:

:rotf:

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Probably made for shooting while inside the Ford with the windows up. :haha:

Didn't take long for this one to come totally off the rails!

:rotf: :rotf:

Colorado Clyde said:

If you stop, and think about it....Rifling is engraved at loading....So......lube is irrelevant for leading.....It does help with powder fouling though....a little....

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You might be on to something. The one, and only, time I used a bullet (maxi-ball) was in my TC 'not-really-a-hawken-hawken'. During early fall deer season the nights can be quite cold but temps often rise to mid-70s during the day. I found with the warming up of the barrel, and presumably the lube also, my bullet would slide towards the muzzle. This created a dangerous situation that I didn't like and have never risked again. No lube and tight fit might eliminate that risk. Dunno. :idunno: And don't intend to try. :shake:

For years ever since I purchased my .54 Hawken I used Hornady GP bullets and lubed as they came from the box, over the powder.
I always made sure I didn't carry my rifle muzzle down, and when I took my stand I would use the ram rod to make sure the bullet was still seated.
Would a tight fitting felt wad over the powder, a bullet, and another wad over the bullet help keep it in place?

Jimbo47 said:

For years ever since I purchased my .54 Hawken I used Hornady GP bullets and lubed as they came from the box, over the powder.
I always made sure I didn't carry my rifle muzzle down, and when I took my stand I would use the ram rod to make sure the bullet was still seated.
Would a tight fitting felt wad over the powder, a bullet, and another wad over the bullet help keep it in place?

Click to expand...

Can't answer yer question, Jimbo. I don't plan to try that technique.

Jimbo47 said:

For years ever since I purchased my .54 Hawken I used Hornady GP bullets and lubed as they came from the box, over the powder.
I always made sure I didn't carry my rifle muzzle down, and when I took my stand I would use the ram rod to make sure the bullet was still seated.
Would a tight fitting felt wad over the powder, a bullet, and another wad over the bullet help keep it in place?

Click to expand...

Jimbo,
I never had this issue with Hornady GPs in my 54, but have noticed this with the 380gr REALs when cast from pure lead. I didn't mention this in my OP, but I'm also experimenting with alloys that are a bit harder to help with fill out and drop a bit larger. This batch seems to fit pretty well in my bore.
I'm not sure whether a wad over the bullet would prevent movement or not. It is an easily testable hypothesis though...

Run a fouling shot before you load with a conical. This will help keep the bullet seated where it belongs.

M.D. said:

Run a fouling shot before you load with a conical. This will help keep the bullet seated where it belongs.

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Yes, thanks M.D. I've heard this as well. I believe the owner (David?) of No Excuses Muzzleloading Bullets recommends this with his conicals.

help keep

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It's that "help" bit i find scary. A definitive 'will keep' would assure more safety. When the temps raise 40+ degrees from early a.m. to mid-day and the sun is on the barrel, lubes get slickery and that bullet can easily slide. Color me cautious.

dsayer said:

Didn't take long for this one to come totally off the rails!

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It went off the rails ...when he said he was shootin’ his BP rifle at an INDOOR range :surrender: !

... hope the air system moves a lot of air ...

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

While elk hunting, I found that the Buffalo Bullet had moved off the charge and put up w/ this nonsense for another year during which time, I built a .54 Hawken w/ a RB bbl. The PRB eliminated the bother of checking where the conical was and gave me "peace of mind". Actually, the PRB has a much better trajectory than the conical and kills elk just as well.

I load the PRBs from a loading block which simplifies the loading and could never understand why another item such as an OP wad is necessary w/ a conical. Tried newspaper in front of the conical to keep it seated on the powder and the accuracy went kaput.

Also the Maxi-Balls were too hard too load in a fouled bbl.....the Buffalo Bullets were a lot easier to load but are not available now.....Fred