Conical Question for Cynthialee (et al)

[Ol Bob]

Back in mid April in another thread Cynthialee said she had an issue with a conical coming off the powder and making to the end of the bore...

I haven't used conicals before, but was thinking about giving them a try this year, and haven't heard of such.

Can nayone tell me is this a regular occurrence you have to look out for? Is it related to gun or conical brand/type used?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[mooman76]

I would say it is regular but also not uncommon. The conical doesn't fit as tight especially the minie so it can slide up some when the barrel is carried pointed down. It depends some on the conical and the barrel used. If you decide to hunt with a conical or carry the gun loaded for a distance it is a good idea to carry it muzzle up and the check it periodically. It may not make it all the way to the muzzle but may come off the powder leaving an air gap. Some suggest a tight fitting over powder wad, over the top of the conical may help also.

 

[BrownBear]

Is it related to gun or conical brand/type used?

It's all about the fit of the conical into the bore. If it goes down easy, it will move off the powder easy. If you have a good tight fit like you should for accuracy, it ain't going nowhere till powder gases kick it in the butt.

I'd mike your bore, then pick your conical accordingly.

 

[will5a1]

Yep - back in the early 90's I had a T-C Maxi slip out to the muzzle of a T-C New Englander while deer hunting, glad I noticed it, and I can't figure out how I was so dumb as to not get concerned when I loaded the rifle and the factory Maxi just slipped right into the bore, that should have set my thick head to thinking. The bullets were undersized, at least for that rifle, and I switched to the Horandy Great Plains, the front band of that bullet was engraved when pressed into the bore, and was more accurate also.

 

[Vaino]

Buffalo Bullets and Maxiballs in my .50 TC Hawken do move off the powder charge in a clean bbl and that's the reason I switched to a PRB in a .54 Hawken I built a few years ago for elk. The conical doesn't move off the charge in a fouled bbl.

Irregardless of how easy or hard the conical loads in a clean bbl doesn't matter...once the conical is home against the powder only friction holds it in place seeing lead doesn't spring back at all.

Tried using a wad of newspaper in front of the conical to keep it against the powder but the accuracy was lousy...this rifle has always been very accurate.....Fred

 

[Britsmoothy]

Oh, I always thought a conical barrel got tighter towards the breech so it continually pinched hold of the conical! Perhaps I miss understood an articleway back.

Any one tried a tight fitting o/s card?

B.

 

[Rat Trapper]

MY 50 cal TC Hawken loads real hard with the Hornady great plains bullets, but do not move once down the bore. If the bullet loads easy it will not only not shoot well it may move too.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Hornady Great Plains bullets have never moved off the charge for me. They quit making the best GP bullet when they quite making the 410 gr 50 cal. After that I started to make and shoot the paper patched bullets and they will never come off the charge. Ron

 

[Ol Bob]

Thank everybody. I knew a loose fitting conical would likely slip, but guess I figured QC would be a bit more consistant between Mfgrs. Crazy thought I know.

Idaho Ron, can you tell me how you make your PPs for a muzzleloader? I've seen vids for BP cartridge guns.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[longcruise]

Yeah, we have to deal with the QC of the mold Maker, the barrel Maker and the bullet swager. A mold that cast's abit oversized and a custom sizer (inexpensive from Lee) is one way to go.

Paper patch too.

I shoot too much to buy commercial bullet's. Too pricy for me.

 

[BrownBear]

...I figured QC would be a bit more consistant between Mfgrs. Crazy thought I know.

Yup, no worries. Parts on my Ram and my Tundra are fully interchangeable. :rotf:

 

[bubba.50]

in 40+ years of shootin' mostly T/C muzzleloaders & usin' my own cast maxi-balls & Lee reals I have never had one come off the powder.

 

[Mad Professor]

I've had hornady GP bullets come off the charge but only in warm weather when the lube is thin. The slug engages the rifling tightly on the upper bands when loading so it's not just a loose fit issue

I always hunt with a clean barrel, that's how I sight it, and that way I can leave the charge in for the next day or week if I don't get a shot ( I put a button of duct tape over the bore, and also over the nipple if I decap). No fouling to hold things in place

I use a thicker lube in hot weather and have not had things move doing that. Seems the lube helps hold things in place.

It is good to check the load, especially if you've taken a spill with the rifle. Mark your ramrod to seating depth.

PRB will solve the problem as will paper patching the conical/bullet. I've not tried the latter but have been impressed by Idaho Ron's success with PP bullets.

P.S. one other thought. If the barrel has been shot with a projectile off the powder the barrel may be bulged near the breach. Then a conical moving could be a chronic problem? Has anyone seen that?

 

[robinsroost]

I know that it is not period or historically correct but has anyone tried the red tumble lube from Lyman? I use it on my center fire pistol bullets and it adds to the thickness of the bullet. It may work to keep the conical in place on the powder. Keep yer powder dry.......Robin :wink:

 

[longcruise]

Likewise the Lee Liquid Alox. Might not soften the fouling the way our BP lubes do.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Hi Bob, here is a video I made for my bullets.

https://youtu.be/RmARVEFJbr0

 

[Idaho Ron]

PRB will solve the problem as will paper patching the conical/bullet. I've not tried the latter but have been impressed by Idaho Ron's success with PP bullets.

I have a series of videos that cover paper patching and shooting. This one is the first one of the series.

https://youtu.be/ibU-5uCuy_I

 

[smoothshooter]

About 40 years ago, I shot a T/C Hawken rifle with conicals that I cast part of the time. One day I was trying some factory conicals that were coated all over with a heavy, sticky brown grease. When loading the first shot in a clean barrel, I happened to notice that when I withdrew the ramrod from the barrel, the bullet was sitting just below flush with the muzzle. After some
experimentation, I realized that the heavy grease on the bullet nose, coupled with the cold temperature, had caused the bullet to stick to the end of the ramrod, and followed it almost all the way back out of the muzzle.
Perhaps if the bullet had been a little tighter fit in the bore, this would not have happened. But the accuracy was fine, when I resumed shooting after wiping the excess grease from the bullet noses.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Os card ?

 

[Wes/Tex]

OS...over shot! :wink: