My new to me "Bush Buster"

[Muzzle57]

I wouldn’t do that… I’ve used them in a few different Roundball and combination twist rifles. Generally they shoot as well as ball. Sometimes a wool wad or card wad is required but they will shoot and hit harder than ball. I still have a few .54 ball-ets left and really wish they hadn’t discontinued them.

I'll try them out later this week when I get back to the range. I've got some 50 and 54 caliber wads. Was just looking at the performance chart paper that was included with the pa conicals. If it's even close to accurate they have considerable more energy. My question is lubing them. Is lube required in the hollowed part or just the sides? I cleaned the grease off that they were packed in. Pretty messy.

 

[Bad Karma]

I'll try them out later this week when I get back to the range. I've got some 50 and 54 caliber wads. Was just looking at the performance chart paper that was included with the pa conicals. If it's even close to accurate they have considerable more energy. My question is lubing them. Is lube required in the hollowed part or just the sides? I cleaned the grease off that they were packed in. Pretty messy.

I’ve always used them as they came. If you cleaned them I’d substitute a beeswax and oil based lube of some sort. Oh, and just the sides.
Btw, I usually use the .54 wads in 50 caliber rifles, seems like they work better. I could be fooling myself but I’ve always done so.

 

[chorizo]

Working up my loads in the 54 cal thumpers, I found the 58 cal wads were superior to the 54 cal wads in both accuracy, velocity, and it lowered the standard deviation (SD) of the velocity strings.

I would expect you would see the same for the 50 cal with 54 wads.

 

[BS]

All you 54 thumper fans midway is having a sale on the Lyman Great Plains 54-450 bullet. $81 + $10 off

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010238683?pid=551592

 

[Bad Karma]

All you 54 thumper fans midway is having a sale on the Lyman Great Plains 54-450 bullet. $81 + $10 off

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010238683?pid=551592

When you want your target to stay hit…

 

[chorizo]

Got a bunch of those I bought already cast. With 100 gr of FFFg Triple 7, I got good accuracy and results out of them, especially in the 1:32 twist barrel. I tried pushing them with 110 gr of FFFg T7, but the accuracy dropped off, but they came out at 1590 fps MV!

They are a back up round to my 485 gr No Excuses bullets at 110 gr. I don't use them as the primary as I simplified my carry bag down to 110 gr powder loads with either the 525 gr or 485 gr No excuses...depending one which gun I am carrying.

Below is out of the 1:38 twist 24" barrel. The attached PDF is for the ballistics. It does even better in the 1:32 twist 23" barrel and equally well in the 1:32 twist 22"

I am fairly sure that the horizontal stringing is an artifact of the type of hunting sight and the target type I was using. I have noted that I string horizontally on all of my groups at 100 yards. Having changed to a bullseye black target with a 5.5" black bull has reduced that significantly

 

[BS]

Chorizo has been helping me with my 24" 54 with a 1 in 36 twist.

I made some of his Sheepherder lube, that stopped the leading.

Been using 100 grains of T7, 3F and a 486 grain .542 bullet.

Todays target in the wind and 47 degrees.

bullets used, my homemade mold.

A BIG THANKS to Chorizo!!

 

[chorizo]

Well done and my pleasure, Sir.

 

[Muzzle57]

I wouldn’t do that… I’ve used them in a few different Roundball and combination twist rifles. Generally they shoot as well as ball. Sometimes a wool wad or card wad is required but they will shoot and hit harder than ball. I still have a few .54 ball-ets left and really wish they hadn’t discontinued them.

Shot the pa conicals today. About 25 or 30 of them. Tried powder loads of 60, 65, 75,80,90,,,2ff. With and without wads. This particular 1-66 barrel doesn't like them. Shot all over the map. Point blank at 12/13 yards it was fine. 50 yards about a 6" grouping. 100 yards, ain't happening! So i started loading patch n ball, good groups. Patch n ball will be what i deer hunt with next Saturday. 60 grains swiss 3fff with patch n ball oughta work.

 

[Muzzle57]

I wouldn’t do that… I’ve used them in a few different Roundball and combination twist rifles. Generally they shoot as well as ball. Sometimes a wool wad or card wad is required but they will shoot and hit harder than ball. I still have a few .54 ball-ets left and really wish they hadn’t discontinued

 

[Bad Karma]

Shot the pa conicals today. About 25 or 30 of them. Tried powder loads of 60, 65, 75,80,90,,,2ff. With and without wads. This particular 1-66 barrel doesn't like them. Shot all over the map. Point blank at 12/13 yards it was fine. 50 yards about a 6" grouping. 100 yards, ain't happening! So i started loading patch n ball, good groups. Patch n ball will be what i deer hunt with next Saturday. 60 grains swiss 3fff with patch n ball oughta work.

Well heck, you had to spend a bunch of time finding that out… good news is you were shooting! ;-) Patched ball is a pretty fair fallback.

 

[BS]

I also have a 25" 62 cal Green Mtn round ball shooter that is quick and handy in heavy cover.

 

[chorizo]

Well heck, you had to spend a bunch of time finding that out… good news is you were shooting! ;-) Patched ball is a pretty fair fallback.

That is the fun and interesting thing about ML..you got to shoot and shoot and shoot to find out what works for you and your intended hunting situation and match you gun, load and style to your hunt and game.

 

[Bad Karma]

That is the fun and interesting thing about ML..you got to shoot and shoot and shoot to find out what works for you and your intended hunting situation and match you gun, load and style to your hunt and game.

Yep, it’s a slower pace which I find is relaxing but allows for a more intense focus on the shot process. In my experience shooting muzzleloading rifles and pistols has made me a betting shot.

 

[Muzzle57]

Yep, it’s a slower pace which I find is relaxing but allows for a more intense focus on the shot process. In my experience shooting muzzleloading rifles and pistols has made me a betting shot.

I'll tell ya one thing, bifocals and open sights don't like each other. Least mine don't. Heading to the VA in the morning for eye exam and new spectacles maybe they'll help the cause a little.

 

[Bad Karma]

I'll tell ya one thing, bifocals and open sights don't like each other. Least mine don't. Heading to the VA in the morning for eye exam and new spectacles maybe they'll help the cause a little.

Not laughing at you… I’ve always had excellent eyesight, even in my dotage, but some days it just drives me nuts try to pick up the front sight clearly! I can spot a muley buck laying up under a juniper tree and not see the bead 30” from my face…

Somebody on this site recommended talking with the ophthalmologist about the particular needs of a shooter. We don’t need the close vision lens at the bottom of the lens, but rather at the top of the lens. Might be worth the conversaction.

 

[chorizo]

I post this again for those that hunt

 

[BS]

My sight in target

 

[Relic shooter]

This .70 cal. Danish Jaeger has been a great mountain rifle.
Weighs just 7lbs & has been deadly accurate with PRB on Idaho's big game out to 150 yds. with it's express rear
sights & 1 turn in it's swamped 32" barrel & 82 grns of 2F GOEX.

All original Jeagers I've owned & shot have featured faster twist rifling averaging one turn in the length of their barrels &
typically feature deeper rifling in the .012-.014 range to prevent skidding & patch blowout when properly loaded.

All of the big bore Jaegers I've owned with good bores have had deeper rifling & have produced tack driving round ball accuracy with a properly fitted patched round ball & load combination.
Rifles like the Jaegers with swamped barrels provide lighter weight, superb balance & faster sight acquisition while hunting.

 

[user 36911]

Good to see interest in shorter barrels. I'm about to order this gun for my elk and muley hunts. I'll use a PRB. Not a conical fan.

https://muzzle-loaders.com/collecti...hawken-carbine-rifle-54-cal-percussion-ia4214