What calibre frontstuffer?
- Thread starter svt-40
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I buy 100% cotton from Fanny's Fabrics and take a micrometer with me. Yes round balls are round and they are normally .010" smaller than the nominal caliber of the gun. In other words a .54 normally uses a .530 ball. Thinking further about your comment on shooting multiple bullet weights and styles in your modern guns, that is not terribly applicable to a traditional gun with round ball. The closer comparison would be sticking with the standard ball and trying different patch thicknesses. Although not previously mentioned (I don't think) the patches are usually lubricated with something. Usually water based such as water soluable cutting oil and water for target shooting and some sort of grease or light oil for hunting (where you don't want the lube to dry out). The greasy lubes tend to accumulate fouling more quickly which is why you would use the water based lubes for target shooting with many more shots than for hunting.
I would strongly suggest visiting a local fish and game club and have some of the black powder crowd there show you the ropes before you buy your first gun. Also try to find Lyman's black powder manual as its introduction covers a great deal of the basics of muzzle loading.
cheers mooncoon
I would strongly suggest visiting a local fish and game club and have some of the black powder crowd there show you the ropes before you buy your first gun. Also try to find Lyman's black powder manual as its introduction covers a great deal of the basics of muzzle loading.
cheers mooncoon
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Rifling twist is part of it but most in-line are manufactured to less than tight tolerances and that's the main issue with shooting bore-sized conicals. White rifles for example, are well suited to bore-sized conicals. As for round balls, yes, rifling in in-lines are typically too fast.
If he was confused before...his head must be hurting now
SVT 40...RelaxIts not that difficult, just get someone to show you the ropes.
Sorry about that; I have edited the post :>( old age and the fingers are faster than the brain
cheers mooncoon
No, I am fine. I would have understood about 54 cal.
Now, about the inlines and traditional: what's the principal difference in accuracy and application? If the inlines shoot pistol bullets, aren't they limited in application to smaller game?
I saw people shooting fairly large slugs out of their MLs, but dunno what kind.
Now, about the inlines and traditional: what's the principal difference in accuracy and application? If the inlines shoot pistol bullets, aren't they limited in application to smaller game?
I saw people shooting fairly large slugs out of their MLs, but dunno what kind.
In-lines can shoot pitol bullets and that's what was first used in sabots but times have changed. The jacketed bullets used by serious muzzleloader hunters today are serious hunting bullets that are designed to handle big game and the velocities that go with in-line muzzleloaders. Due to the jacket and design, you can get away with much lighter bullets in a sabot than you can with cast bullets and get the same type of penetration/performance.
In-lines lack the nostalgia of a caplock but they have a more reliable ignition system, they are designed to shoot modern sabots and they can typically take advantage of larger powder charges and the new blackpowder substitutes. Basically they shoot further and faster with lighter bullets. They are also typically easier to clean as well.
In-lines lack the nostalgia of a caplock but they have a more reliable ignition system, they are designed to shoot modern sabots and they can typically take advantage of larger powder charges and the new blackpowder substitutes. Basically they shoot further and faster with lighter bullets. They are also typically easier to clean as well.
Inlines are for hunting and little else. They have little connection with tradition or nostalgia and are purely a gimmick for getting a longer hunting season in those areas where there are special muzzle loading seasons.
The traditional guns are more limited in hunting range than inlines but cater to those wanting nostalgia and tradition. Used with patched roundball they are effective with proper shot placement, on large game and within appropriate ranges although these ranges are considerably shorter than the elongate bullets of inlines. Many can also shoot mini balls (hollow based lead slugs) and maxi balls (solid based lead slugs) for those who feel the need for greater penetration. There is a trade off in the sense that while mini and maxi balls have a longer effective range, they also have a much greater rainbow trajectory meaning you need to be accurate in range estimation and in estimating drop at that distance. Mini balls are traditional to military percussion rifles of the 1850s and 60s although they were actually developed in the 1840s.
You would be wise to practice regularly with a muzzle loader if you intend to hunt with it and this leads us to rondyvous which are muzzle loading competitions and limited in the west at least exclusively to open sights and round ball. Rondyvous also tend to be as much social as they are competition and in my opinion at least can be a very relaxing pastime. To a large extent we already know who the best shots are going to be so you are only competing against yourself more or less
cheers mooncoon
With 50 cal in-lines shooting 150-grain bp sustitues 2150-2400 fps is attainable....with in-lines such as the Savage that shoot smokeless powders, 2500+ fps is possible....with caplocks, about 1850 fps is tops.
vagrantviking
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Actually twist isn't required for the RB's and there is the whole catagory of smoothbores for the even more traditionalists. These are generally flintlocks .58 or larger with .62 (20ga) being quite common.
You get a choice of loads but its shot rather than conicals. Accuracy drops off pretty fast after about 50 yards. RB's are way more accurate out of a rifled barrel. You get some weird looks when you pull one out at the goose blind just make sure that no one is close on the right hand side when you touch it off! And a ball that big will seriously smack ANY animal in range.
