Cast Lead Bullets with a modern Inline Muzzleloader? possible?

rvd

rvd

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Is it possible to use straight lead bullets with a modern inline muzzleloader with a 1/26 twist? I've been using 250gr Powerbelt bullets so far but i was told it might be possible to use straight lead... Yes ? No ?
 
With that twist you can use cast pistol bullets .44/.45 with the correct sabot and save a pile of $$.
Pure lead moulds are available, but I believe they work best with a slower twist- you're shooting .50 cal correct?
 
Are you talking bore size or in a sabot? If you are talking bore size, you likely won't be pleased but in a sabot they'd be okay sub 1,800fps or so.
 
rvd said:
What do you mean by boresize or sabot? ? I know what a sabot is but.... The bullets this guy makes are called maxibullets or maxiballs .. Shaped like a cylindrical bullet..
Click to expand...

they probably won't shoot that well to tight a twist buy bulk sabots and use cast pistol bullets in them for plinking . for 50 cal. sabots most take a .452 dia. pistol bullet so use cast 45 colt bullets will save you some cash.
 
It's hard to get a tight enough contact with the rifling and you'll also need to be very careful about leading the bore. Buy youself a bag of MMP black sabots, a box of 240gr XTP HP's and load them hot. They're cheap and give great accuracy and ballistics. I'm shooting under 1" at 100 yards in my Savage ML-II and ony slightly larger groups from my MDM Buckwacka.....
 
I bought mine from whole sale sports Black nossler sabots same thing about $7.00 per 100. same company makes most of the sabots nossler just puts there name on them same with hornady
 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the benefits of shooting a .44 or.45 cal. bullet in a .50 cal barrel as the .50 cal bullet would be much more effective. I guess it's a velocity, long range thing, although most shots are within 100, where the .50 cal. slug would do most damage. Try all the options and use whatever shoots best, I'm sure that a full bore dia. bullet or a good cast WFN bullet in a sabot would be most economical, and offer most punch.
 
Yes, lead bullets can be used in modern in-line muzzle loaders. I have both modern and old style in .45 caliber. I actually shoot quite a long .457" cast lead bullet in my in-line with great results. The rifling is shallower in the new ones so you have to be picky about getting a bullet which is a good fit and also use 100% lead so upon ignition it will expand to the grooves. I lube mine well with Alox or BP lube and experience no leading. Dave
 
rvd said:
What do you mean by boresize or sabot? ? I know what a sabot is but.... The bullets this guy makes are called maxibullets or maxiballs .. Shaped like a cylindrical bullet..
Click to expand...

With bore size, the bullet is the same diameter as the bore....no sabot is used. Maxiballs are an example of a bore sized bullet.

Most modern muzzleloaders don't have tight enough tolerances on bore diameter and typically the rifling is too fast to get good performance. That why sabots typically shoot better from in-lines. Pure lead is okay at slower speeds but definitely not suitable for velocities over 1,800fps.
 
I gave some .50 home cast TC Maxi-balls lubed with Crisco to a friend to try in his 1-28" Traditions inline and they shot great. I think they are 370gr.........Harold
 
Who is going to shoot a 400-500 grain bullet over 1800 Fps?? With the somewhat quicker twist rate the longer bore sized bullets will shoot great. Tolerances in modern in-line ML's aren't as good? I don't agree with that either. These new in-line jobs are designed to make everything easier for the neophyte. Power belt bullets are OK but don't shoot as accurately in my in line as do cast, bore sized slugs.
 
For straight up cheap plinking I'd be inclined to try out just a patched round ball. Not sure how they shoot from that fast a twist but there can't be much cheaper than a box of lead balls and a tin of pre lubed pathes....
 
to shoot bore sized bullets you really need to know the bore size.then cast and size your bullets to just under bore size.this will make it easy to load and improve group size.
all my inlines are fast twist ie 410 is 1 in 18,451 is 1 in 20 and the 504 is 1 in 24 and i use heavy bullets also the 410 uses a 455gr,the 451's use a 680gr flat point and a 630gr spear point and the 504 uses a 640gr gas check bullet.
i believe in big lead while it is not as flat shooting it will hit very hard.
 
If you really want to get into shooting bullets, why not look at paper patching? You cast an undersized bullet and paper patch it up to bore size. They used to shoot these things at very long range, and achieve great accuracy. I tried it in a 1 in 48" twist muzzleloader using a Lee Mini, and it cut one big hole at 80 yards.
 
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