Conicals loose in barrel

Grizzlypeg

Grizzlypeg

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On my 50 cal hawken, I have tried 3 different brands of conicals, and they all are too loose after being initially seated into the riflings. They are backing off from the load with any movement of the gun.

When I remove the conical it has riflings cut into it, but probably isn't reaching the outer diameter of the barrel.

Any suggestions? 490 balls and patch work just fine and are tight all the way down the barrel.
 
I would stick with the round ball, they work great on whitetails. If you must shoot a conical, try the Lee Mini and paper patch it. I tried that in my Deerstalker and accuracy was amazing, but recoil was too much for my arthritic shoulder.
 
The balls were good and accurate, but I have messed things up by sighting it in with the 400 grain conicals. I don't have time to drive to the range in Selkirk and re-zero it. I'm borrowing my brother in laws Knight inline. It hits right on at 100 yards with the loads he uses, sabots and 2 pyrodex pellets.

Too bad, I was hoping to take one with the Hawken. Maybe next year.

You're right about recoil. Those conicals really slam that brass butt plate into the shoulder.
 
Two suggestions:

If you haven't already, try a slightly-larger-than-groove-diameter wad (card, felt, and/or fiber - different folks have different preferences) under the conicals if they're flat-base, to ensure no gas cutting happens before they bump up to seal.

Try a thin card wad over the conical, like an over-shot card in a shot load, to keep the load from moving. I haven't had occasion to use they but they are reported to have no noticeable effect on hunting accuracy.

Joel
 
I started with a T.C. Hawken, 30 years ago. Threw my own lead, mini and maxi from R.C.B.S. molds and also tried 'Buffalo Bullets' from S.I.R. Great gas seal..........hurt like hell!!!
Trapline
 
Go to Sabots.
They expand to make a perfect seal when fired.
Better trajectory & velocity than the big lead slugs and less recoil.
IMHO.
 
Is it possible the rifleing in the breach area has corrode or worn so that area is larger than the bore rifling? The conical will be engraved by the rilfing in the muzzle area but then the conical gets loose in the wider eroded breach area if you get my drift. An even more oversized conical may work to stay engaved in the shallower rifling around the breach end. Of course it may be harder to start at the muzzle. Just my idea of the problem.
 
I've got the same problem with my old T/C Scout carbine! I haven't tried sabots yet. I'll have to give it a try when I get some time.
 
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