Thread: Muzzleloader trials and tribulations !

After initial early promising results with my new .50 cal muzzleloader with patched round balls


I changed out the open sights for a target front globe and peep rear .
But patched round ball consistency was elusive and google is pretty adamant that the rifling is too fast in my rifle.
Torn and tattered patches and rapid fouling build ( despite using "tween shots" before every reload ) up making the accuracy go west very fast.

So this morning I have have cast some Lee REAL 315 grain MAXI conical projectiles.
I just hand lubed them as it was only a small trial run.
Sights were set as per the patched balls which were landing 120mm high and 100mm right.

First try with 50 grains of FFFG Holy Smoke black powder was right on the money.
Just a little high 5 shots at 50m and a reasonable group for my old eyes.
Bottom right was a flyer that I called ... just getting used to the trigger.
Would be a pretty useful lower powered hare and rabbit option as very reasonable recoil.
Wiped out bore with "Tween shots" before every new loading and the conicals went down the barrel easily once below the muzzle.
Red dot is the bull.


Next group was 60 grains and no changes to the sights and still aiming at the red bull.
A little more lively and a bit higher on the target, which might give about a 100m zero.
Same between shot process and still haven't cleaned barrel from the first group of 5.
So 10 shots and no obvious deterioration in accuracy or difficulty in loading the conicals.


Will do another full scale projectile molding session when it cools down later in the day.
Time to clean out the barrel with dish washing liquid and boiling water and see if it will do the same again this evening !
If so, then the deer might have a sporting chance for a change as I will need to get within 125m to be sure of

'A' hitting them and

'B' killing them