Strutter - If you're interested in cheap..'er...inexpensive conicals, you may want to look at:
http://www.blackjackhill.com/
They're selling 50 for around $12. Any purchase over $25 and they pick up the shipping tab. Although I've never tried them, Cayugad recommends them and he seems like a straight shooter to me.
I may try them after XMas when the wife stops spending all my cash!
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Also, I've been swapping emails with a guy I found on GunBroker.com...due a search of "maxi" and they'll come up. He's selling 200 conicals (50 cal or 54 cal, maxi ball or maxi hunter) for $38 shipping included...that's less than 20 cents apiece! When I questioned him about the quality and hardness of the conicals he's selling, he was good enough to offer to send me some samples free of charge.
As for you experiencing leading problems using conicals...just maintain your rifle with a quality lead removing solvent and nylon brush and you won't have any problems. I use a lead solvent about evey other time I use the typical hot soapy water bath.