bronko22000

DO NOT TRY THEM IN YOUR MUZZLELOADER!!!!!! At least until I try them again. OK here's why. I set the targets up at 100 yards. 1st powder coated bullet loaded easy enough but after that - well I poured the next charge down the bore and started the 2nd bullet which met with some resistance with the short starter. I assumed it was a bit of fouling as I was using FFFg Goex. Then using my range rod the bullet would NOT budge and was only about 6" down the bore. Done with this rifle for the day. When I went to get the targets at the end of the session my first powder coated bullet out of the 45 LRH barrel keyholed about 8" low and 3" left.
However my day wasn't done. I pulled out my Pedersoli 1874 sharps to try out the paper patched bullets vs the powder coated. 1st group with the new sights installed using the powder coated bullets shot dead center but low putting 3 shots into about 1.5". I raised the rear sight and shot 3 shots with the paper patched bullets with pretty much the same result, then another with the powder coated bullets. Finally I shot another group with the powder coated bullets at the target I had set up for the Hawken. My conclusion, for the 45-70 there is no difference between the paper patched and powder coated bullets but the powder coated are useless in the muzzleloader. My 45 LRH is sighted in for paper patched bullets but the diameter of those are to small apply powder coating. I was planning on using my 6 each of .451", 340 grain coated and lubed bullets for the test.
BTW - I was able to get the bullet seated on the powder charge using a steel ramrod, a block of wood and a hammer for the next foot or so. Then I was able to use just the range rod to seat it all the way down.
The reason I said above "until I try them again" is because now that I'm home and was able to seat that bullet and fire it off without issue I realized that this powder coated bullet was not cast with pure lead but was cast for my rifle and had a BHN of 19! THAT I believe is definitely my reason for it getting stuck and likely the reason for the keyholing because the lubed bullets shot well on previous occasions.