different loads?
11-04-2005, 07:57 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location:
Posts: 158
different loads?
I've got a Lyman Great Plains rifle (sidelock percussion) in .50 cal. It's got the 1:60" twist, and my current load is 67gr of FFF Goex behind a .15 patch and .490 hornady roundball. Here's the thing: the manual states that max load for roundball is 70gr of FFF or 90gr FF, and I can't remember what the max loads for conicals were offhand. At anything up to 75 yards it's pretty flat and centered, but at 100 it's about 3 inches low and 6 inches to the left.
I'm going to hunt with this load all of next week because I know where it's hitting and I was successful with it last year. After that I'm going to change out the sights to the Lyman 16 AML/37 ML setup, which has a white dot front sight (better visability in low light) and folding adjustable rear sight. I figure as long as I have to sight it in all over again I may as well try to improve on the accuracy to tighten things up. Here's my question: What other loads might I try considering the slow twist? I've read that 1:60" or longer is pretty much ideal for roundball, but there are some conicals that will work well. Any proven loads out there?
I'm going to hunt with this load all of next week because I know where it's hitting and I was successful with it last year. After that I'm going to change out the sights to the Lyman 16 AML/37 ML setup, which has a white dot front sight (better visability in low light) and folding adjustable rear sight. I figure as long as I have to sight it in all over again I may as well try to improve on the accuracy to tighten things up. Here's my question: What other loads might I try considering the slow twist? I've read that 1:60" or longer is pretty much ideal for roundball, but there are some conicals that will work well. Any proven loads out there?
11-04-2005, 09:43 AM
#2
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: different loads?
According to my Lyman Manual for my rifle ... conicals in .50 caliber have a max of 100 grains of 2f or 80 grains of 3f as their recommendations. Before you get too excited, that is plenty of powder when shooting large conicals. One problem you might encounter is large conicals because of your twist rate may not shoot very well. Face it, for the most part you have a roundball barrel.
If I wanted to shoot something other then roundball I would look to two places. Buffalo Bullet makes a Ball-et in 245 grain that might stabilize just fine out of your rifle. All you can do it try. There is alsoa bullet called a PA Conical sold which is nothing more then a short conical.The other thing you might look or are Warren Minnies. Look for their lightest minnie. Also minnies have to be watched close.They are such a loose slip fit, the canat times work off the charge. For that reason I do not like them or hunt with the. With a slow twist rifle like you have, you want to keep your projectiles short in length.
I shoot a couple of slow twist rifles and have found the ball-et shoot well if you do not push them to hard. This is where I would look.
The other possibility of course is get a Great Plains Hunter Barrel for the rifle with the 1-32 twist and then shoot some big Great Plains Conicals out of that.
If I wanted to shoot something other then roundball I would look to two places. Buffalo Bullet makes a Ball-et in 245 grain that might stabilize just fine out of your rifle. All you can do it try. There is alsoa bullet called a PA Conical sold which is nothing more then a short conical.The other thing you might look or are Warren Minnies. Look for their lightest minnie. Also minnies have to be watched close.They are such a loose slip fit, the canat times work off the charge. For that reason I do not like them or hunt with the. With a slow twist rifle like you have, you want to keep your projectiles short in length.
I shoot a couple of slow twist rifles and have found the ball-et shoot well if you do not push them to hard. This is where I would look.
The other possibility of course is get a Great Plains Hunter Barrel for the rifle with the 1-32 twist and then shoot some big Great Plains Conicals out of that.
11-04-2005, 11:59 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,922
RE: different loads?
ORIGINAL: RiverOtter
I've got a Lyman Great Plains rifle (sidelock percussion) in .50 cal. It's got the 1:60" twist, and my current load is 67gr of FFF Goex behind a .15 patch and .490 hornady roundball. Here's the thing: the manual states that max load for roundball is 70gr of FFF or 90gr FF, and I can't remember what the max loads for conicals were offhand. At anything up to 75 yards it's pretty flat and centered, but at 100 it's about 3 inches low and 6 inches to the left.
I'm going to hunt with this load all of next week because I know where it's hitting and I was successful with it last year. After that I'm going to change out the sights to the Lyman 16 AML/37 ML setup, which has a white dot front sight (better visability in low light) and folding adjustable rear sight. I figure as long as I have to sight it in all over again I may as well try to improve on the accuracy to tighten things up. Here's my question: What other loads might I try considering the slow twist? I've read that 1:60" or longer is pretty much ideal for roundball, but there are some conicals that will work well. Any proven loads out there?
I've got a Lyman Great Plains rifle (sidelock percussion) in .50 cal. It's got the 1:60" twist, and my current load is 67gr of FFF Goex behind a .15 patch and .490 hornady roundball. Here's the thing: the manual states that max load for roundball is 70gr of FFF or 90gr FF, and I can't remember what the max loads for conicals were offhand. At anything up to 75 yards it's pretty flat and centered, but at 100 it's about 3 inches low and 6 inches to the left.
I'm going to hunt with this load all of next week because I know where it's hitting and I was successful with it last year. After that I'm going to change out the sights to the Lyman 16 AML/37 ML setup, which has a white dot front sight (better visability in low light) and folding adjustable rear sight. I figure as long as I have to sight it in all over again I may as well try to improve on the accuracy to tighten things up. Here's my question: What other loads might I try considering the slow twist? I've read that 1:60" or longer is pretty much ideal for roundball, but there are some conicals that will work well. Any proven loads out there?
