I have a cva kentucky rifle witha 33inch barrel and 1:48 twist
what would be a good ball patch combo to start with? then what good conical would you sugest.(I cant use sabots in Oregon)
thanks..

I'd start with a .490 ball & .015-.018 thick patch. Use a good patch lube like bore butter or a homemade one. You want to start with 70 grains of powder. My favorite powder is Goex 3f, but Pyrodex RS, Triple Se7en 2f, will work also. Start shooting groups and move up the powder ladder 5 grains at a time until you get the best tightest group.

As for conicals, you could try a 300 grain CVA Buckslayer, or a 370 grain Maxiball. Again, start them at 70 grains and you should get some good accuracy from them. There are also R.E.A.L. conicals you can try, Great Plains Conicals, and many other things out there, but I'd personally start with the maxiball (not the maxi hunter).

I'd start out with a .490 round ball and .015 patch with bore butter. I prefer to buy dry patchs and then lube them my self. The prelubes never offer enuff and the patchs burn up. Im shooting almost the same set up except mine is a traditions kentucky classic .50 cal flintlock. Is yours percussion or flintlock? For powder charge, start with 70 grains, If you use the round ball and shoot 100 yard, i'd up your charge to around 90 grains of powder. As for Conicals, Use the 245 or 295 grain powerbelt,They were designed for CVA rifles and shoot the best. But take my advice and buy the non lubed patchs and then lube them up really really good. I have a 33 1/2" barrel and my patchs would burn up due to them not being lubed enuff.

My .50 is a percusion.Are most round balls around 175gr?
I bought speer .490 for targets to practice

Cayugad,

I just bought a pack of those Buckslayers. I have yet to try them, but I think they look great, and since you recommend them, they must be good if not great bullets. When I purchased them, the storekeeper told me that it was one package of 4 and then they would no longer be available (due to CVA discontinuing them). I was tempted, but then I told him that I would see how they shot in my gun first and buy more on my return.

Have you heard anything about the discontinuation of the buckslayer bullets? They do compete with Powerbelts, I understand that BPI owns Powerbelt Bullets. Do you know if there is anything to what he said?

Happy Hunting, Phil

most roundballs are 178 grain. like hornady. but if u get a .495 roundball and use a thinner patch, the .495 ball is around 180 grains. I prefer .490 balls.

I bought a pack of them about two years ago. I shot them out of my CVA Staghorn Magnum with excellent results. I also shot them out of one of my Tradition's 1-48 twist Hawkins and they did well out of that rifle as long asI did not push them too hard.

Be sure and post your results with them. I almost ordered some more of them with my last bullet order but then forgot to put them in the list. I think I will pick up a pack or two if they go on sale. As to whether they will discontinue them, I could not say. CVA pushes the powerbelts so hard now, perhaps that is where they will aim their future marketing...

Knowing you have an interest in the results, I will try to speed up the time table for testing them. The deer slayer looks like it would penetrate well with the pointed nose it sports. I'd like to find its B.C. Kind of thinking that if the velocity is high enough for good expansion, it would worksimilar on impact to.58 roundball.

At what charges did theyopen up in the Hawken? Which is a whole nother thing. I need to shoot my Hawken. Found my stash of round-balls and got the nifty hot-shot nipple you recommended.

Happy Hunting, Phil

I was shooting them at 80 grains with good accuracy. I forget where they opened up as I did not write that down and it was some time ago. All my notes say is CVA Buckslayer. Accuracy very good. 80 grains Goex 2f. CCI Magnum #11. 50 yard test range.