50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

Does anyone use the Buffalo Bullet Company's 270 grain Maxi Ball-et conical for deer hunting? If so,do you use Black Powder? What do you find works better 2F or 3F? How many grains?

I switched over from Roundball's to these projectiles and have been pretty happy with them. I do not do a lot of shooting though. I have found my best accuracy comes with using 65 grains of BP with a 50/50 mix of 2F & 3F down the barrel and 3F in the pan. This would be in a 50 Caliber Thompson Firestorm.

For accuracy I get about a 3 inch group at 50 yard's and it opens up to about 8 inches at 100 yard's. That's having the gun stabalized against something of course not free hand!

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

I forgot to ask if anyone has ever used Prelubed Felt Wad's down the barrel in back of these projectiles? I have some from RMC (Rightnour Mfg Company) but not sure if they are made to use with these type of conicals or not???

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

I shot one deer, years ago, with this bullet. It was my first deer ever shot with a ML I think I used 85gr of Pyrodex. The slug basically punched through and did not do a ton of damage outside the actual channel of the bullet. I did not use a wad or anything but they were messy.

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

I'll admit that I know nothing about the T/C Firestorm, but since you mention 3f in the pan, I gather it is a flintlock.

You say you don't shoot much, but best accuracy is obtained with a 50/50 mix of 2f and 3f? Sounds like you must have done some testing. I am not a flintlock guy, so don't know if this is a common practice or not. I suspect it is not, and I really can't see the benefit. I also think you should be able to get better accuracy than 3" at 50 yds with some projectile.

What is the twist rate? That will tell you what projectiles "should" shoot best in the gun. If your twist is a roundball twist like in the 1:60 range, shoot roundballs. I'm confidentthat T/C will shoot some combination of patch and ball better than those ballets are shooting, and I'll bet you can use more than 60 gr of either 2f or 3f (but not a mixture). Based only on whatI have heard, I'd suggest priming with 4f and 3f for the charge. If 2f works you could use that too.

Others can be of more help regarding an exact load or patch/ball combo.

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

T/C's website indicates 1:48 rifling for conicals and round balls. Also, either pellets or loose 2f powder, up to 150 grains. They did not indicate apreferred priming powder.

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

I shoot the ball-et in both 245 and 270 grain. The 270 grain in fast twist barrels is very accurate. My Wolverine really likes them. A guy who used to deliver my oil, told me that he had a Wolverine and that is all that he hunts with. He shoots deer every year. I shot one deer many years ago with a 245 grain out of my 1-66 twist barrel. It was a close shot, and so I took a neck shot, and he never moved after that. They do a real number on deer if you put that in the right place. I found a store going out of business and bought them out of stock, so I have a very good supply.

You do not use a wad under the ball-et. With their hollow base, it needs that explosion of powder to expand the skirt, grab the rifling, and then get up the barrel.

When you shoot a ball-et, consider them the same as a roundball. Just for kicks, next time you go to the range, try 90 grains of 2f powder and see what happen in your rifle.

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

I have ball-ets for my 54 and 58 cal. 338 gr for the 54 shoots more accurate without a felt wad. At least in my gun. They shoot well in both my slow twist(1-66) and fast twist( 1-32) gun. My 58 cal is a 1 in 48 twist. It doesn't group as tight but i haven't worked with many combinations on it yet. I would recommend around 80 gr 2ff and without the felt wad. That gives me a great group out to 100 yards. Of course every gun is different.The company went out of business so I bought a couple boxes I found at a place in NM. Once they are gone they probably will be hard to impossible to find.

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

Thanks for the feedback guy's. I love this site because you can get such great help fast!

It looks like I need togive some more specific's....

The gun is a Thompson Center "Firestorm" stainless version with a 1 in 48" twist barrel.I guess the 1 in 48" twist barrel is a happy medium they came up with kinda like all season tires.... One thing I like about this gun though is it ALWAY'S fires if you keep the touch hole clean andkeep theflint and frizzen in good shape so no worries there.I see too many guy's at the range that have trouble getting there Flintlocks to fire.

I use to shoot roundbal and patch but it seems like I can get better accuracy with the 270 grain Buffalo Ball-ett and I like the idea they are a heavier weight and "conical" style. Now you guy's have meconcerned once I get the gun dialed in with more practice and need moreBall-etts I won't be able to find any, lol.I didn't realize they had gone out of business.

LastFlintlock season (In PA the primitive weapons season starts the day after Christmas) Iused a combo of black powders down the barrel because I ranlow on 2F. There is only 1 store around here I know of that carries Black Powder and if you don't get it earlythey tend to run out.Before that Ionly used 2F but it seemed the gun worked better last year with the combination of both 2F& 3F which makes me wonder if I should just try using just 3F? I also only used 4F in the pan but it seems to get damp very easily... Not sureif I can use 3F in the pan or not?

Last winterbeforethe season I shot several day's and it seems the gun likes the lower 65 grain powder charge. I use to shoot "Power Belts" but they are just too expensive and my accuracy was terrible with them. I do like the 270 grain Buffalo Ball-etts and clean off most of the bore butter or whatever it is they are caked with before shooting them.

I only have about 25, 270 grain Ball-etts left so not sure what to do now... Would you guy's know what projectile would be similar to the Ball-etts? Ihate to start completely from scratch again. Just the thought of it makes me cringe especially after spending the time andenergy getting the gun shooting to where Iknow I can kill a deer out 60 yard's with it.

Any and all info greatly appreciated!

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

Hornady makes a PA Conical that is a lot like a ball-et but I never shot them.

https://www.hornady.com/shop/?ps_session=a9a9434ae62c4237b559bfdf54200291&p age=shop%2Fbrowse&category_id=5dadafd809b601a6 7c77adcd3834ac1d

they are only a 240 grain but were basically made to shoot out of slow twist rifles instead of roundball. I have never shot them.

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

The Hornady pa conical cayugad mentioned is very close to the ball-et and should shoot the same. hornady makes the great Plains bullet in a HB HP that is the best conical I have ever shot out of my Lyman. The 50 cal is 385 gr I think. A 1 in 48 twist will shoot it fine. It is twice as expensive as a ball-et or PA conical but worth it.. I pay $6.50 for a box of 15 here. But when you hit a deer with it they don 't go anywhere.(the deer that is:D) They are heavy enough to maintain quite a bit of energy at 100 yards or less.I am using it exclusively in my 54 cal this season. That's the fun of trying different combinations. I would stick with 4f for the pan and 3f for the load. 3f produces a little more pressure and better burn rate.Just reduce the load over 2f by about 10%. ( my opinion). Good luck and have fun

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

Oh one other thing I forgot.I wouldn't clean off the lube on the ballet or any other lubed conical. It helps with loading, accuracy and cleaning. It cuts down on the leading that occurs in the barrel also.

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

I hunt PA FL season with my brother the last week, all week, I only use 3F in my FL. I have used 3F in the pan and it works. I switch my 1:48 TC barrel out for a Green MT. 1:28 21" barrel that will shot sabots (cost was only $100). I have shot it with some 300g Gold Dots and 80g of Goex, but will drop down to 70,since I only take <= 50 yard shots. I know what ya mean about getting BP, I found it about 1 hour south of me and got 2 1 lb cans. $18/can. I paid 10 in Pa for my first can.
Chap

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

I use the Firestorm in the late Pa FL season. Can't give any real feedback on the Buffalo Ball-ets or the Hornady Pa conicals. Shot both in the 245 grain variety, but never hunted with them. Never really settled on a good load either. I hunt with a 490 PRB over 90 grains of 2F Goex BP. This is very accurate in the Firestorm at 50 yards, much better than 3 inch spread. The gun with this load is more accurate than I am!

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

I am brand new to the Flint arena and am getting ready for the Flint season in PA.This is my experience to date. I shot about 25 shots of 3F out of my Lyman Deerstalker (1/48 twist) using Grafs 3f 80 grain charge. I also used it for the prime just a touch towards the outside of the pan. I used the supplied flint. I sighted on the bench using the TC Cheap shots, supplied sabot in 240 grain. It is shooting inside the pie plate middle at 100 yards consistently. I have some other conicals and such that were sent to me to try but time.......... The 3f just kept shooting, the lock is fast and I swabbed 50/50 simple green/alcohol between shots. I used 1 dry patch after each swab both sides.

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

As you say, the 1:48 is a compromise twist rate, good for conicals andround balls.

I have shot T/C Renegades and others in 1:48 barrels for years. They shoot Maxiballs very well. IfI were you I'd scrap the round balls and ball-ets, and similar bullets, and go toreal conicals like the Maxiball and great plains bullet. These bullets are serious deer killers.

Your gun is made to use pelletsor loose powders like pyrodex, and of course real black. It is not supposed to be fussy. I'd go withloose yrodex RS or P, and I'd start at no less than 80 grains. I'd try to get to 90 or 100 for a hunting charge, but stick with what is most accurate. I would be very surprised if you can't get far better accuracy and range than you are seeing with your current load and bullet.I can't really advise you on priming charges, but from what little I've heard 3f or 4f can be used.

RE: 50 Cal 270 Grain MAXI BALL-ET
 

FYI for you folks with flinters, you may already know but just in case...

If you order in bulk from Graf & Sons, it's a whole bunch cheaper. Couple months back I bought 7 lbs Goex 3f & it came to ~$16.25 per lb. Gets better the more you buy; if memory serves, buying a 25 lbs case gets you down to $13 & change per lb. I think minimum order is 5 lbs. Those prices include the hazmat fee & shipping. Back in the summer I bought a couple cans at BPS in Cincinnati @ $21 per can after tax.

Their house brand black is a little cheaper yet, and I hear it's on par with Goex.

It's a good chunk of $$$ up front, but keep it dry &real black willnever go bad or lose strength.

I use 3f for prime & charge in my T/C. Thought about trying the Ball-ets in mine (1-66" twist PA. Hunter), but kinda lost interest after taking three deer this season with roundballs. All three were clean kills with short, easy bloodtrails. Might tinker with someeventually just to see how they do.