Conicals/Ballets question?
 

Okay so my question is as a totally new guy to the bp world how do you load the conical or ballet bullets into your rifle. I have read and had yall reply that they are easier to load because you do not have to use a patch? So how do you load them just shove them down the barrel or do you have to lube them with something first? I have never dealt with them so I am trying to figure out how this works. I am thinking about getting some for my Dad whom we recently got a muzzleloader for but we do not know how to load them etc. We are thinking about switching to them but I would like some more info first. Thanks for any replies in advance and I am requesting that Muley Hunter or other PRB advocates please do not come on here hijacking the thread in the name of the PRB I just want straight answers about conicals and/or ballets.

Unless you cast them yourself they will most likely have lube in the grooves already. I just push them down firmly on the powder. It is best, in my opinion, if they are tight enough that you can feel them engage the rifling when you load them. That way they are going to stay on the charge if you tip your barrel down. Some people like to use a wad between the powder and the conical especially if they are shooting a hot load. That's about all, they are fun to shoot.

Okay so you just push them in that sounds easy enough. Now then what brands do you suggest? Which ones can I get relatively easy from say gander mountain or a mom and pop store? Or am I going to have to special order some online? Also what size load is recommended for pushing these things out of the barrel?

Someone else can answer better what is availiable retail. I would think the maxi balls and maxi hunters would be readily availiable but I have never shot them. Myself I use pretty moderate loads in the 70 to 80 grain range.

westtx, what kind of muzzy you shootin?

Okay so his PRB load should work with the conicals what do you shoot I am looking at the no excuses and they seem to be reasonably priced compared to the other I have found via google they run $23.95 for 50 plus 12 for shipping coming out to around $35 for 50 or $60 for 100. compared to most of the others running from $10 for 10 or $15 for 20. So what do you guys think if they have some at my local gandermountains I will just get what they have though.

Like Mountain Devil said it would help to know what rife this is, what the caliber is and the twist rate.

Regardless of what conical you buy if I were you I would pick up a tube of TC Bore Butter. Even if the conical you buy is lubed. It still helps to lube the bullet when you load the bullet. I usually take some bore butter and rub it between my fingers to heat it up. Then I liberally apply the heated bore butter to the portions of the bullet that will be closest to the barrel. This is just a little extra lubrication that can make the bullet much easier to load.

Just try a couple different ones and hopefuly you will find one that shoots. You can also back the powder charge down a bit with the heavier conicals. Most guys shoot 70 or 80 grains of BP with their conicals.

It also helps alot to put a wad on top on the powder and under the conical. They are pretty cheap. And under certain situations I have seen them make all the difference in the world.

Mark your rod and be sure to seat them to the same depth every time. Push them down with some force onto the top of the powder, but do not over do it. Then mark your rod so you can seat the next one to the exact same depth.

And have fun!! Especially with your dad. I know I enjoyed shooting my dad's Renegade with him very much. He could not hit the broadside of a barn with it. But we still had a good time. Tom.

When you think of a ball-et thing of a roundball as far as powder charge. Now in a fast twist rifle, like my LK-II I shoot a 270 grain ball-et with 80 grains of powder. Its very accurate to the ranges I hunt. I would not want to shoot this thing past 100 yards. All you do is pour your powder down the bore, then set the ball-et on the muzzle, take your short starter and knock it down the bore and finish it off with your ramrod. The come pre lubed so there is really nothing to them.

In the case of the conical bullet.. if they are marketed they usually come lubed. The No Excuse Conicals have an excellent lube on them. They are a .503 diameter. Again, dump 70 grains of powder (what I shoot depending on the rifle) then set the conical on the muzzle, knock it in the bore and finish it off with the ramrod. Easy to shoot, and very deadly.

Thanks for all of the info. I just went to my local gander mountain and they had powerbelt and hornady fpb bullets that also do not have to be lubed according to the backs and they also do not require a sabot you run them just like the conicals/ballets. Have any of you shot these? What are your thoughts on these bullets? I will try another gander mountain further to the south on my way home tomorrow and see what they have to so the search is on.

And I forgot to mention that the rifle is a cabelas tradition hawkins 1 in 48? I think and it is a .50 cal.