Honesty compels
 

SH54,

In the interest of accuracy, I will own up to the fact that I did say, and believe, that the use of a PRB under .62 (or so) is unethical. Supporting that, many years ago I tried a .575 pure lead ball out of a 20 gauge shotgun. Firing into a bundle of newsprint, the channel was no different than a load using a .598 WW ball. I don't think a nondeforming RB is a good tool for the job. Maybe if its big. I never hunted with either one.

You want to knock me off of some imaginary soapbox? I think you're losing your objectivity.

OldBob

Why do you think a PRB is non deforming?


You never hunted with a PRB? What are you basing your opinions on?

What tradititional?!
 

Pete,

The U.S. Army abandoned the roundball over 200 years ago. The fact that they spec'ed the 1803 Harper's Ferry with a 1-49 twist points to the fact that they were thinking "conical". I think the account of Sgt. Murphy's encounter with British General Fraser was part of the decision.

OldBob

you do know that the Hawken rifle back in the original days used 1:48 twist and conical was not even close to their thinking.

Hunting is not war. Why not use a bazooka for your hunting? It's what the military uses.

Ah, no
 

flounder33,

I did not come here to attack roundball shooters. I came here to get the most up-to-date information on muzzleloading as it is today. What I stumbled upon was a discussion of a projectile that is a relic from the days of the smoothbore. I find that incredible! Surely most of us have access to the ballistic data that clearly illustrates the limitations of the PRB. Is there any projectile that is worse? I can't find one. So, unless you live and hunt in one of those states that still mandates the PRB, why not move on, as many of you have?

OldBob

Yet, as bad as it is. It killed a record bull elk. Did you forget the first post of this thread?

How is that possible with such a bad bullet that your ballistics chart shows? How can the relic round ball kill anything bigger than a chipmunk?

Explain please?

felt wad?
 

Pete,

Don't know. Someone has to have the components to test this. We're running out of weather, though.

OldBob

As a rule conicals don't do well in deep rifling made for a PRB.

A PRB can work in shallow rifling if it's not pushed too fast.

So, from my testing it does matter somewhat.

Newsprint
 

Pete,

I used to get bundles of newspapers that were going to be recycled. Eventually they were, missing the material from the holes. I shot them dry, because a thoroughly wetted bundle is just a mess, and a solid block of ice if you want to do testing in the winter. Its a little more abusive to the bullets, but that would do more to expand/deform the PRB.

Cow heads are also a good medium, but that's another story.

OldBob