1:28, 30,32 twist..anyone using conicals
 

I've tried some conicals with CVA Optima with 1:28 twist. Im using open sights (peep)Did ok up to 50 yds but started going terrible at 75 so no need testing 100. Used 70 & 80 grains of BH209, Black MZ and T7 with 437 gr conical. Anyone have a particular rifle with 1:28, 1:30, 1:32 using 400 to 450 gr conicals that shoots good?

Are you using any wads under the conical?

maybe it just doesnt like your conical. They all shoot differently and some just simply may not like that bullet design.

Try a 385gr hornady great plains bullet.

I have a 1:32, and I am getting a 1:32 built just for conicals . 425 gr up to 750 gr shoot good in a 1:32. My 1:32 shoots the 425 with 90 gr powder but it’s a .54
The one I am having built is a .54 also and it’s patterned after the White Grand Alaskan which is a 1:32 and can handle a 750 gr conical with 200 gr powder if you ever go elephant hunting :)

I have several Fast Twist barrels from .45 to .54 Cal that shoot lights out good with Conicals, Paper Patched and Grease Groove, My fast twist barrels range from 1:18 to 1:32 twist, What conical are you shooting? I have 1 rifle that is finicky, it is a Stainless Green Mountain LRH .50 Caliber, this particular rifle will not shoot a Pure lead bullet worth a darn, But when i bump the Lead hardness up to 8 Brinell, and all the way up to 15 Brinell This rifle comes alive! All of my other rifles will shoot soft lead, or slightly hardened equally well. Something about the Stainless? My friend Idahoron has experienced the same thing with his Stainless Green Mountain barrels (Ron runs between 8-9 Brinell Hardness with his Alloy) I am not familiar with your particular rifle, is it a Stainless barrel? If so, Maybe it needs a slightly harder bullet like ours in order to perform well? Also, I absolutely swear by using Wool felt for an Over Powder Wad with any Grease Groove bullet, In my testing, my results were never that great with Hard Card (.060 Vege Fibre) and Grease Groove bullets, Wool felt under the GG bullet base has been the clear winner for me, I seat a Hard Card (.060 Vege Fibre) on the powder, then a wool felt on top of the Hard Card, And seat my bullet. The Hard Card might not be needed? But sure hasn’t hurt anything in all of my testing. I feel the most important part is having the Grease Groove bullet on top of a Wool felt Wad.

I thought Doc White's 54s were 1-28.

I only seen one grand Alaskan and I am pretty sure it was a 1:32. Maybe we should ask if any other DWB knows for sure. Could confirm with Doc but sometimes it takes a while to hear back from him . The Grand Alaskan was basically a 54 cal super 91 with a heavy barrel. I remember Doc talking about how accurate it was with 750 gr conical and 200 gr powder if you want a gun for African hunt .

Here’s a .54 Cal Slug for the White Rifle you speak of, the 1 on the left weighs 650 Grains

I love the one on the far left, reminds me of the FP powerbelts. No grease grooves I noticed. Is this paper patched?

Yea they are both PP for .54 Cal, they Drop from the mold at .533 and wrap up to .540-.541, That one on the left is 650 Grains, She kicks the Pee outa ya! :eek:

I only remember hearing about the twist in the 54cal Bisons. Im pretty sure they were 1-28. The info page for the Grand Alaskan is blank.

Ive shot a few 580 Parkers in my 54-120. They are pretty rough in that rifle. Even the more common weights are a bit of a bruiser.

I have not tried the wads so that would be first to see if it will tighten the group. One rifle I'm working with is TC Hawken with the GM LRH barrel with 1:30 twist. The conicals are my own cast 450s at .504, sized to .502. Pure lead. The same load in another TC Hawken with the original 1:48 twist shoots a much tighter group. It must be a fluke deal as the first TC Hawken with its original 1:48 Barrel is not that great. I guess that proves up the point that there all different and you just have to find what they like. The wads may be the ticket. If not, maybe a harder bullet. I'm also working with a CVA Optima with 1:28 twist trying to get conicals to fly. Will try the wads there too.

Actually your GM LRH .50 Cal you speak of would have a 1:28 Twist, i own all 4 of the GM fast twist Drop in barrels, 2 .45 Cals, a super fast 1:18 Twist (rare barrel, my friend Idahoron gifted me) and my .45 LRH which is 1:30 twist, my .50 LRH in Stainless is 1:28, and My .54 Cal LRH is 1:28 as well. The only 1:30 Twist GM LRH i know of is the .45 Cal. An Over Powder Wad can really make a Difference! I use store bought Oxyoke Brand 1/8” Wool, Its not wrong to go oversize with the Wool Wads, example being- for .50 Cal i have used a .54 Cal Wool Wad, and .54 Cal i have used a .58 Cal Wool Wad, being oversized Wool they are easy to get down, just push the Wad together a little with your thumbs to get them started straight. I have also used Caliber Specific Wool Wads and in all honesty I can’t tell a Difference in Accuracy? They both shoot equally well, But the oversize makes good sense to me that they would create a better Gas seal. Again, With a Grease Groove Conical i feel an 1/8” Wool wad at the bullet base is important

Only the grand Alaskan was 1:32. Bisons were not At least the GA I saw was , but maybe it was an oddball. Never know with Doc. I might ask him

I have a Knight 85 .54 with a 1 in 28 twist and get excellent accuracy with hand cast Lee improved Minies 410 gr. Ive killed over 20 deer with this rifle at ranges up to 130 yards. The key is no more than 3 shots between swabing the bore at least for me.

Member Lewis speaks from experience. He says it right too (hat-tip).

Some shooters don't realize that those round 'fiber woolies' that you seat between the powder and bullet (even MMP sabot) work fantastic. If you can't find any, use the wife / mother's corn meal instead. Can be put in a powder volume measurer too. Can't remember specifically, but I think I used around 20gr.

Just about everyone using conicals in fast twist modern MLs find varying success with the Heavies (+400gr conicals)).