Shooting Conicals in a Ball-Shooter

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10-20-2004 | 11:07 AM

#11

Longbow Bowhunter

Joined: Dec 2003

Posts: 236

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RE: Shooting Conicals in a Ball-Shooter

Yes you can and with great success, I got the pleasure to test some in 50 and 54 caliber for Presision Rifle, the ket is go with a light bullet, and in your 54 caliber I think that was 400 grains, and a max powder charge. I did this with my GPR in 54 caliber 110 grains 2F and held a solid 2" at a 100 yards.

10-21-2004 | 10:18 AM

#12

caionneach

Thread Starter

Joined: Jul 2004

Posts: 83

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From: Monroe, Louisiana

RE: Shooting Conicals in a Ball-Shooter

A two inch group at 100 yards in a barrel designed for round balls is really good shooting in anybody's book. Well done.

I can only hope to duplicate your results!

Kenneth

10-21-2004 | 10:56 AM

#13

Longbow Bowhunter

Joined: Dec 2003

Posts: 236

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RE: Shooting Conicals in a Ball-Shooter

I can be done, with a 50 caliber use a flat based 275 grain conical the cup based bullets don't work to well, in the 54 caliber all i used was 400 grain cup base, but I think a flat base bullet would have given better results.

10-21-2004 | 03:57 PM

#14

sabinajiles

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Joined: Aug 2004

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RE: Shooting Conicals in a Ball-Shooter

Quote:

ORIGINAL: caionneach

My GPR is a flinter and I am having trouble finding 4F in my area, so I don't know how well it shoots! What kind of groups are you getting with yours at 50 yds? 100 yds?

Kenneth

Mine is percussion. My GPR will shoot better than I can see to aim it. On a good day, using a .535 ball and a .18 ticking patch over 70 grns of Swiss FFg, I have gotten 1 1/4"-1 1/2" groups at 50 yds, off of cross sticks. I have settled on 100 grns of Swiss FFg for my hunting load. The groups open up a bit but it is still plenty accurate enough for hunting. I haven't shot it at 100 yds. Where I hunt, any shot will likely be under 75 yds. and quite honestly, I can barely see the bullseye of a sight in target from 100 yds.

10-21-2004 | 04:53 PM

#15

sabinajiles

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RE: Shooting Conicals in a Ball-Shooter

Quote:

ORIGINAL: sabinajiles

As I was finishing an evening of punching some paper recently, just for a lark, I tried some 300 grn REAL conicals in my .54 GPR. I used an over the powder wad and 90 grns Swiss FFg. I fired 4 rounds, from 50 yds, using cross sticks and cloverleafed 3 shots, with the 4th about 1.5" low and left. I was shooting into a stiff headwind which was causing some difficulties in stabilizing the rifle on the sticks, so I was shocked it shot so well. Maybe I just got lucky but I haven't had a chance to try them again, which I will do just because I am curious. My GPR shoots balls so well, and since the .54 ball will handle anything I am going to hunt, that I have no desire to use a conical for anything beyond occasional target shooting.

OK, it's official. I went out yesterday evening and tried this again. My .54 GPR will shoot 300 grn REAL conicals as accurately as it shoots balls. It actually seems to be more accurate with the REALs at heavy powder loads. I shot 30 rds, with up to 100 grns of Swiss FFg and 110 grns of Goex FFg, using an over powder wad with both, and it handled them all with outstanding accuracy.

10-21-2004 | 05:37 PM

#16

roundball

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 501

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From: North Carolina

RE: Shooting Conicals in a Ball-Shooter

I've seen some posters say that FFFg ignites almost the same as FFFFg in the pan so you could try that.

Other posts talk of gently grinding some FFg or FFFg into finer FFFFg size using non-sparking items like wooden or porcelin.

Another said he puts some FFg or FFFg into a 35mm film canister with a round ball and shakes it back and forth a little to break up the powder into a finer granulation.

10-25-2004 | 07:25 AM

#17

eldeguello

Giant Nontypical

Joined: Feb 2003

Posts: 6,270

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From: Texas - BUT NOW in Madison County, NY

RE: Shooting Conicals in a Ball-Shooter

Quote:

ORIGINAL: caionneach

Has anyone ever shot Maxi-balls or Minis in a muzzleloader designed for patched round balls? My new muzzleloader has a 1 in 60 rifling. I would like to see how conicals shoot in this rifle. Wondering if anyone has ever gotten an acceptable grouping at 100 yards.

Thanks. Kenneth Smith

Bear in mind that the Civil War Springfields, and other Minie Ball guns, had twists of 1/72". I shoot a 570-grain Minie (Lyman 57730) in my .58 Green River Rifle Works barrel, 1/60" twist, and it is very accurate! It is also very accurate with a round ball, both using 120 grains of FFg. I also get good results from a .50 Bill Large barrel with 1/72" twist when shooting the 370-grain TC Maxi Ball. See below.