# bullet options



## rooster (Jul 12, 2008)

I will be using a cap and ball tc rifle that I am borowing from my uncle, 1 in 48 twist I am sure.So what types of bullets will this rifle stablize? I have a tigt budget so experamenting with a wide viriaty is not an option. I will only have the time and money to work up a good load with one type of bullet powder combination before the hunt, I also have a late cow elk tag in currant creek area that I wil be filling with the same rifle,so any hard earned advice is apericatied. I sure wish this forum had a spell checker thingy...


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## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

why not try some of t/c own bullets like the Maxi ball/hunter, or just use round ball. and keep your shots under 100 yards you will do fine.

I'm surprised your uncle never gave you any advise on bullets either.

as for spell checker if you have one in your drop down tools box just use that one, or you c an google "spell check" their are free ones available and then down load it to your PC.


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## rooster (Jul 12, 2008)

So am I limited to round balls and lead conicals, or can I shoot sabots? My uncle has only shot round balls and just for fun he has never hunted with it, (thats why I get to borrow it for the season).. also is there a loose powder that is super clean or are they all about the same?


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## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

If your rifle is a 54 cal round balls will do fine. as for powder no they are not all the same. some will burn faster than others. the faster burning powders will produce more velocity and pressure which is not always good, depends on what bullet you plan on shooting.

your heavy conicals will do much better at a slower speed than some of their counter parts.

i my self plan on using round balls for deer this year (54 cal 530. dia .224 grn ball), and for elk it will be a .444 grn solid lead conical (54 cal also) i have two different rifles. one is just for round balls and the other is for conicals.

your can start out with pyrodex rs i have used before and any where between 80-90 grns will get you going. side note shooting over 90 grns is not necessary conjure with to what others have said.

sabots will to much better with a rifle in a 1-28 twist barrel. personally I would stick with conicals and round balls with the rifle twist you have now.


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## NHS (Sep 7, 2007)

I second sagebrush's advice. Stick to balls or conicals with a 1:48 barrel.


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## rooster (Jul 12, 2008)

So is there any great difference between round balls and conicals in acuracy and lethality?


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## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

lets just say all projectiles are lethal. lets take your rifle for instance which has the 1-48 twist for a barrel. it will shoot both projectiles with very good accuracy its in the middle spectrum.

ideally a barrel with at least a 1-66 twist will shoot the round ball with a less of a spin than the faster twist barrel. the more spin you put on a round ball the more it will curve much like when you are throwing a curve ball (in base ball) its the patch that will grab the rifling's of the bore in the barrel and put the spin on the ball. a 1-70 twist is preferred for most round ball shooting.

the patch also seals the gases behind the ball which pushes out the ball. so the tighter the patch the more accuracy you will have.
you do not want to have pound down the ball in the barrel either a nice even push is all that is required. pounding down will only deform the bullet. this also applies to conicals a nice even smooth push only.

one of the benefits of shooting a round ball is the patch will clean the barrel as you load your rifle so every shot will have a clean barrel. some people will use an over the powder wad in their conical shooting which helps in sealing of the gases and the cleaning of the barrel.

on a conical bullet it has a soft cup on the bottom that will expand when the powder is ignited this is what seals in the gases, also conicals are bore size to the barrel. they react much like a football when thrown the greater the spin the more accuracy will be achieved.

round balls do not have the weight behind them to be crushing Though bone because of the soft lead. they are made of pure lead so that they will flatten out when they hit something. the reason for the soft lead. you can not make a 300 grn round ball fit down your barrel.
my 54 cal is .224 grns of weight.

shot placement is more critical with the round ball because of this. now if you were to cast your own balls and use a harder lead then you will have the penetration as the conical, but then you will loose in the size of the wound.

conical bullets have the weight behind them because they are made longer and are bore size.
this will give you better ability to break bone and keep on going , and creating a much larger hole.


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## El Matador (Dec 21, 2007)

1 in 48 is great for sabots as well. If it will stabilize a regular conical, it will work with a sabot. I have used a traditional 50 cal long rifle quite a bit for deer hunting, and it has a 1:48 twist. My favorite combo was a very basic sabot combination: Green Hornady sabots and 240 grain pistol bullets. Gold dots are my favorite because they're bonded. Its a good way to go because its cheap, accurate, and deadly. Give it a shot.


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