conicals

[Deerman]

Anyone ever see a conical mold where the bottom is concave or cupped?The best bullet I've used was the CVA Buck slayer in 300grns.Looked through some web sites and haven't see anything like them.

[Jack]

Hmmm, if it has a cupped base, is it a conical or a Minie ball?:D
Lee makes Minie ball molds with a deeply cupped base.
I use 50 caliber Minie balls from a Lee mold in my muzzle loader- they weigh about 360 grains.
You may be looking under the wrong name......

[Mr. 16 gauge]

As far as the cast bullets go, the only conicals that have seen with a concave base are the minies, as Jack has stated....everything else has been flat base. I know that some of the factory conicals have concave bases, but I believe that they are swaged.

[Adam Helmer]

Deerman,

Jack and Mr. 16 gauge got it right. For my .54 caliber muzzleloaders, I like the Lee Mold #533-410M that is a Minie bullet weighing 410 grains. I find my .54 Renegade prefers this home cast bullet to any other projectile I have tried.

Adam

[Deerman]

Adam does it come in 50 cal?

[Adam Helmer]

Deerman,

I do not have a Lee catalog handy, but the .50 caliber is very popular and I suspect it does come in .50 caliber. Check with Lee.

Adam

[Jack]

Deerman, yes, Lee makes 50 caliber Minie ball molds. Possibly more than one...
The one I use has a flat point and weighs about 360 grains. I believe it is called a 'modern' Minie. The 'traditional' Minie is a pointed bullet.
Lee molds are quite inexpensive, too.

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Here yah go!:)

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1131474038.1240=/html/catalog/blackpow.html

[Jack]

Good.
The one I use and have good results with is 90472. It's called traditional- improved design.

[Deerman]

Do these have a cupped base?Thanks for the web site I have it book marked.I do like the price.I have the the REAL bullet you see at the bottom.In my rifle it will shoot great at 25 yards but futher out it starts to go nuts.

[Jack]

Yes, deerman. The one I listed above has a deeply cupped base. Anything named a Minie will have a cupped base.

[Deerman]

All right!!!!!Big thanks to all of you for your help!!I'll be ordering soon.Thanks again.

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I have the the REAL bullet you see at the bottom.In my rifle it will shoot great at 25 yards but futher out it starts to go nuts.

Your experience with these bullets mirrors mine.

[Deerman]

Thanks,I thought it was just my rifle.Heck I just found out I have a Lee dealer here.I'm calling them soon.

[Adam Helmer]

Mr. 16 gauge and Deerman,

Maybe you just need to do some more load tweeking. In my .54 Renegade, I use 90 grains of 2F Goex and a Minie and have good accuracy at 25, 50 and 100 yards. I have target frames set up at those ranges and check all my guns and loads at the various distances at the same range session. In the Renegade, I shoot ball and 80 2F Goex and Maxis with100 grains 2F Goex. I do not change my sights because all loads are within an inch or two at all distances.

My .54 Hawken flintlock likes ONLY 75 grains of 3F Goex and ball or Maxi and I use the same sight setting. I tested some .45 caliber jacketed and red plastic sabots in the flinter and it would only group with 90 grains of Goex 2F.

My point is; before I gave up, I would spend a day at the bench. If you have and still do not get good downrange groups, then I guess every gun is a law unto itself.

Adam

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Hi Adam;
Been there, done that....I've tried different volumes and granulations of powder, different lubes, with a wad on the base and without a wad on the base.....doesn't seem to matter. I get great accuracy out to 25-50 yards, after that, I'm shooting patterns (with the LEE R*E*A*L bullets)

Hollow base conicals, such as the minie, are a different story....I had to go to the oversized minie that LEE sells, but once I did that accuracy improved significantly. I also have good luck with the T/C maxiball and maxihunter conicals.

The only thing that I can think of is the length of the projectile just isn't conducive to long range shooting in my rifle.:( If you have any other suggestions, I'm more than willing to listen.:)

[Deerman]

Same here 16,tried everything I could think of.

[Deerman]

For an update,went hunting this weekend and while we were eating lunch I had a friend of mine try the REAL bullets in his inline.They shot great,even out at the longer ranges.I guess the faster twist helps them.