Conicals - Felt button or not?

[DakotaJeff]

Hi all, just a question on the use of lead conicals.  This weekend I took a muzzleloader education course (required in my state to participate in muzzleloader-specific hunts).  In the class while they were going over the different bullet options (round ball, conicals, sabots, etc), they indicated a felt button should be placed between the powder and the lead conical to provide a gas seal.  In the shooting portion of the class they had Great Plains Bullets available among the choice of bullets and I tried the felt button with them.  Just seemed like one more step in the process to me.  I was always under the impression the lead conicals with a hollow based would expand engaging the rifling during the shot, and that provided the gas seal.  I have been muzzleloader hunting (in my previous state of residence) for about 8 years now and have harvested a fair number of deer, just about all with Buffalo Ball-ets or Great Plains Bullets.  I've never used a felt button with those and always got excellent accuracy and great performance on the deer.  Thus, I'm not going to change my set up and start using a felt button.  However, I was just wondering if any of you do use such a set up or if my assumption is correct that the hollow base expansion and rifling engagement is correct.  Thanks,

Jeff

[beerbelly]

I use a felt wad with round ball and conical. I t keeps the powder from being contaminated when I use a wet patch with the round ball and I seem to get a better group with then under the conical. The lee bullets I shoot just shoot better with them.
                                                 Beerbelly

[captchee]

 Well  I think its  a mater of what you find shoots best .
 I don’t use a button at all  as I get better accuracy through my rifle without them .
 I also have found that   in a couple conical I have recovered “ hollow base” ,  one could still see some of the button stuck up inside the base .
 Now keep in mind  the conical I use  have a very deep hollow section   so your results may very  with different conical.
 But I myself don’t use them 

[Idaho Ron]

In my 50's I use Hornady great plains bullets. I don't use a over powder button. Now on my bullets I make I have to use them. The hollow base of the GP bullets seal good. I make 50 cal Lyman great plains, Lee real 320. In the 45, I make lee real 250's, Lyman whitworth 475 gr and a .458 hollow base Lee 405 gr. The hollow base on the 405 gr was made for a 45-70.  I use a button with this bullet and it shoots good.  Like another said you use what works and keep your mind open to other things.  Ron

[roundball]

I use Oxyoke wonderwads with all rifle hunting loads regardless of the projectile...better seal, increased velocity, acts as a firewall to protect the patch,  puts more lube in the bore, and prevents or minimizes possible leading from heat softening the base of conicals.

PS:
The large, thin, flared skirt of the old drop in loose fit civil war minnie-ball was designed to flared to engaged rifling...and it was the only thing on a minnie-ball that did engage the rifling.

Modern made conicals such as Buffalo Bullet Company or Hornady do not have large thin skirts and are not designed to flare to engage the rifling like the old minnei-ball.  These kind of modern conicals are started into the bore and they stop on the larger diameter engraving ring at the shoulder of the conical.  Then the bullet is punched down into the rifling which cuts through the engraving the ring, and remains engaged during seating, and remains engaged during firing to impart the twist.