Author Topic: ROUND BALL OR CONICAL,FLINT OR PERCUSSION? (Read 1044 times)

BASIC · « **on:** October 08, 2005, 06:54:59 AM »

Hi guys.I want to buy a muzzleloader,I was debating between an in-line and a traditional,I've pretty much settled on a traditonal rifle.I'm going to use it for deer.Now I'm trying to decide between round ball or conical and flint or percussion.Can you all give me your opinions on both please/Are there any books that I should be reading before I start?I'll more than likely buy a Lyman as I know they makle LH rifles and have good quaility.I first thought the in-line would be the better choice but after doing some thinking it seems like the way you get something is as important as just getting it.

papellet · « **Reply #1 on:** October 08, 2005, 09:31:28 AM »

Well being left handed I feel your pain, but they are available. I own 4 LH muzzleloaders, two of which are percussion and two flint. The lymans have been very dependable and good shooting rifles. My favorite rifle is a LH dixie gun works hawken flint in 50 cal. I like this rifle cause I can use it in the late flint only season here in PA, and its made by the same folks that make the lymans. I recently bought a 32 cal barrel for it for small critters and tree rats. So IMO a flint would be the way to go and you cant go wrong with the lymans.
I shoot buffalo ball-ets and Hornady PA conicals as well as round balls. The lymans like them all.

sharps4590 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 09, 2005, 10:34:51 AM »

This is a good and often asked question. Over the years the standard response regarding actions has been to start with a percussion lock. I would have to agree with that response. An exception would be if you have someone with whom you're familiar who shoots flintlocks. Ask for their help if you're leaning towards flint. I probably shouldn't say that as I never had any help with my flintlocks and I get along fine with them so it can be done. It did take me a while to get consistent ignition but I never gave up and finally got it "figgered out". They aren't rocket surgery.

Percussion is more forgiving and starting out there is enough to remember in the loading sequence without adding fumbling with a lock in which you may not have confidence. In my mind and experience flint is as dependable as percussion.....once a person learns how to use one, but, being new to the game it may benefit you to start with percussion then move to flint. If your personality is such that you'll stick with a flint until you get it and you like the flint better, by all means get one! If you prefer quicker results maybe you oughta stick with percussion.

PRB or conical. I never shoot anything but patched round ball and they've never let me down. By the same token there is nothing bad that can be said about conicals. Ballistically any conical will outperform a roundball and generally the round ball is more accurate. I suppose it's a matter of taste. My ML's will never see a conical. If I need more lead I'll haul out one of my Sharps. It's merely an observation but if you decided to go traditional then why not shoot the more traditional projectile? I particularly like your statement "the way you get something is as important as just getting it". My suspiscion is that is very much one of the reasons most of us traditional minded muzzleloaders hunt with the old style rifles and PRB. It ain't the what, it's the how. I reached that stage many years ago and have enjoyed my hunting more every year.

There are so many good books on the market it would take a book to list them all. Nearly anything by Sam Fadala is good. Pete Schoonmaker, Lymans black powder manual, Toby Bridges wrote a pretty good book several years ago if it can be found plus all the free information available on the web. Folks starting out today have available to them infinitely more information than those of us who started back in the 50's, 60's and 70's. If I weren't old enough to be beyond it I'd be jealous!!!!!!!!

If you're looking into purchasing the Lyman Great Plains rifle I believe you'll be more than satisfied. I owned one in 54 cal. for a number of years and the only reason I parted with it was to upgrade. The considerably more expensive rifle doesn't shoot any better than the Lyman did and game certainly doesn't know the difference.......but boy do I look good doing it!!.....hehehehe.

Basic, welcome to the fold and I hope you enjoy muzzleloading with traditional rifles as much as I have.

Vic

Gregory · « **Reply #3 on:** October 09, 2005, 12:07:09 PM »

I have two LH TC percussion Renegades one 50 cal and one 54 cal. It's taken a bit of work to find PRB loads that work in each gun but this year I will deer hunt with one of these guns for the first time. THe 54 is a work in progress so right now I'd grab the 50 cal. I'm confident out to about 80 yds with this gun.

I was only getting 4" groups at 40 yds out of the 54 until today, when I put 6 of 7 shots into 1 3/4" at 40 yds. Now I'll try that load at longer range.

Since I've switched to traditional I figured I'll go to a PRB instead of conicals.

I started in ML hunting with an inline and took one deer with it, but decided to go traditional. I have the benefit of an avid traditional shooter at my gun club who gives me sound advice and guidance.

If you go with conicals I have a 50 cal real bullet mould for trade or sale.
:grin:

victorcharlie · « **Reply #4 on:** October 09, 2005, 12:27:25 PM »

I would choose a 50 caliber percussion as a first muzzleloader as a 50 is the most popular caliber and thus accessories are a little more common......percussion for ease of operation.....patched round balls because if you shoot a lot they are quite a bit cheaper than buying conicals........

BASIC · « **Reply #5 on:** October 09, 2005, 02:15:06 PM »

Thanks guys for the help.I think I'm going to eventually buy a Great Plains rifle,percussion,in .54 and shoot PRB.At first I just wanted the easiest way to harvest venison,then thinking about it a while I thought there was more to it than that.Our forefathers managed fine with traditional BP rifles,if they didn't get meat they didn't eat,if I don't I won't go hunrgry.sharps4590,thakyou for the book suggestions,I'm going to read all I can before I buy.

slayer · « **Reply #6 on:** October 09, 2005, 02:36:10 PM »

I have found a bullet that loads easier than the PRB and still not tooexpensice, under $10.00 for $50, the Buffalo Bullet Company Ball-Et, half RB in the front and half hollow based Conical/Mini-Ball in the base, I have totally fallen in love with this bullet. It is super accurate too boot. Jack.

Slamfire · « **Reply #7 on:** October 09, 2005, 05:01:25 PM »

Patched round balls are fun and quite effective, I shoot them exclusively in my .36 underhammer, which accomodates my lefthandedness perfectly. I also shoot the 245 grain Buffalo Balletes, my .50 loves them nearly as much as the prbs, they are easier to load, no patch to deal with, and in the event you forget to put in the powder they are easier to get out of the barrel. I've ordered a .235 grain R. E. A. L. mould from Lee, on the hope that they will shoot as well and free me from the vagarieties of dealer's shelves. :grin:
Best of luck with whatever you choose.

lostid · « **Reply #8 on:** October 10, 2005, 07:42:19 PM »

Quote from: BASIC

,then thinking about it a while I thought there was more to it than that. Our forefathers managed fine with traditional BP rifles,"-- ",I'm going to read all I can before I buy.

Wow, that sharps feller said it well! If you can BASIC print that, just to re-read after you are bombarded with info.
Don't forget your local Pubilc Library. All of the above books and more are available "free" for loan and reading.
I offer another welcome too you,,yet with a word of caution,,Black Powder shooting,,the history,the study,,the adventure,,past or current,,and the sport of it,, "Can be addictive!".

xs pro-comp · « **Reply #9 on:** October 13, 2005, 07:02:00 AM »

Go traditional it's a lot more enjoyable. I started out years ago with a T/C Pennsylvania hunter because it has a 1/66 twist barrel just right for a PRB and it looked like the old guns. All metal was blued so after hunting with it one fall I decided that I wanted it to look mare traditional so I stripped it and plum browned it. Looked so much better. Shooting and practicing was so much fun and cheap then. After a few years I gave in and purchased an in-line, scoped it and worked up a very good load for it. Practicing became more expensive so shooting it was seldom except to check the scope for proper point of impacts and actual taking of game. Basically, if the deer was within 150yds standing and the vitals in the clear it was just a matter of pulling the trigger and going over to tag my deer. All this leads to deer hunting has become rather ho-hum with my in-line. The last two years has caused me to put size restrictions on the deer I choose to shoot (ie: 8pts or better with a minimum inside spread of 15-16"). This in itself is not bad but the joy and enthusiasm of the actual taking of game has greatly diminished so this season I'm going back to using my T/C with the PRB and already practicing has become fun again and I'm actually looking forward to hunting again. All this rambling to say go traditional because it is much more than the act of taking the game, it's what you use and how you do it.

russianblood · « **Reply #10 on:** October 13, 2005, 03:01:50 PM »

I've decided I'm going to "upgrade" my .45 cal Pennsylvania flinter from squirrel rifle to deer rifle this year. I have a private farm I hunt on now and a doe permit for it so getting a shot at 50yds or less shouldn't be a problem. I've had does come as close at 20yds to me while hunting there in the past.

But for a first muzzle loader, I would recommend a percussion that can be "converted" to flint later if the desire arises.

Ramrod · « **Reply #11 on:** October 13, 2005, 04:09:39 PM »

There is a natural progression at work here. If you start out like most traditional shooters, it will be with the caplock. The elongated bullets likely will shoot better right off the bat, as it takes a while to work up a good roundball load. If you survive the challenges of working up a roundball load, you just might move up to the next level, the flintlock. This is always a roundball shooter, and if you master the slow ignition, and can still hit anything, (they don't call them flinchlocks for nothing), then a flint smoothbore is the next step. Notice how the shooting difficulty keeps increasing, and the practical range starts decreasing? Thats the challenge and the allure. If you just want to kill things, get an inline.

kb · « **Reply #12 on:** October 19, 2005, 02:42:42 PM »

I have the GPR in .54, percusion, and I shoot a pr ball. Ive taken several deer with it and a nice hog. None went very far. I also shoot in several bp woodswalks...I just really enjoy shooting it.

Its a good gun. Cheap and durable.

kb