Round ball in a 1:48 Twist

[Stuart C.]

Hi,
I'm back to a 1:48" twist barrel and was wondering what folks found for an accurate hunting load.  Range is probably 50 or 60 yards max if that.

I sold the slow twist months ago and just picked up a minty Renegade that had lots of closet time and the dust to prove it.
Thanks.
S

[SHOOTALL]

mine liked 90 gr. BP with a round ball . It also liked the lee r.e.a.l. bullet also .

[simonkenton]

80 grains of black powder will make a great deer killer.

[Stuart C.]

Thanks for the info.

I am embarrassed to report the following: I just came up from downstairs where I checked the twist rate.  This is a 27" barrel.  The mark on the cleaning rod came three quarters (.75) around.  By my calcs that makes it a 1:36 twist.

What in tar-nation am I going to do with a 1:36" twist?

I bought it at a store last week. I haven't shot it and might just take it back; they have a 30 day return policy.

Maybe that's why it was relatively inexpensive. But there was no indication of twist.

Anyway, so it goes.

Thanks.
S

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

no renegades came with 1:36 twist.

I have a cva mountain stalker and it will shoot excellent with PRB and it has a 1:32 twist.

[Stuart C.]

Bigblock,
Thanks.  They show a 1:38" on their chart.
How much powder do you use in your cva?
S

[Ladobe]

Thanks for the info.

I am embarrassed to report the following: I just came up from downstairs where I checked the twist rate.  This is a 27" barrel.  The mark on the cleaning rod came three quarters (.75) around.  By my calcs that makes it a 1:36 twist.

Nothing to be embarrassed about.   Easy assumption to make - there can't be many 1:38 Renegade's out there.

BTW, TC designated the Renegade 1:38 / 1:48 barrels as 26" and the 1:66 as 30".  They don't include the breech block in the barrel length measurement IOW.   You didn't say what caliber, but to be a 1:38 barrel it would have to be a 50.

What in tar-nation am I going to do with a 1:36" twist?

Easy answer... shoot conicals.   I'd take it back if it were me, but then I wouldn't be caught dead shooting conicals in a traditional muzzy.

[Stuart C.]

 I'd take it back if it were me, but then I wouldn't be caught dead shooting conicals in a traditional muzzy.

Exactly.

[Semisane]

I would buy some Hornady Great Plains conicals and grin every time I shot it.  

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

dang manual didnt say anything about that twist!

If thats the case, i'd look for a new barrel and sell that one off.

[SHOOTALL]

Try the Lee R.E.A.L. bullet it was made for that gun .

[Bladeforger]

A friend helped me cast up some Lee REAL bullets a few weeks ago.  If you want to try some, Stuart, PM me and I'll send ya a half dozen. 

Keith

[SHOOTALL]

What do you cast them out of ?
Being a plumber i use caulking lead , sheet lead and old lead pipe . I was given a 5 gal bucket of lead wheel weights but havent tried them yet not sure they would work in a front stuffer .

[222]

My son shoots an old T/C ThunderHawk with 1/38 twist. PRB and 70gr of Pyro RS it shots fine.  He bagged a coon at 65 paces and squirel at 75 paces. I have shot 385 gr Hornady Great Plains over 90gr very well out of same rifle. 222

[Semisane]

What do you cast them out of ?   Being a plumber i use caulking lead , sheet lead and old lead pipe . I was given a 5 gal bucket of lead wheel weights but havent tried them yet not sure they would work in a front stuffer .

If you're talking about Lee REALs Shootall, you need to cast them from pure soft lead.  Hard lead like wheel weights will produce a REAL that's very difficult to load (if you can load them at all) because the design of the REAL intends that the top and middle driving bands be cut by the rifling upon loading.  That's difficult to do with hard lead.  Plus, hard lead REALs won't shoot well because thay don't upset properly to fill the bore upon firing.

Balls cast from wheel weights are OK.  Not as good as soft lead in my opinion, but OK.

[SHOOTALL]

Thanks , I'll stick with plumbers lead it works great so far .

[Bladeforger]

I got pure lead from a reloader supply nearby--it wasn't dirt cheap, but it wasn't terribly unreasonable.  I do need to check out a plumbing supply shop as I get more into the casting.  This was done with a friend's Lee pot and mould.  All I brought was the lead.  It was my first lead casting experience.  Now a pot is on my Christmas list--along with some moulds... especially round ball moulds.

Anyway, as mentioned above, the Lee R.E.A.L. bullets must be cast from pure lead, same as round ball.  I think the same would apply to conicals.  At the velocities we get with black powder, there wouldn't be a reason to use an alloyed lead anyway.  At least not without getting into unreasonable or unsafe loads for a TRADITIONAL muzzleloader.  I think if there are any exceptions, they would be more applicable to the inline guys--especially that new Savage.  Not for the traditionals.  Correct me if I'm wrong, guys, of course.

Keith