The Benefits of Pure Lead, and Having a Ball without ThemConflicting information sets abound in muzzleloading, only natural as the information presented by various manufacturers and manufacturer-sponsored shooters bears more than a casual semblance to catalogues and ad copy. Pure lead projectiles have long been taken for granted, and the reasons for the inclusion of jacketed bullets in the first place has long been ignored. Elemental lead has long been held as an ideal bullet material, as it is readily available, easily formable, extremely dense, uniform, and soft enough to expand inside game animals.Who Needs A Jacket? Jackets were put on the bullets of cartridge guns primarily to protect the bullets from the damage inflicted by rifling, which can strip the lead from soft lead bullets at velocities over 1400 fps. Once “leading” occurs, accuracy is lost in a Mexican minute, and rifling grooves work best when they are not filled up with soft lead. Lead erosion, vaporization, and flame cutting at the base are a known problem. Successful blackpowder, pure round ball loads, with muzzle velocities of over 2400 fps are well-documented in the literature; however—the pure lead balls used in these loads are protected by cloth patches. Referring to Lyman (Blackpowder Handbook and Reloading Manual, 2nd Edition, published in 2001) you can find a .32 caliber rifle load, a bit larger than the bores of the most popular centerfire hunting rifles, launching a its projectile at a surprising 2,488 fps muzzle velocity. Sadly, this speedy little wonder ball has a dismal ballistic coefficient of .043, and sheds its small amount of kinetic energy with astonishing aplomb. At 100 yards downrange, over 80 % of its energy has vanished, leaving only 111 ft./ pathetic pounds of energy. Our mouse that roared is now a pipsqueak. A factory .22 Hornet cartridge, actually same bullet weight, has over four times that amount of energy left at the same 100 yards. Whatever level of big game animal you might feel a .22 Hornet is good for, our roundball is good for a lot less. Good for nothing seems appropriate. Just how bad is a roundball, you might be wondering? A 545 grain, 75 caliber roundball launched by 120 grains of blackpowder has a more substantial 1432 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. Great if a disgruntled caribou charges you, but many of us are forced to take animal at longer distances than the end of our muzzles. Hitting the paper 4 inches high at 60 yards, we can hope to be on the paper at 100 yards. By 150 yards, the same 100 yard zeroed bullet hits 14.49 inches low, and at 200 yards— 41.17 inches low, with less than the recommended 800 fpe ethical minimum for harvesting deer-sized game. Trivia buffs and varmint fans alike will delight in knowing that our now wonderless ball, after over 2 seconds of flight time, will hit with a calculated 300 foot pounds of energy at 500 yards. Naturally, we have cleverly, commendably compensated for our coyote capable ball, with a touch of hold-over for the additional 588.62 inches of drop. Those unhappy with the recoil generated by this load will likely find comfort in the .58 caliber, 566 gr. Lyman conical with 140 grains of Pyrodex RS. Our muzzle energy is now a whopping 2274 fpe at the muzzle, and our lust for pain is satisfied. The energy to whack deer at 250 yards now exists. The accuracy known as trajectory is lacking, with a 6 inch Maximum Point Blank Range of 129 yards despite our passion for self-abuse. Despite our penchant for pain, the ballistic coefficient of .160 inhibits our long range gain. While pure lead has long been proven, the velocity-shedding round ball was a major handicap, finally universally declared obsolete with the bloody remains of some 3.5 million Americans that fell to the first major conflict to exploit aimed fire and conical shaped projectiles—the U.S. Civil War.
When The Sabot Fits, Wear ItIn 1985, when Del Ramsey invented the modern muzzleloading sabot, the velocity and windage limitations attributed to conical projectiles in muzzleloading rifles vanished, and the need to externally lubricate them went down the drain with the last Pine-Sol scented batch of “Bore Butter.” The hard to manage, loopy trajectory limitations of the bore-sized conical bullet vanished as well—and now, due to the even far greater ballistic coefficients per grain weight allowed by the smaller caliber, the form of accuracy known as trajectory improved. Lead always meant dead, now it was possible for the average shooter to extend his effective range—without beating his head. No one can shoot a modern saboted projectile through his muzzleloader today, without a big “thank you” to Del Ramsey. That holds true whether the choice is jacketed pistol bullets, or pure lead offerings.
Jacketed Jabberwocky Several potential problems with jacketed pistol bullets have manifested themselves in one way or another. Used in the beginning merely because they were pre-existing, cheap, and available—the jacketed pistol bullets were never designed for the higher muzzleloading speeds. With a flat base that does not obturate, jackets that can also separate, brittle skins of twenty percent bullet weight, thick petals on sabots they can not tolerate, having cannelures of a sticky plate, hard brittle cores with voids unknown of late, the lack of expansion has sealed their fate. The main problem with jackets on bullets is simply what they are not—and that is lead. Sorely needed with smokeless cartridge guns and high velocity center-fire rounds, the need for jackets has been negated in muzzleloading applications by Del Ramsey’s sophisticated sabotry.
Despite the lyrical exposition of some possible jacket problems referenced in the above, dementedly disjointed prose, they are real issues; while the accuracy of any given jacketed bullet speaks for itself. Aside from the velocity and energy robbing low ballistic coefficients exhibited by many of these projectiles, naturally more pronounced at longer ranges, the issue of core separation persists. So detrimental and widely acknowledged as problematic is core separation from the jacket that every major bullet manufacturers has attempted to address this one way or another in various bonding and framing schemes. Mass is quickly lost as a core separates from its jacket, and massive amounts of energy along with it. In a common mass-produced work hardened bullet, the jacket can split and peel way, finally flattening itself against the shank of the projectile. In the process the newly exposed core breaks off, spinning away from the rapidly rotating bullet. That leaves just approximately 60 % of its former mass to continue on inside the animal. This newly lightened bullet might be recovered just under the hide on the far side, but if it exits little massive blood trail can be hoped for, as the bullet’s retained expansion is minimal.
Lead AdvantagesSoft pure lead maintains the uniformity and lack of brittleness (molecular cohesiveness) that has always made it an ideal bullet material. By swaging the lead, the hidden voids and uneven core problems of cast lead jacketed bullets are gone. Swaged lead bullets can be more consistent in weight than cast jacketed, machine made counterparts. Pure lead swaged saboted bullets shorten and belly out upon firing, allowing the use of thicker petals than their non-jacketed counterparts, including double (duplex) sabots. Smaller calibers employed for a given bullet weight offer dramatically higher ballistic coefficients. Muzzleloading bullet diameters are smaller than bore-sized automatically in sabot use. By reducing the bullet size to .357 - .40 caliber (still huge in center-fire land) the flat trajectories are further, and more dramatically improved.
The cold-forming process allows for lead bullets with easy to seat, ballistically superior boat tail or stepped bases. Contingent on sabot, the compression formed lead gives us the option of cylindrical belts, steps, or longer boat tails that allow the bullet to shed its sabot quicker than possible with only flat bases. The shoulder busting, .58 caliber, 566 gr. Lyman conical mentioned above has a ballistic coefficient of .160. No known jacket muzzleloading bullet has a ballistic coefficient of better than .240 in a 250 grain weight—no jacketed bullet in common muzzleloading use today breaks the .300 level regardless of weight. Even the smaller caliber conicals of 460 grains or so do not exceed .300 G1 ballistic coefficient threshold; despite the inherent edge given to their ballistic calculations due their slow muzzle velocity. Yet, .35, .40, .44, and .45 caliber pure lead sabots are available today with ballistic coefficients higher than .350—in as light a weight as 195 grains, that can be fired from .45 or .50 caliber muzzleloaders. These all-lead game getters have been proven accurate inclusive of a velocity limitation of 2350 fps, contingent on specific gun. One contemporary example is the Precision Rifle Dead Center .357, 195 grain saboted pure lead bullet, fired with Triple Seven loose powder at 2280 fps, has Maximum Point Blank Range of over 225 yards with a 6 inch kill zone. At that range, the bullet is still zipping along at over 1800 fps, with over 1400 foot lbs. of kinetic energy available at that range.
Some have historical interest in the arbitrary and ballyhooed John Taylor “Knock Out” value based on observations of charging African game. The KO value is found by multiplying bullet weight times caliber times muzzle velocity and then divided by the 7,000 grains in a pound. The resulting number is Taylor’s “power value” assigned to each load. Proponents feel it has value assessing the killing power of a specific load since it doesn't give as much value to velocity as kinetic energy does. Though the likelihood of being charged by “Afro-Bambi” seems remote to me, this load is deemed “Good” by the Taylor value on deer and sheep out at 800 yards, “Good” on caribou and elk at 400 yards, and “Good” on moose to 300 yards. Had Mr. Taylor not been so distracted by his pachydermial pursuits, the possibility exists that he would have noted more difference between elk and reindeer.
In any case, for one to think that this load could be construed as insufficient for whitetail, the factory .30 / 30 Winchester 170 grain loads offer a lighter, smaller diameter, lower ballistic coefficient bullet with a 25 yard lesser point blank range—with over 30 % less energy on target at 225 yards.
It is the consistency of pure lead, its expandability over a wide velocity range, and its inclination to remain in one contiguous 200% expanded mushroom inside the body cavities of game animals that makes it the superior muzzleloader hunting projectile.
Lead LimitationsAll bullets have limitations, and soft swaged lead has a few as well. Despite the new capabilities offered by sabots, 2200 – 2300 fps muzzle velocities are close to the limit where the lead itself can deform in flight due to nose pressure, contingent on specific lead projectile. Soft lead requires more care in seating and handling—nicking up the base of a lead bullet is a proven prescription for a flyer. For African game, the soft lead that performs so superbly may need to be enhanced by soft jackets that can flow with the bullet of .025” to .065” thickness, while giving the deep initial penetration indicated to get through thick, armored hide in the first place.
“… It is a fact of life that nobody needs a rifle. He wants a rifle, and he is happier wanting a good example than a poor one. And certainly nobody needs an armory full of rifles.” --Jeff Cooper, 2003.
The thought provoking Mr. Cooper makes good points. The fact of the matter is; nobody needs a muzzleloader at all, much less an accurate one. No one really needs good muzzleloading bullets, much less the best. Need does not factor in to the equation at all. Satisfaction does, though, which is an individual thing. Some of us perhaps are too easily satisfied with equipment performance to suit others, but one’s own vision of satisfaction will always remain just that. Nevertheless, anyone reading this far is not so easily satisfied, and perhaps more interested than most in exploring the potential of their muzzleloading terminal performance. Your entire hunt came come down to only where you place a bullet, and what it is able to accomplish thereafter.
There’s a lot I don’t know. I can’t say how a specific bullet out of a specific gun at a specific velocity on a specific animal at a specific range will perform. We ask a lot from our bullets; we expect them to expand yet penetrate, when most of us know that maximum expansion and maximum penetration cannot be found in the same package—when the former always inhibits the latter. Whether a specific mass-produced jacket bullet might have casting voids or other problems is unknown unless you cut one apart and then they just aren’t much good. It is also hard to say if a cheap jacketed bullet is the best choice in a .50 caliber inline. Most brands only offer two or three choices in bullet weight. You, your gun, and your game either accept that weight, or not.
What I can say is that pure, swaged lead is the most homogenous, consistent muzzleloading projectile material available. It is also available with the highest air-defying ballistic coefficients, and by far the largest variety of bullet weights to suit you, your gun, and your game. At velocities up to 2300 fps or so on North American game animals, there has never been anything to disprove that pure lead is not the very best performer in terminal performance, and mountains of evidence to suggest that it truly is.
There has long been an unfortunate propensity for manufacturers to present guns and ammunition in terms of muzzle velocity and energy. The problem with that is that no game animal is shot off your muzzle. The only thing that matters is what is applied to your animal at the range you are bagging him at. What your bullet might theoretically be doing before and after that point is meaningless. If you have a passion for muzzleloading hunting, there is little excuse for not settling for the very best performer in the only thing your trophy will ever “not see”—the bullet that does all the work for us. No bullet material has been shown to be better than pure, swaged lead for that purpose.©
2004 by Randy Wakeman
