conicals with wads

[jd45]

Hello to all, I'm using a Lyman Great Plains Hunter this year for deer. It has the 1 in 32 twist barrel, so I'm gonna use Hornady's Great Plains conical hollow-point--hollow base bullet. I went to Hodgdon's website for 777 powder load data for this bullet, & they're saying 70 to 100grs of it with a wad. How can the hollow base upset properly to seal the bore, if a wad's in the way? What's the reason for a wad, anyway? I've been practicing with these, & a shootin buddy said to put a little bore butter in it, but he never said anything about wads, as I use between the powder and ball in my 1860 army revolver. Thanx for your feedback. jd45.

[roundball]

Don't know but apparently they do...I've used oxyoke prelubed wonder wads under every projectile I've hunted with for years...Hornady patched balls, Hornady GP bullets, TC Maxi-Hunters, and Hornady sabot/bullets...always enhanced shooting & accuracy for me

[jd45]

Thanx, Roundball, for the input......I believe I'll try them to see just how they'll help. Actually, I'm undecided as to the Hornady GP or a sabot with a 300gr Hornady XTP in it. But I'll use the wads on both. Again, Thanx. jd45.

[lostid]

jd,, what caliber are you shooting? and what have been the results of your practice so far?

 I "know" plenty folks shootin .54 gph, and 1 feller with .50 and I could tell ya about them. But' it'd help if I know what yer  learnin through yer own shootin,,,,

[jd45]

Lostid, I'm shooting a .50, with a T/C hunting tang peep sight on it. I took off the Lyman 57 GPR peep. This one's more "field- friendly". Anyway, I can hit the 4" diameter gong at the range @ 50yds pretty consistently with 80grs 777-2f ...off-hand. The sabot does pretty well, too....& with less recoil, so that is luring me to it for hunting. jd45.

[lostid]

Ty jd,,4" at 50 off hand's pruty darn good,,not top, but middlin.
 80grns of t7 behind 385grns of lead sure nuff is punishment though. Little story; many,many deer(many) are harvested each year with the lowley .490 prb. But everyone wants to sell us "bigger""better""faster""more". Ya right. Well, how dead does a deer hafta get? Any ways,,try a little bit shorter full lead projectile like the PA Conical or the Buffalo Ball-ett. ya don't need them 385's ta kill a deer if ya put it in the boilerroom. And "sportsmenship" is all about accuracy.
 Now I'm gonna renezvous fer a few day's,won't be back till next week, I gotta go run with the big dogs in the tall grass.

 Don't you worry nun about that .50 cal GPH you got,,if you do your part,,it'll knock over deer at 100yrds! (easy) ( the short .50cal. R.E.A.L. at 250grns works just fine with a dryish lube)

that's my 2 bits, luck too ya,

[rebAL]

Ae they saying to use a wad with all conicals, just this particular conical, or certain conical designs?

[jd45]

rebAL, Hodgdon was referring to the Hornady Great Plains conical, 385gr & 410gr, in particular. But they clarified it by saying I only needed the wad with the pellet form of their 777 powder, not the loose form. jd45.

[zrifleman]

jd45-I used card wads under the base of conicals I tested for Buffalo Bullets. They are a pure lead bullet. I tested both ball-ets and conicals. Accuracy was better with a wad to protect the bullet. Wonder wads may serve the same purpose. Buffalo Bullets are lubed with a soft bees wax based lube on a knurled bullet. With my .45 cal slug gun that I just built, I started out using a plastic wad over the powder. At the suggestion of "45 2.1" I tried loading my thumb started bullets without a wad, and went to a flat based bullet. I am trying to keep my loads simple for hunting. So I sized my bullets for an easy start and seat them firmly on the powder. At 50 yds I shot a 5 shot group that went 3/4" and a 3 shot group at 100 yds was just over 1". Sabots don't require lube so they probably don't need a wad. I am finding that lead bullets that load easily are giving me the best accuracy. Bullets that I have to beat down the barrel give the worst accuracy.