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Offline Rwalter63

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Another New Sidekick! Load, accuracy & unloading questi
« on: November 23, 2004, 09:15:11 PM »
Hello Everyone.

I was looking at a Sidekick manual today and I noticed it stated use nothing but pure lead as a projectile. So what loads are you using and at what charges. I just purchased a Sidekick and am interested in shooting in the range of 100-150 yds. I got a few PowerBelt 295's from a friend that I going to try but does any one else have a suggestion. I also going to pick up some 245 grain loads but PowerBelts seem only to come in copper at that load. I planning on shooting mostly deer but if a bear comes a long while I am out there I might want to have a load that can handle one.

One other question I see in the manual they state never unload the gun and that you should always discharge the weapon every time it is loaded. It they also have you removing the barrel every time there is a misfire and soaking it in water. Any other suggestions on these two topics.

Thanks
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Offline bubba

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Another New Sidekick! Load, accuracy &
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2004, 12:50:55 AM »
I would not worry too much about that. The most common load seems to be 100 grains your favorite powder and a 295 power belt. The copper jacketed are fine.
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”A gun is like a parachute. If you need one, and don’t have one, you’ll probably never need one again.”

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Offline Primer

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Another New Sidekick! Load, accuracy &
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2004, 04:24:54 AM »
Rwalter63, Welcome! :D

If the book says only pure lead, I would assume that it is referring to patch & ball. When using this type of ammo, one is advised normally to use soft, pure lead balls only. Should not matter if projectile is housed inside a plastic sabot though.

I shoot a Huntsman which basicly is same gun as Sidekick. My Huntsman only comes with 24"barrel though.
I shoot everything available for a 50cal muzzleloader.  No problems as long as you stay within the recommended charge size. There are as many different projectiles out there as there are flavors of ice cream. :grin: Really your choice and budget available for your shooting needs.

Once I load the gun (usually use loose powder rather than pellets) I don't like to leave the load in gun more than a week(during hunting season),provided it hasn't been rainy/wet weather. If so, I pull the breech plug...dump load,..reclean and reload. Just as easy to discharge gun in the woods,but I never seem to want to disturb my hunt area by doing so at end of day. :roll: Just me though.

If you have a misfire,do what you feel safest at doing. I usually wait a few minutes (obviously keeping gun pointed downrange), then use a nipple pick to help insure flash hole is clear, and  try another primer. If that fails after a few repeats, I let gun sit about five minutes (always pointed in safe direction) and carefully pull the breech plug to dump the charge.
You can use a can of WD-40, with spray tube, and spray a few times into the flash hole of breech plug, to wet powder before pulling plug... if that suits your needs for safety sake.
To be honest, I cannot remember having a misfire with my huntsman,but have had a few with other inline brands.
Beauty of the Huntsman/Sidekick,is that they are so user friendly...and pulling the breech plug/cleaning is just SO EASY! :grin:

Back to projectiles: I personally buy most of my bullets (usually made by Hornady or packaged through T/C ) in boxes of 50-100,and buy my sabots loose in packages of 50. Cheaper that way for me and not running to store every week for ammo. Try some Hornady 240gr XTP's (.44 & .45 cal), T/C 250gr PTX's,or some 240 gr T/C Cheap Shots...as well as the 295gr Power Belts that you have,as Bubba recommends.
I would recommend starting around 75-80 grains of powder and working your way up 5gr at a time to see what you and gun likes best,with your projectile choice.  Good luck!
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Offline sgrogg

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Another New Sidekick! Load, accuracy &
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2004, 03:43:39 PM »
Primer, Do you lube the bullets before loading?
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Offline Primer

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Another New Sidekick! Load, accuracy &
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2004, 06:30:58 PM »
sgrogg,  When shooting sabots,there really is no need to lube the bullets.

I have however put a light lube (BoreButter) at times on the sabot to help load really tight ones,but it can change your impact point...and I prefer to use sabots that are a little easier to load, and hopefully avoid the need to do this.

If using cast bullets like Lee R.E.A.L.'s, (few thousands over bore size)then yes you obviously have to lube the bullet.  Same as lubing the patch when shooting patch&ball.

Hope this answers your question. If not, maybe rephrase your question. :grin:
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