Does anyone know of a source or have a mold for a muzzleloading bullet of 500-550 grs., preferably the heavier, in 50 cal? I just want to purchase a dozen or so bullets to try in the Kodiak double and if they work to end the crossing of the barrels I would invest in a mold. I'm a bit reluctant to purchase another mold until I know the results. Any information or suggestions appreciated.
Vic
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Could be big bucks, I hope you find one.
I shoot 50 cal ML and have terrific accuracy with either Lee R.E.A.L. Mold in 250 grain or 320 grain and these 2 cavity molds are about $25.00. I use the 250 for Deer and the 320 for Black Bear.
The 320 is adequate for any North American game animal.
I cast these in pure soft lead, they finger start, load easily and shoot well. Anything harder than pure and they load hard then shoot poorly. I tumble lube them with Lee Liquid Alox.
Actually I am happy with American Pioneer Powder and pre-weighing charges. This BP substitute has no Sulfur and doesn't kick in my Asthma.
Link to Lee R.E.A.L. :
Gary
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You might try Buffalo Arms. The big 50 bullets can be had there.
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I agree onandoga....except that neither of those bullets will regulate in the double and a 450 grainer is still about 1 3/4 crossed. I can get a custom mold for less than a C note, I just don't want to buy one until I find out if the heavier bullet will stabilize and regulate.
Thanks delmar, I'll check them out, I forgot completely about them. I haven't bought anything from them in 10 years or more....just haven't needed anything
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I believe the Kodiak Double has 1:48 twist bores. A 1:24 would stabilize the heavy slugs you want to shoot much better. Heavy bullets need a fast twist, light weight round balls need a slow 1:60 twist
The Lyman Great Plains rifle I have came with a 1:60 round ball twist when I originally got it many years ago, but 4 years ago Midway had a sale and I got a 1:48 twist barrel for the rifle.
I had already known the 1:48 is a compromise twist to allow round balls and conical slugs in the same barrel but that twist rate is too slow for heavy slugs.
The compromise I took that worked well was the lightest slug I could find. closest to a round ball as I could get in weight. That ended up being the R:E:A:L 250 grain mold from Lee.
If your double rifle has that 1:48 compromise twist , trying heavier and heavier bullets is likely to yield less and less stabilization of the bullets.
My 250s shoot much tighter groups than the 320s that I tried with any charge. You have hoped that a heavier slug would stabilize better, If you have the 1:48 twist, it is the opposite of that, lighter bullets will stabilize better.
If you want to try some 250s, PM me. I would send you 50 in pure lead and tumble lubed just for the shipping. They group 1 inch at 50 yards with 70 gr 3F Pyrodex in my 1:48 twist Lyman all day long. I now only shoot 3F Pioneer Powder because of my Asthma and groups are 1.5” at 50 yards. I miss the Pyrodex for better accuracy. Incidentally, My rifle doesn't like 2F coarser powder of any kind.
Let me also say, I use a trick at the range that has made my field accuracy improve. Consistent bullet seating pressure is paramount to accuracy in muzzle loading. My range ML shooting always has me using an analog bathroom scale during loading. I seat bullets with the rifle butt on the scale to a pressure of 80 pounds every time. This helps get me in the habit of using that seating pressure in the field.
Gary
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If your rifle has the 1:48 twist, be aware that the rifle also has an extreme potential of accuracy with patched round-balls.
Don't ho-hum round-balls either. That same Lyman rifle of mine mentioned groups better with round-balls than slugs using either barrel!
I have taken over 1 dozen deer with patched round-balls in that rifle at 70-110 yards with 80 grains 3F. The soft round balls double in diameter on impact with deer and punch a 1 inch hole through every time.
Your Kodiak Double may in fact really love round-balls and they are a pleasure to shoot on game or paper.
Gary
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onondaga::::: good stuff.....
ref. round balls....everyone that likes to plink should play with these, even in faster twist rifles...in my rem788/44 mag., round balls were my most accurate load...at least at 100 feet. and they did a great job on pop cans...
ref; consistant seating force for black powder...i have made my own cleaning rod things for a while...i bet i can figger out how to put a calibrated spring device in my rod's handle ...maybe a 80 lbs/inch spring and compress it one inch against the ball ....
thanks ken
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Well, regarding round balls, let me say that this is the first time in over 36 years of shooting muzzleloaders competitively and for hunting I've used anything other than round balls. They kill all out of proportion to their paper ballistics and a pick-up truck wouldn't carry all the deer and hogs I've taken with the round ball. I'm a pretty hard core traditionalist. I tried this Kodiak first with PRB's and each barrel was very accurate, individually. When fired for a composite group they crossed over 8 inches at 50 yards.
When regulating a double rifle if the barrels are crossing you need either a heavier bullet or to slow the projectile down. If they are shooting apart the opposite is true. My initial load with PRB's was 80 grains. I dropped all the way down to 40 grs. and they still crossed 4 inches. After near 20 years of working with double rifles it was more than apparent that a heavier projectile was needed. I borrowed a 320 gr. Lyman Maxi-type mold from a friend hoping it would solve the crossing problem. No, didn't happen. They still crossed at 50 yards and the higher the velocity the more they crossed. I tried loads from 80 grs. down to 40 grs. Next up was a 360 grs. RCBS Maxi-type mold. Same issue but with each addition of bullet weight the crossing became less. I ordered a 450 gr. bullet from Accurate Molds and the crossing came down to about 1 3/4 inch, C to C, and about the same distance in elevation. See photo below.
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delmar,I finally got around to checking Buffalo Arms. They have a 540 gr. bullet at .510. I might get a box after I receive my .505 die, resize them and see what happens. Thanks again!
Vic
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If your rifle has the 1:48 twist, be aware that the rifle also has an extreme potential of accuracy with patched round-balls.
Don't ho-hum round-balls either. That same Lyman rifle of mine mentioned groups better with round-balls than slugs using either barrel!
I have taken over 1 dozen deer with patched round-balls in that rifle at 70-110 yards with 80 grains 3F. The soft round balls double in diameter on impact with deer and punch a 1 inch hole through every time.
Your Kodiak Double may in fact really love round-balls and they are a pleasure to shoot on game or paper.
Gary
As of late I've been getting 1” 3 shot groups @ 50 yrds using 80 grs. of GOEX FFG with a patched roundball.
If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.
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If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.
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:coffee
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I'd like to see the carving around the wrist. I have a neat trick for beveling flints. I use a diamond file. I just sharpen them up as though they were a knife. Real fast and the flints last longer. No waste from chips and anger mismanagement. Any new news about the heavy bullets for Mr. Kodiak?
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Rifling depth is more more important than twist for RB i believe.My .50 1-32 Great Plains Lyman has fairly deep rifling for a conical barrel yet will shoot up to 100g of FF as well as my 1-60 and 1-66 rifles.Often 50 yard 5 shot groups are not far off 1” if lighting is good and my eyes are “on” that day.groups over 2” are considered large for that rifle.
For conicals the Lyman Plains bullet at 395g is a real shooter in mine.
George
"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!
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I noticed Lyman has a 515 gr 50 cal cartridge bullet you may be able to locate samples of. The mould # is 515142 if you want to look at it.
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That's worth a look and some effort on my part anachronism. Thanks.
delmar, no, I'm waiting on my .505 sizing die before I pursue much. The gentleman making it is retired and I expect does this as much for something to do as for any money he might make. He's been on vacation and had to go out of state another time for a neice's wedding and told me he was going to be gone a lot right now. From everyone who recommended him his reputation is beyond reproach. I expect it next week.
That's clever about the diamond file and sharpening flints with it. If I can remember to pick one up I will have to give that a try.
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