# Help...Muzzleloader bullets



## pomiller72 (Jun 10, 2009)

I know that the has been some discussion on muzzle loader bullets.....I am having trouble loading my bullets into my gun. I am looking for a looser fitting bullet to shoot deer with. Is the 44 mag bullets talked about in the other thread a good fitting bullet? I feel that the bullets i have now are to tight. Also, what would be the range on 44 mag bullets...I am shooting two 50 gr pellets.


thanks in advance...

patrick :!


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## F1504X4 (Mar 23, 2008)

check out www.prbullet.com. These guys know there stuff. I have the .357 duplex sabots that I shoot with 2 50 gr. shockey gold pellets and have not had any problem with them. I can shoot roughly 10-15 shots before it gets tough to load.


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

try the Hornaday SST "low drag" in 45-250 (.50 cal) thay load great and shoot even better!!! 2 50gr pellets will get you arond 2" drop @ 150yrds...mag load (3 pellets...asuuming your GUN is a magnum!) will reach out cloae to 250yrds so they claim-i havent ranged this that far but sure it will do it with 3" drop!!


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## Huntinbull (Apr 10, 2004)

Not a lot of info in the first post. 

I use powerbelt bullets with good results out to about 150 yards (as far as I have tested them). Sighted two inches high at 50 yards they are about three inches hig at 80 or 85 yards and only drop a little over two inches at 150 yards. I can hold on that sweet spot behind the front shoulder out to 150 and do the job. 

How many times are you shooting your gun between swabbings? Are you sure you are effectively cleaning the barrel and keeping it rust free between shooting sessions? Often, hard loading is a cleaning issue and not a bullet choice issue.


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## Dawitner (Apr 25, 2004)

Switch to the new Barnes EZ bullets and Blackhorn 209 powder and never look back. 

You do not have to clean between shots, the sabots are designed for a .501-.502 barrel and load like a dream. If you want to get even more picky throw away the MMP sabots that come with the Barnes bullets and get Harvester Crush Rib sabots as replacement. Slick as butter loading and no, none, never swab your barrel again between shots.


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## brewkettle (Sep 7, 2006)

I shoot shockwaves over two 50g 777 pellets from my TC Pro Hunter. The first round slides in like butter, but I cannot get the second to seat properly. It seems as though there is a powder (or plastic) ridge burnt on and the sabot will not pass. I would like to hear from anyone that has figured the correction for this problem. 

One shot, one kill on 2 occasions, but I am hesitant to even consider a second shot without running a snake down the bore.


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## Dawitner (Apr 25, 2004)

What you are describing is the infamous 777 crud ring. From all the reading I have done it seems that it is caused by a too strong primer that moves the pellets up away from the face of the breech plug just prior to the ignition of the powder. This causes the burnt powder to stick to the walls of the barrel and cause the obstruction you have encountered. 

I too shot 777 for a bunch of years but got really tired of fighting to load the gun and last year switched to Blackhorn 209 loose powder. 

If you want to check out a great forum for ML articles check here http://www.chuckhawks.com/index2h.muzzleloader.htm


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## CasualFisherman (May 21, 2004)

pomiller72 said:


> I know that the has been some discussion on muzzle loader bullets.....I am having trouble loading my bullets into my gun. I am looking for a looser fitting bullet to shoot deer with. Is the 44 mag bullets talked about in the other thread a good fitting bullet? I feel that the bullets i have now are to tight. Also, what would be the range on 44 mag bullets...I am shooting two 50 gr pellets.
> 
> 
> thanks in advance...
> ...


What type of gun do you shoot? How do you clean it and what type of lubricant do you use on the barrel? Any pitting in the barrel?

I know I have had problems with Traditions MLs loading bullets. (some are fine and others are horrible) 2/3 that I owned had loading issues.


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## Dawitner (Apr 25, 2004)

http://www.chuckhawks.com/muzzleloading_2009_awards.htm



Read this for some great information on new products. I also have the new SpinJag custom made ram rod for my Omega's. Can't be beat.


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## pomiller72 (Jun 10, 2009)

Yes....I have the traditions buckhunter 50 cal..is bullets fitting tight a problem with this gun....I am going to look into getting some different sabot and not buy the prepacked set of sabot/bullet






pomiller72 said:


> I know that the has been some discussion on muzzle loader bullets.....I am having trouble loading my bullets into my gun. I am looking for a looser fitting bullet to shoot deer with. Is the 44 mag bullets talked about in the other thread a good fitting bullet? I feel that the bullets i have now are to tight. Also, what would be the range on 44 mag bullets...I am shooting two 50 gr pellets.
> 
> 
> thanks in advance...
> ...


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## CasualFisherman (May 21, 2004)

pomiller72 said:


> Yes....I have the traditions buckhunter 50 cal..is bullets fitting tight a problem with this gun....I am going to look into getting some different sabot and not buy the prepacked set of sabot/bullet


Yes, 2 out of the 3 traditions I owned had loading issues. I sent one back to the manufacturer and it was returned with a note that it loaded fine and that the barrel was within factory specs. The bullet would "stick" in two distinct locations down the barrel and I had to tap with a rubber mallet in order to load it. They are crap in my opinion. I tried every bullet known to man and the only thing that loaded "OK" was a roundball and patch. It was obvious that the barrel was not a consistent diameter throughout the bore And I never did get that gun to throw any decent patterns. 
The guy I sold it to (At a substantial discount) said he polished the bore at his shop (He was a machinist) and said it solved the loading issue but he could never get it to group very well. I think they just have very poor finishing and manufacturing controls there. The one I do have that loads fine shoots great and I still have it but 2/3 makes me wary to buy any more that is for sure. 

I would get rid of it and buy something better. CVA is far better than traditions for an economical gun and T/C or Ruger are tops in quality for a higher end gun. While I have several MLs the CVA magbolt I have (I paid $79 for it) always goes boom and throws a decent pattern with about any kind of bullet and always loads easy. It has served as my back up or loaner for quite a while now and has taken many deer.


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## Huntinbull (Apr 10, 2004)

If I am not mistaken, CVA and Traditions are both owned by BPI in Spain. I have been wrong before, so don't take this as the gospel.


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## brewkettle (Sep 7, 2006)

Thanks Dawitner, I am going to order some Olin/Winchester primers and give them a try before going back to loose powder.


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## CasualFisherman (May 21, 2004)

Huntinbull said:


> If I am not mistaken, CVA and Traditions are both owned by BPI in Spain. I have been wrong before, so don't take this as the gospel.


CVA is made by BPI/DIKAR and Traditions is made by Adressa. I do not think they are the same company but it wouldn't surprise me If Dikar owned both. 
CVA had a number of lawsuits in the last five years due to issues with their break action weapons/breech plugs and I heard of at least one with a traditions Inline suit due to barrel issues. I have been shooting MLs for years and bottom line for me is if it is a cheapy and it does not load smoothly, I would not risk it personally. I also never load more than 100 grs of powder either. I generally stay in the 50-90 gr range.

If I was going to only own one ML though it would be a US manufactured one.
Knight, T/C, Ruger are all good choices.


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

Tough to beat powerbelts.. I've been shooting them for about 12 yrs ( They were orinagally called blackbelts before CVA bought the patent).....Had good luck with them out of 3 different guns and my broither and dad both shoot them too.


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

i shoot the Thompson Center Mag Express Sabots 50 cal / 240 gr ..........they shoot awesome loaded with 2 of the 50 grains pyrodex pellets and i can usually shoot at least 6 times before dry patching the barrel to clean it up alittle !! They are very inexpensive to shoot too ..........i got 30 for $15 at Walmart !!

I shoot a CVA Wolf 50 Cal now and ive had several more expensive guns and NONE of them have shot any better then my Wolf !!!


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