Bullets for muzzleloader target shooting?

[BKhunter]

I usually shoot TC shockwave 250 grain 50 cal bullets out of my TC triumph. I guess I have an over abundance of them and haven't had to buy them in a very long time, as when I went to the store to buy a pack today I was shocked at the price. A little over a dollar a bullet and now they only come in 15 packs? I used to buy them in larger quantities for so much cheaper. Can anyone recommend a good bullet to use for target shooting and sighting in the rifle? I will still use the TC for hunting unless any can recommend a better bullet for a better value. Thanks all.

 

BK

[PREDATE]

I've been down the shockwave road and ditched them for the Hornady Monoflex. I will not shoot anything else now. I filled 3 DMP's in one day last year with them.

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Edited September 20, 2015 by PREDATE

[sailinghudson25]

100 round pack of hornady XTP 240gr HP bullets.  About $30.   (2) 50 round packs of harvester .429" to 50 cal sabots about $15.  Shoot it with real balckpowder, it is the cheapest  I use 90grs goex FFFg   If you want modern powder, forget the pellets, go loose, it's 1/2 to 1/3 the price.  Plain old shotgun primers too.  My 90gr loads don't know the difference.  Even if you shoot 2 inch groups, who cares at 150 yards or so.   Offhand practice is what deer hunter in this area need to do much more than nija bench tricks with a close range firearm.

 

I shoot for about 50 cents a trigger pull all said and done, and they group just fine.  Zero the gun at 100, then aim as high as the spine for  good broadside shot.  Smashed it right in the middle of the heart right at 150 yards with that combo 2 years ago.

[sbuff]

I will suggest the xtp too but in 300gr .452 and get some harvester crush rib sabots as most TC have a tight fitting bore.

The bullets can be had for 15 bucks for 50 bullets from several place's and sabots are 7 bucks or so from harvester fir 50 sabots.

The xtp has put down more game then most any other bullet going. I'm not a fan of the magnum xtp at muzzloader speeds.

[sbuff]

If your talking powder bh209 is the way to go. Goex,t7 , swiss and pryodex are dirty. ..

[Jaeger]

Has anyone tried the hornady 325 gr .475 bullets in a harvester 475 H50475B sabot?  They run about the same price as the 452 flex tips.

 

I know the SD will be slightly less for equal bullet weights, but most bullets in these ranges should fully penetrate our deer.

 

Just curious as I have an overabundance of the .475's I collected for loading in my ordered 475 Turnbull for practice.  I also have plenty of special run barnes 400 gr built for ~1800 impact velocity.

 

Thinking of using them in the LHR got on gunbroker.

Edited October 3, 2015 by Jaeger

[nyantler]

Has anyone heard of these?... I believe it's called patch and ball.

 

 

 

[sbuff]

Lots shoot round ball out of a hawken style muzzloader, very accurate too. Dont think they would fair to well in an in line due to the twist.

[RSRAINS]

Just received my Brux 1:20 twist barrel last week for and new smokeless build.

[sbuff]

Whose doing the build, i am on the fence about doing one myself.

[turkeyfeathers]

IMO I wouldn't sight in with anything but your intended hunting load. Target shooting perhaps but then you'll have to re sight for the hunting load. I switched loads last year and found same grain weight really off at initial 50 yards on paper. Talking like 12-15" . I couldn't believe it . Just a reminder : shoot the way you will in the woods. Clean barrel or dirty barrel. I cleaned barrel after ever shot while re sighting as that's how I hunt, clean barrel. Let the barrel cool in between shots too. You probably already know this but not bad to mention it.

[papabear]

I shoot a 50 cal with round balls and patch to 50 yards and i am all ways in the black

I am starting with a 45 this spring

patch and ball are the way to go when shooting a Hawkins  IMO  

[Jaeger]

Has anyone heard of these?... I believe it's called patch and ball.

 

muzzle4.jpg

Used it in my original CVA mountain rifle, the first ones with the pewter nose caps and browned furniture.

 

Now use it in my sleeved .45 hatfield percussion.

 

Planning on using it in my project 24 ga.  flintlock Fowler with .58 round balls!!!

[sailinghudson25]

Bk hunter,

The hornady sabots appear to be identical to the Thompson center ones. You can get 20 round packs for the same price as Thompsons 15s.

Again, harvester sabots and pick what you like to put in them. Powder is cheaper than pellets. And plain shotgun primers work just fine.

Let the paper answer questions about it, not the latest hoopla hype