round ball in 1:28 twist

[wleggart]

So, I bought a new CVA .50 and have a large supply of .50 round balls from last muzzleloader. So, what should I expect in accuracy with my standard 80 Gr. FFFG Pyrodex and .50 patched round ball from my new gun. My old traditions would cloverleaf at 50 yards with the aformentioned. The sabot bullets etc are bewildering and expensive too! Deer seemed to fall real dead with my old loading. So, if this is a stupid question I am willing to hear the from ya'll. Bill

 

[Oldnamvet]

You can't overstabilize a round ball. You'll have to experiment a bit at the range starting at around 50-60 grains of blackpowder and working your way up to see what gives the best accuracy. It probably won't be the same as your other rifle. Different patch thickness will also have an effect so be prepared to expeiment with those as well. Bottom line, you will have to do a bunch of shooting (how terrible) to understand this new rifle.

 

[Voodoochile]

1:28 twist isn't the best rate for Ball but maybe a light load of maybe 50gr. to start out will produce a promising group, usually Ball is best stabilized with slower rates of twist like in the 1:60 or longer but 1:48 seems to be a happy medium when it comes to both PRB, Conicals, & Sabots.

That twist may work wonderfully with a Lee 320gr. REAL Bullet.

 

[sundance44s]

I bought the wife a Knight Inline rifle ...not knowing the the 1 in 28 twist wouldn`t keep round balls on a plate size target at 30 yards . with the Round balls loads I couldn`t even sight the rifle in ...one shot left the next to the right 3 or 4 inches in eaither direction ..I`m not guessing here ...I know how to lighten loads ...nothing worked ..I was about to throw the rifle in the pond ..when I got the idea of giveing it way ...thats just what I did ...My good friend wanted an inline for his wife to shoot sabots durning deer season ..So I made him a deal he couldn`t resisit ...FREE . Now he`s happy ...and I`m happy ..no more stress tring to sight in a inline with round balls when it just won`t work .

 

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

That twist will throw a screw ball with an unpredictable break.

 

[the-ghost]

get a bullet mold and melt them balls into bullets...

 

[Mark whiz]

My Knight USAK will throw round ball into a 2" circle all day long at 50 yds using .490" balls, .015 patches and 75gr of 2fg 777 or 80gr of Pyro RS.

I figure if 30gr of 3fg with a conical bullet fired out of my 1858 Rem revolver will kill a Boar a 20 yds - the above load in the rifle will dang sure do the job.

 

[scrat]

agree with melting them down. Round balls will not work that good. But they work very very good with conicals. i have a lee R.E.A.L Mold its an awesome mold. The bullets casted are very very good. shoots very very good. Something you need to try.

 

[wleggart]

so, the answer is: go try it. Thanks for ya'lls input. The 80 gr. with .490 ball and .010 lubed patches are what I have. I will post after trying. I did go buy some of those (cheapest) sabot packaged bullets from Wally Mart. I should know the first time I can get to the range. Right now I am trying to figure out how to get the deer out of the field pea patch! Bill

 

[scrat]

you do not have to shoot sabots. i have shot conicals. hornady sells 385 grain bullets. i went through two boxes of them before i got wise and bought a lee mold. The lee bullets are very accurate and are very cheap to shoot compared to sabots.

 

[wleggart]

well here is the result

the CVA shoots 1" groups with 245 grain jackets hollow points and 100 grains of pyrodex (two 50 grain pellets, and 209 primer) I tried the .490 round balls and the "cork screw" rule mentioned in earlier posts ruled! It shot 13" left and 2" high with the round balls. I gave the guy in the next station a large supply of balls and lubricated patches and wished him good health. The sabot is just fine! Look out mr. whitetail, and I think that I will shoot a few busy tail heads off while scouting this fall. Best wishes from Central Arkansas. Hurricane Gustav will influence our weather next week, but hopefully will be gone before Saturday. First weekend dove hunt in Mississippi. The navy arms 12ga. caplock is going and I am looking forward to sending some 7-1/2's intheir direction. Bill

 

[4v50 Gary]

I had screwy results when I fired round balls out of my Enfield Musketoon. Obviously it likes concials but I had to try at least once.

 

[scrat]

13 inches thats friggen amazing. What was the distance you were shooting at how many yards. i suspect what either 50 or 100 yards

 

[1858rem]

if you had a 14 in barrel 1:28 would work.. generally you want to give a rb half a turn as its comin out the barrel for good stabilization

 

[wleggart]

13" right and 3" high

I did the initial shooting at 25 yards from the Game & Fish covered firing range in good conditions. The sabot shot one big ragged hole. I had a little trouble with the Tasco 3 x 9 and it's adjustments. a couple of shots and a rap with a brass screwdriver after the second adjustment got things right. The sabots shot a pretty clove leaf on the upper left 1" square and the upper right square that I tried the round ball on shot almost directly over the square on the opposite side! The round ball shot about 4" from point of impact for the sabots at 25 yards. I gave my supply of balls and patches to the round ball guy in the next booth. I cleaned with Black Powder #13 a wet patch and dry patch once during 20 or so shots to make the loading easier. I cleaned again when i got home and then pulled the nipple immersed the barrel in boiling water and ran it back and forth for awhile. When I could feel the heat in the barrel from the breech end. I took it out ran a bunch of flannel patches thru, regreased the nipple bushing, and put olive oil inside the barrel. That was Wed. Today (Monday) I ran #13 thru and found some black residue. Worked on that for awhile, regreased the bushing, ran dry patches then olive oil thru. I wonder if what I found was melted sabot? We'll see how that works for maintenance. By the way, I tried loose Pyrodex Rx and pellets (two) and did not notice any difference. I think I'll keep the loose powder for the 12 ga. double. Bill

 

[wleggart]

whoops

yes the second shots were at 100 yards. Bill