Post by Bullshop on Apr 23, 2022 9:17:25 GMT -7
Question
Sirs, I am new to black powder cartridge shooting. I recently acquired a 45/70 rolling block and would like to load some black powder cartridges. I’m slowing gathering my supply’s and am down to getting some bullets. I would like to do some silhouette match shooting and possibly some hunting, I know this will probably be two different bullets but that’s ok. From a lot I have read it seems the heavier 500 – 550 gr. Is preferred for long range shooting and something around 400 – 450 gr. for hunting. I would like to possibly speak to you about your recommendations but your website offers no phone number or ways to purchase your bullets. I am not new to black powder as I have a flintlock that I’ve been hunting with for many years. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Answer
We can abundantly supply your needs but before I even try I want to set you straight on something. What you have been told or have surmised from your studies is basically correct but as is often the case “IT DEPENDS”
The length/weight of bullets that have potential to shoot well in your rifle is dependent on the rifling twist rate of your barrel. As always for long range shooting the bullets with the highest BC will perform best and heavier longer bullets will nearly always have a higher BC than lighter shorter bullets but this can be altered somewhat by the nose shape.
I will give you a very good example using two 45 caliber rifles I shoot one with 18” twist and one with 20” twist. Shooting a long bullet like the Lyman Postell my 20” twist rifle will shoot well to about 300 yards but then falls apart because the bullets are only marginally stable. Same bullet in my 18” twist rifle shoots good to as far as I have tried it to 1500 yards. If I drop to a shorter 500gn bullet then my 20” twist rifle is good to the same 1500 yards though it will drift more in the wind because it has a lower BC than the heavier Postell bullet with roughly the same nose shape.. So with that said you can order with greater confidence that your rifle will shoot well at what ever range you choose to shoot. Orders are placed directly to us by email. I think you will now understand why at this time not knowing your rifling twist rate I can not with confidence recommend any specific bullet for your rifle.
Re
Sirs,
As I already stated I have a rolling block, it has a 28” barrel with a 20” twist. I did slug it (my first time doing this) and I come up with .458” barrel ( I actually did it twice with the same results). For now I’m interested in silhouette shooting. There is only one club that is fairly close to me that sponsors a match and they shoot 200, 300, 385, and 500 meters. So that’s where I’m at as of now. In the future I would like to start molding my own bullets but that will be a farther down the road. For now I need to get my feet wet. Any recondmations would be greatly appreciated.
Re
If your shooting to 500 yards max and with your 20” rifling twist we have quite a number of viable options. If I were to pic one and I have for my 45-90 Sharps with 20” twist it would be for our Ohaus 500gn gov. Another would be from a vintage Winchester mold marked 45-500 Gov. Vintage BP molds generally drop from the mold a smaller diameter than modern cut molds and I think our Winchester mold will drop at .457” where our Ohaus will drop at closer to .459” with the same alloy. Not that the .457” would be less accurate but just pointing this out. It is a common misconception that bullet diameter must be at or over barrel groove diameter to shoot accurately but that is not true. If it were true a muzzle loader shooting a bore diameter not groove diameter bullet would not be accurate but we know that is not the case. Original Sharps paper patch bullets were from .444” to .446” diameter and patched to .450” to .451” diameter and we know how well they did from historical records. Another option would be our copy of the 405gn hollow base cavalry design which will do well to your maximum range but if shooting farther than 500 yards I would go with a 500gn. We have many other design but with your 1/20” twist many will be too long for stability that will keep the bullet spinning on its center axis without an wobble out to long range. Many may dispute my opinion on these points but my opinion is derived from years of my own shooting experience and not just parroting what I have heard from others.
Sirs, I am new to black powder cartridge shooting. I recently acquired a 45/70 rolling block and would like to load some black powder cartridges. I’m slowing gathering my supply’s and am down to getting some bullets. I would like to do some silhouette match shooting and possibly some hunting, I know this will probably be two different bullets but that’s ok. From a lot I have read it seems the heavier 500 – 550 gr. Is preferred for long range shooting and something around 400 – 450 gr. for hunting. I would like to possibly speak to you about your recommendations but your website offers no phone number or ways to purchase your bullets. I am not new to black powder as I have a flintlock that I’ve been hunting with for many years. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Answer
We can abundantly supply your needs but before I even try I want to set you straight on something. What you have been told or have surmised from your studies is basically correct but as is often the case “IT DEPENDS”
The length/weight of bullets that have potential to shoot well in your rifle is dependent on the rifling twist rate of your barrel. As always for long range shooting the bullets with the highest BC will perform best and heavier longer bullets will nearly always have a higher BC than lighter shorter bullets but this can be altered somewhat by the nose shape.
I will give you a very good example using two 45 caliber rifles I shoot one with 18” twist and one with 20” twist. Shooting a long bullet like the Lyman Postell my 20” twist rifle will shoot well to about 300 yards but then falls apart because the bullets are only marginally stable. Same bullet in my 18” twist rifle shoots good to as far as I have tried it to 1500 yards. If I drop to a shorter 500gn bullet then my 20” twist rifle is good to the same 1500 yards though it will drift more in the wind because it has a lower BC than the heavier Postell bullet with roughly the same nose shape.. So with that said you can order with greater confidence that your rifle will shoot well at what ever range you choose to shoot. Orders are placed directly to us by email. I think you will now understand why at this time not knowing your rifling twist rate I can not with confidence recommend any specific bullet for your rifle.
Re
Sirs,
As I already stated I have a rolling block, it has a 28” barrel with a 20” twist. I did slug it (my first time doing this) and I come up with .458” barrel ( I actually did it twice with the same results). For now I’m interested in silhouette shooting. There is only one club that is fairly close to me that sponsors a match and they shoot 200, 300, 385, and 500 meters. So that’s where I’m at as of now. In the future I would like to start molding my own bullets but that will be a farther down the road. For now I need to get my feet wet. Any recondmations would be greatly appreciated.
Re
If your shooting to 500 yards max and with your 20” rifling twist we have quite a number of viable options. If I were to pic one and I have for my 45-90 Sharps with 20” twist it would be for our Ohaus 500gn gov. Another would be from a vintage Winchester mold marked 45-500 Gov. Vintage BP molds generally drop from the mold a smaller diameter than modern cut molds and I think our Winchester mold will drop at .457” where our Ohaus will drop at closer to .459” with the same alloy. Not that the .457” would be less accurate but just pointing this out. It is a common misconception that bullet diameter must be at or over barrel groove diameter to shoot accurately but that is not true. If it were true a muzzle loader shooting a bore diameter not groove diameter bullet would not be accurate but we know that is not the case. Original Sharps paper patch bullets were from .444” to .446” diameter and patched to .450” to .451” diameter and we know how well they did from historical records. Another option would be our copy of the 405gn hollow base cavalry design which will do well to your maximum range but if shooting farther than 500 yards I would go with a 500gn. We have many other design but with your 1/20” twist many will be too long for stability that will keep the bullet spinning on its center axis without an wobble out to long range. Many may dispute my opinion on these points but my opinion is derived from years of my own shooting experience and not just parroting what I have heard from others.
