conical bullet diameter for muzzle loading rifles
Jul 23, 2020 9:23:24 GMT -7
shootist---Gary likes this
Post by Bullshop on Jul 23, 2020 9:23:24 GMT -7
Question
To whom it may concern,
I am interested in a pound of NASA lube and the 54 cal. 420 grain mountain Mould bullets. I slugged my bore and got .540 between the lands (so .540 is the size of bullet I would want?). I would like to pay using PayPal to expedite the whole process. (I have a muzzleloader bull elk tag that opens sept. 1 and need to practice and only recently learned of your existence).
answer
We need to be sure so there is no mistake that causes loading issues. If you slugged the bore and measured the largest outside diameter of that slug you are measuring the groove diameter of your barrel. With cartridge guns we deal with groove diameter bullets. With ML guns we deal with bore diameter because it will be impossible or nearly so to push a groove diameter bullet down from the muzzle especially so after a fouling shot. Bore diameters are generally about .008” less than groove diameters because rifling depth is generally about .004” and counted or measured from both sides.
ML bullets must deal with bore diameter so they can #1 seat in the barrel easily but #2 not be so loose a fit that they may move off the powder charge if the rifle is pointed downward thus possibly creating an obstructed barrel DANGEROUS situation.
There has to be a compromise between not too tight and not too loose. One factor of that compromise will be fitting from a clean bore or fitting from a fouled bore. In a target shooting situation the bore may be wiped after each shot so the bore condition is always the same so a slightly larger diameter may be desired for the too too compromise . In a hunting situation where the first shot may be from a clean bore but follow up shots may be from a fouled bore a slightly smaller diameter may be required so that loading in a fouled bore does not offer too much resistance to seating. These are things that can only be learned through experience with an individual rifle and not necessarily accurately predictable without. I am pointing these things out because I want you to be satisfied with your order and not receive something that is useless to you but finding out too late.
To whom it may concern,
I am interested in a pound of NASA lube and the 54 cal. 420 grain mountain Mould bullets. I slugged my bore and got .540 between the lands (so .540 is the size of bullet I would want?). I would like to pay using PayPal to expedite the whole process. (I have a muzzleloader bull elk tag that opens sept. 1 and need to practice and only recently learned of your existence).
answer
We need to be sure so there is no mistake that causes loading issues. If you slugged the bore and measured the largest outside diameter of that slug you are measuring the groove diameter of your barrel. With cartridge guns we deal with groove diameter bullets. With ML guns we deal with bore diameter because it will be impossible or nearly so to push a groove diameter bullet down from the muzzle especially so after a fouling shot. Bore diameters are generally about .008” less than groove diameters because rifling depth is generally about .004” and counted or measured from both sides.
ML bullets must deal with bore diameter so they can #1 seat in the barrel easily but #2 not be so loose a fit that they may move off the powder charge if the rifle is pointed downward thus possibly creating an obstructed barrel DANGEROUS situation.
There has to be a compromise between not too tight and not too loose. One factor of that compromise will be fitting from a clean bore or fitting from a fouled bore. In a target shooting situation the bore may be wiped after each shot so the bore condition is always the same so a slightly larger diameter may be desired for the too too compromise . In a hunting situation where the first shot may be from a clean bore but follow up shots may be from a fouled bore a slightly smaller diameter may be required so that loading in a fouled bore does not offer too much resistance to seating. These are things that can only be learned through experience with an individual rifle and not necessarily accurately predictable without. I am pointing these things out because I want you to be satisfied with your order and not receive something that is useless to you but finding out too late.
