Muzzle loaders,what is your favorite bullets?

mjbskwim · Nov 9, 2015

I have a week in Nov/Dec to kill a cow elk with a muzzleloader. I have never really shot them much and just bought a new CVA Optima v2. Nice little gun. Seemed to do well and made me flinch with 444grain slugs.
I'm pretty sure Idaho is the same as Washington and Oregon for guns and ammo for traditional muzzleloading. I guess lead bullets or balls not copper jacked
So what are the most accurate bullets you have used for your muzzy?
This gun is 50cal and has a 1/28 twist
I bought the powerbelts and then found out they weren't legal. A guy at the range had all lead powerbelts (444 grain) and those are what seemed to shoot well. At 30 bucks for 15 I would like more info. This could get expensive until I make my own
Thanks in advance
Mike

Oregonhunter5 · Nov 9, 2015

444 grains? Dude, that would lake me flinch. I shoot the 385 grain. I need to check my brand, but there all lead. There's company in Baker Oregon that makes good stuff I hear. Was that a draw tag?

mjbskwim · Nov 9, 2015

I ordered some CVA powerbelt all lead bullets. Both the 348s and 405s. The guy that was helping me seemed to like the brand
http://shop.cva.com/PowerBelt/PowerBelt_Lead_.asp
This is a regular tag,a 'greenlands' tag. First part of the season it's any weapon,cow/antlerless , within 1 mile of cultivated field,not forest service land. Some areas the farmers and ranchers want you to shoot them and hopefully chase them from the fields. But the area I got not a soul in the area trusts the hunter and they won't let you hunt their land.
And the elk don't leave the alfalfa fields for much
O son of some friends was called when the elk were in. I'm gunna try to meet this farmer for next year. I can't eat horns

Oh, and the second season is Thanksgiving week and it's muzzleloader and the entire unit. Or 4 units for my area. And with it snowing in the hills, it makes the hunt about the same only more fields are plowed

Mark W. · Nov 10, 2015

I've shot a LOT of Muzzle loaders the wife and I shot in competition for years in the 80's and 90's my favorite "bullet" in my 50cal is a .490" round ball 190 grains if memory serves. But then my rifle has a Green Mountain 24" long 1-72" barrel with .010" deep rifling made for target shooting with a round ball. 70 grains of 3f black powder for anything under 150 yards and 100 grains for big critters. I can hit a small Styrofoam coffee cup at 125 yards standing with the 70 grain load.

mjbskwim · Nov 10, 2015

I had a cabellas Kentucky long rifle years ago. Always thought they were the bee's knees
I'll probably end up making another one next year.
Now I just hope the bullets get here in time to sight the rifle in

Big D · Dec 2, 2015

http://www.muzzleloading-bullets.com/

mjbskwim · Dec 2, 2015

I forgot to post about ordering the bullets.
I ordered them online and got my order conformation email,but no shipping info.
They end up being ordered from CVA
When ordering from amazon you get tracking and all that,so i was concerned if they were even sent.
About 4 days i guess,I decide to email them to see WTF was going on.Nobody ever answers the phone so now I'm kinda peeved.So I find the email and ask WTF?
Maybe I should go check my mail at the PO?
Hahaha,then mail them so fast they can't be tracked

Gunnerboy · Dec 2, 2015

385Gr plains bullet from hornady.. Shoots Better than most people and has alot of knockdown with 110Grs of ffg.

mjbskwim · Dec 3, 2015

Gunnerboy said:
385Gr plains bullet from hornady.. Shoots Better than most people and has alot of knockdown with 110Grs of ffg.

Plus affordable to shoot

Andy54Hawken · Dec 5, 2015

I built a muzzleloading rifle for a friend in .50 caliber with a 1-20 twist. She shoots both round balls and conicals very well out of it.
Round ball load is 60 grains , .15 patch and a .490 ball.
Conical load is 50 grains and a hand cast conical from a Lee mould 500-360 grain.
The Mould was brought from The Gun Works , Springfield OR.
Andy

mjbskwim · Dec 5, 2015

That 'plains' bullet is a common mold ,no?
I'm having fun with this so I will be looking into some bullet molds and trying to find some lead

Andy54Hawken · Dec 5, 2015

Yep it sure is.
Dixie Gun Works , The Gun Works and Track of The Wolf all have that mould for sale.
If you want , I'll keep my eye out for it , if it shows up for sale at a club shoot ...
Andy

mjbskwim · Dec 5, 2015

It will be next year before I get serious.
lol
Around February or so I'll state looking
And I would appreciate it

USAF Medic · Dec 14, 2015

I have hunted with muzzle loaders for 35 years. I like the T/C maxi balls.

One tip, Don't get carried away with the powder. More is not better.
I use 72 grains of pyrodex-P. Gives you better ignition and a little higher pressure.