Does anyone have experience with this ML?

[pacanis]

Strictly an impulse buy. Someone put it up on another forum for what I deemed as a good price and I jumped on it, knowing full well I'd have to do more than the usual playing around with finding a load for it.
It's a Traditions 50cal, 24" barrel and... 1:32 twist



What I've been able to find, which I think is talking about this gun (Deerhunter?), is that it will shoot round balls just fine with a lighter load. And of course conicals just fine.
I've got the RB's to try. I was thinking of trying some TC Maxi balls. Which are quite pricey and come in two weights.
This is where you come in

Has anyone played around with a fast twist short barrel, particularly if it's this one, that can give me some intel? I'm not interested in sabots. Just in whether I should go ahead and order a die to cast my own and in one weight if the Maxi Balls are what I should be feeding it. Ideally I'd like something that will shoot cloverleafs off the bench at 50yds and have some punch to it. Just in case I decide to hunt with it.

ETA: I don't have it yet and the previous owner never shot it. I'd like to line something up other than the RB's for my first range session.

Thanks

 

[45-70]

Strictly an impulse buy. Someone put it up on another forum for what I deemed as a good price and I jumped on it, knowing full well I'd have to do more than the usual playing around with finding a load for it.
It's a Traditions 50cal, 24" barrel and... 1:32 twist

View attachment 30482

What I've been able to find, which I think is talking about this gun (Deerhunter?), is that it will shoot round balls just fine with a lighter load. And of course conicals just fine.
I've got the RB's to try. I was thinking of trying some TC Maxi balls. Which are quite pricey and come in two weights.
This is where you come in

Has anyone played around with a fast twist short barrel, particularly if it's this one, that can give me some intel? I'm not interested in sabots. Just in whether I should go ahead and order a die to cast my own and in one weight if the Maxi Balls are what I should be feeding it. Ideally I'd like something that will shoot cloverleafs off the bench at 50yds and have some punch to it. Just in case I decide to hunt with it.

ETA: I don't have it yet and the previous owner never shot it. I'd like to line something up other than the RB's for my first range session.

Thanks

 

[45-70]

be tough finding load with conicals

 

[pacanis]

be tough finding load with conicals

Why?

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Strictly an impulse buy. Someone put it up on another forum for what I deemed as a good price and I jumped on it, knowing full well I'd have to do more than the usual playing around with finding a load for it.
It's a Traditions 50cal, 24" barrel and... 1:32 twist

View attachment 30482

What I've been able to find, which I think is talking about this gun (Deerhunter?), is that it will shoot round balls just fine with a lighter load. And of course conicals just fine.
I've got the RB's to try. I was thinking of trying some TC Maxi balls. Which are quite pricey and come in two weights.
This is where you come in

Has anyone played around with a fast twist short barrel, particularly if it's this one, that can give me some intel? I'm not interested in sabots. Just in whether I should go ahead and order a die to cast my own and in one weight if the Maxi Balls are what I should be feeding it. Ideally I'd like something that will shoot cloverleafs off the bench at 50yds and have some punch to it. Just in case I decide to hunt with it.

ETA: I don't have it yet and the previous owner never shot it. I'd like to line something up other than the RB's for my first range session.

Thanks

I think you should try the lighter maxi-balls first, on 60-70 grains of real black if you have it Pyrodex or T7 if you dont. Or try the Shooters World Multi Purpose Black if you can. Use an over powder wad too.

 

[pacanis]

I think you should try the lighter maxi-balls first, on 60-70 grains of real black if you have it Pyrodex or T7 if you dont. Or try the Shooters World Multi Purpose Black if you can. Use an over powder wad too.

Thanks.
So I'd be happier in the long run with Maxi Balls?
That can be arranged.

But an over powder wad? That is new to me.
Do you mean what is referred to as a Nitro card? Something about an 1/8" thick and hard? Or like a 1/2" felt wad that is often used between powder and shot in a fowler? Or tow, lambs wool...
I think on another forum I saw someone using a filler like cream of wheat as a buffer. But that was in a fowler between powder and ball.

I'm willing to try anything.
Especially if I can see the results. I was hoping someone had been down this road before.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Yeah you can definitely use a nitro card, or a wool wad. I use thinner ones, .030” card or 1/8” wad, usually unlubed. Ive used cards too. Both work. Some times an oversize wool wad can tighten up groups for some guns/bullets. Try both ways.
I say try the maxi-balls because they seem to be available all over still, and molds can be found pretty cheap if they shoot good for you. I prefer the maxi-hunters myself (they're shorter which is better for a slightly slower twist like the 1:32”) but they are just a little harder to find, molds too. Hornady PA conicals or Great Plains Hunters should work well in it too and are in stock at a lot of places but a mold for them could be a problem. Lyman makes a Plains bullet mold. But its a not identical. Lots of options if you look around some. I would tell you to stay in the 240-320 range with conicals in that gun to get her started.

 

[drpatton]

Traditions 50cal, 24" barrel and... 1:32 twist

Probably the best massed produced conical for that twist is the Hornady 385gr "Great Plains" bullet, or any bullet up to 1 inch in length.

p.s. The best price for the Great Plains Bullets is at Natchez.
https://www.natchezss.com/50-cal-great-plains-bullet-385gr-hbhp-ho6620

 

[eekjellander]

Strictly an impulse buy. Someone put it up on another forum for what I deemed as a good price and I jumped on it, knowing full well I'd have to do more than the usual playing around with finding a load for it.
It's a Traditions 50cal, 24" barrel and... 1:32 twist

View attachment 30482

What I've been able to find, which I think is talking about this gun (Deerhunter?), is that it will shoot round balls just fine with a lighter load. And of course conicals just fine.
I've got the RB's to try. I was thinking of trying some TC Maxi balls. Which are quite pricey and come in two weights.
This is where you come in

Has anyone played around with a fast twist short barrel, particularly if it's this one, that can give me some intel? I'm not interested in sabots. Just in whether I should go ahead and order a die to cast my own and in one weight if the Maxi Balls are what I should be feeding it. Ideally I'd like something that will shoot cloverleafs off the bench at 50yds and have some punch to it. Just in case I decide to hunt with it.

ETA: I don't have it yet and the previous owner never shot it. I'd like to line something up other than the RB's for my first range session.

Thanks

I just posted on a smokeless thread (,mines BP ) shows what I shoot in that CVA V2 50 cal 1-28 twist 12in barrel pocket rocket with sabot and if it stops snowin/freezing rain I'm going back out tomorrow /Ed

 

[eekjellander]

Probably the best massed produced conical for that twist is the Hornady 385gr "Great Plains" bullet, or any bullet up to 1 inch in length.

p.s. The best price for the Great Plains Bullets is at Natchez.
https://www.natchezss.com/50-cal-great-plains-bullet-385gr-hbhp-ho6620

Or my 501 cal I bullet from accurate/Ed

 

[WP79Vet]

I'd say that some of the longer, heavier conicals, like the Hornady Great Plains, should stabilize well in that rifle, even at elevations that are close to sea level. 1-32 twist isn't much different than 1-28.

 

[deermanok]

That gun you have there is a Traditions Tennessee rifle. I have the same one but in percussion. Mine also has the slow twist 1/66 round ball barrel.
You might have the fast twist 1/32 ?
I would try several different conicals. I have good luck with the Hornady PA conicals, 240 grains. They're not very expensive for target shooting or as a hunting bullet.

 

[drpatton]

Or my 501 cal I bullet from accurate/Ed

Ed, do you mass produce those?

 

[drpatton]

1:32 twist

Lyman had one of their Investarms, Great Plains Rifles made with a 1:32 twist. The rifle was designed to shoot a longer lead conical, like the Hornady GP bullet.
That is a good twist rate for a lead .50 caliber bullet.

p.s. The .50 with a 1:32 gives you a huge of choice of bullets to try. BACO, No Excuse, Hornady or mold your own.
https://www.buffaloarms.com/muzzleloading-supplies/muzzleloading-bullets.htmlhttps://www.muzzleloading-bullets.com/product-category/muzzleloader-bullets/

 

[Ninering62]

Probably the best massed produced conical for that twist is the Hornady 385gr "Great Plains" bullet, or any bullet up to 1 inch in length.

p.s. The best price for the Great Plains Bullets is at Natchez.
https://www.natchezss.com/50-cal-great-plains-bullet-385gr-hbhp-ho6620

Yesssss

 

[pacanis]

I have some of those Hornady GP's in my cart to try out.

It seems that Lyman makes a mold for it? But I read nothing but bad things about the bullets it produces.
Then I found this mold Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold 515-500-F 50-70 Government (515 Diameter) 500 and guys were liking the way these bullets were shooting out of faster twist rates. That was mentioned in a Hornady GP thread.

Thanks for steering me towards some other conicals to try. I'm not sure why I was always running into TC Maxi Balls before when looking for lead bullets. I guess because I'm just not that familiar with conicals unless I have specific names to look for.

@deermanok , thanks for putting a name on my rifle.

 

[pacanis]

I just noticed my thread was moved.
I could have sworn it fell under:
"Talk about your Modern Inline or Traditional rifle "Shooting sabots or Conicals" here!"

Sorry about that.

 

[eekjellander]

Ed, do you mass produce those?

NOPE just one at a time (single cav) but I can supply a sample to try 25 and up what fits in a small flat rate
PM me /Ed

 

[smokepolehall]

Conicals from a 1:32 twist grs from 250 on up. Lighter weight will be on the short length type & loads from 50 gr on up til the accuracy falls off or the recoil gets the better of your shoulder. Longer n heavier will certainly take more powder charge n so it goes. It ought to work well, of course shorter bbl. may need faster burning powder, you don't want half a load still trying to burn after your conical has left the muzzle

 

[user 30396]

Strictly an impulse buy. Someone put it up on another forum for what I deemed as a good price and I jumped on it, knowing full well I'd have to do more than the usual playing around with finding a load for it.
It's a Traditions 50cal, 24" barrel and... 1:32 twist

View attachment 30482

What I've been able to find, which I think is talking about this gun (Deerhunter?), is that it will shoot round balls just fine with a lighter load. And of course conicals just fine.
I've got the RB's to try. I was thinking of trying some TC Maxi balls. Which are quite pricey and come in two weights.
This is where you come in

Has anyone played around with a fast twist short barrel, particularly if it's this one, that can give me some intel? I'm not interested in sabots. Just in whether I should go ahead and order a die to cast my own and in one weight if the Maxi Balls are what I should be feeding it. Ideally I'd like something that will shoot cloverleafs off the bench at 50yds and have some punch to it. Just in case I decide to hunt with it.

ETA: I don't have it yet and the previous owner never shot it. I'd like to line something up other than the RB's for my first range session.

Thanks

Have no idea what you paid but from the pic that is a NICE LOOKING RIFLE. Good buy! The 24” barrel looks quite handy as a “hunter”.