Tapered or Choked..?

[Bladeswell]

good Morning Folks,
I was wondering if anyone might know this. When a muzzleloader manufacturer states that their barrels are "Tapered", do they mean the outside diameter from breech to muzzle, or do they mean the inside of the bore..? Meaning something like a gradual "choke" in the bore. The reason I ask, is because I've noticed that when starting and seating a bullet it's usually much more difficult at the muzzle, then once truly started it is much easier to seat the bullet. Barnes TMZs are by far the most difficult to get started into the muzzle for all of my rifles. And BTW, that bullet shot about a 10" group at 50 yards out of my CVA .50 MR-X with one bullet of the three keyholing. Looking forward to your responses. Thanks.

 

[snapbang]

For rifles and Muzzle loaders I believe the tapered refers to the outside of the barrel. The reason starting a bullet is difficult is because you are imprinting the rifling into the bullet. Once the bullet is imprinted with the rifling it now slides easier down the barrel. Not sure Im stating it well.

 

[Ninering62]

good Morning Folks,
I was wondering if anyone might know this. When a muzzleloader manufacturer states that their barrels are "Tapered", do they mean the outside diameter from breech to muzzle, or do they mean the inside of the bore..? Meaning something like a gradual "choke" in the bore. The reason I ask, is because I've noticed that when starting and seating a bullet it's usually much more difficult at the muzzle, then once truly started it is much easier to seat the bullet. Barnes TMZs are by far the most difficult to get started into the muzzle for all of my rifles. And BTW, that bullet shot about a 10" group at 50 yards out of my CVA .50 MR-X with one bullet of the three keyholing. Looking forward to your responses. Thanks.

The " Taper " refers to the outside of the barrel. It may start out at the breech as 1" octagon & taper down to .800 - flat to flat at the muzzle.
It has nothing to do with the bore.

 

[MrTom]

I think you answered your own question. lol Getting the rifling to engage on the bullet or sabot takes some pressure, but once the rifling has been started, things lighten up. Of course there are influences like the powder used or the primer used that can toss a wrench in this, but for the most part bullets can be testy at the start but get easier as they go down.

The reason I ask, is because I've noticed that when starting and seating a bullet it's usually much more difficult at the muzzle, then once truly started it is much easier to seat the bullet.

 

[user 31408]

Tapered refers to the change in diameter of the outside of the barrel. This is also called”swamped” by some muzzleloading barrel makers and is a barrel that starts off at the breach wide, near the middle narrower, and toward the muzzle flared again. Fluting a barrel is another way of lightening a barrel weight in modern barrels.

 

[HV-Muzzleloaders]

It sounds like the machining process may have left a very small ring inside the barrel, which is not uncommon for factory rifles.

You may have to take it to a gunsmith or machinist to get it corrected.

If you are a DIY guy, you could get a piece of 1/2" brass rod to put in a drill. You could then add a little lapping compound to the end of the rod and use it to barely polish the inside of the barrel where you think the problem might be. Do not go deeper.

You may have to use a file on the outside of the brass rod to take off a little of the diameter to get it started into the bore. Do this while it is turning in the drill at the highest speed.

 

[Bushersam]

My 50 cal MRX is exactly like yours the best combination out of my rifle is 77 grs BLACK HORN 209 (BY WEIGHT NOT VOLUME). (I REPEAT BY WEIGHT NOT VOLUME). Parker Production 275 gr Ballastic Extreme and MMP HPH24 sabot. My bullet/sabot diameter is .503 it will shoot clover leafs at 100 yds if I do my part. This load might not work in your rifle but works fine in mine. I’ll save you some money don’t waste time trying to lap or go bullet to bore. I’ve tried everything and this is the best I came up with. So much for CVA advertising of most accurate muzzleloader made. Hope this helps.

 

[RobRed]

I haven’t been able to get my MRX to group smaller than a baseball sized group at 100.

 

[Mnt monkey]

Try Fury 250 either just the basic star tip or the black tip 70 grains by weight of Blackhorn if you see any potential try slowly working up, Harvester black sabot, 70 grains by weight has shot in a lot of CVA Acura 50 Cals for me ,I go straight to it now,, sighted in a friend's CVA Acura for him last fall,it was the new MRX model same results Cloverleaf half inch,, I have a couple of older 700 MLS and a couple of omegas that have the Factory 28 twist 50 cal barrels both the 700 mL and the Omega shoot that load too. That 70 grains by weight and the fury bullet has become a pet load for me and of course I have a 45 Cal pet load that I believe in even more ,I have come to both of my pet loads by shooting hundreds,, thousands of bullets not because I had one rifle that shined with that particular load,, multiple rifles shooting thousands of rounds have settled me on those two pet loads.

 

[RobRed]

Try Fury 250 either just the basic star tip or the black tip 70 grains by weight of Blackhorn if you see any potential try slowly working up, Harvester black sabot, 70 grains by weight has shot in a lot of CVA Acura 50 Cals for me ,I go straight to it now,, sighted in a friend's CVA Acura for him last fall,it was the new MRX model same results Cloverleaf half inch,, I have a couple of older 700 MLS and a couple of omegas that have the Factory 28 twist 50 cal barrels both the 700 mL and the Omega shoot that load too. That 70 grains by weight and the fury bullet has become a pet load for me and of course I have a 45 Cal pet load that I believe in even more ,I have come to both of my pet loads by shooting hundreds,, thousands of bullets not because I had one rifle that shined with that particular load,, multiple rifles shooting thousands of rounds have settled me on those two pet loads.

What sabot are you using with those fury’s? I assume you are shooting the .44 cals out of your .50?

 

[Mnt monkey]

No I'm using the Harvester black rib I've never been able to get a 44 Cal to hit the side of a barn in a 50 I've given up on 44th I have a whole wall full of 44 cal bullets I can get to the magic inch and a half but I cannot get them into a group that I'm happy with I've give up on 44 cal bullets the furies are 452 I like his 453 stb also I know a lot of us would rather have a 275 or 300 grain bullet in a 50 cal 28 twist and I think you should if you're hunting bigger bodied animals but if all you're hunting is whitetail deer and Hogs those 250 grain bullets are going to work well for you and I really think the 28 twist is going to shoot them more accurately than a 275 or a 300 not that you can't find some bigger bullets that the 28 twist will shoot again I'm talking multiple rifles and lots of bullets to get to these conclusions and I don't consider anything less than half inch acceptable I expect my first two bullets when I'm shooting plastic to be touching each other and if I let my Barrel cool to completely cold that third shot.