livtohunt

Hello all: I'm new to this site as well blackpowder hunting.
I just recently purchased a used Traditions Lightning Bolt Mag 50 Cal, which might not be a great gun, but it'll have to do as we are leaving Boxing Day for 3 days of Deer Hunting.
My question to you all is while loading the gun with Barnes bullets, they are reeally hard to get started down the bore, while the Power Belts are quite easy to start. I'm concerned about the loss of pressure with using the PB. Can anyone suggest what I could or should use in the ML..(type and weight of sabot, grains of 777 ?
Thanks in adavance

ahankster

Heck yea!!
Put ya about 150 grains of 777 pellets in there, slab a big ole glop of bore butter on the smallest power belt ya can get your hands on, lighter means better ballistics right!, and cram it down there as tight as ya can, crushing the pellets a bit as you go!!!!

On a serious note. There are all sorts of opinions on the subject of projectiles, most of which can be easily found on this site with a simple search. There is a running thread right now that is on the front page. I know the Barnes bullets are probably difficult to start, but they will probably do you much better in the long run than the PBs.

If you are determined to use power belts, I would suggest using 295 grains or heavier and stay at or below 100 grains of pyrodex. Just a recommendation, but I think you will find it will serve you much better than either the lighter pbs and/or heavier powder charges.

Hank

livtohunt

Thanks Hank!!! Pyrodex is the loose powder?
My buddies that are used to this ML deal do shoot the Barnes 300gr, with 150 of 777.
But from what I've been reading maybe I only need 100 gr of powder. Is the loose powder more beneficial over the 777 pucks?

sabotloader

livtohunt

For now or until you have time to develope a load - use the powerbelts - 295 & up is a good suggestion....

Theway the powerbelt works is the force of the explosion of the powder on the bottom of the bullet forces the bullet base to expand up against your barrel and into contact with the riflelings holding in the pressure... I would suggest 90 to 100 grains of T7-2f.

You will be able to get those Barnes bullets to work but you will have to change sabots to a MMP HPH-24 or a Harvester...

Pglasgow

livtohunt,

Barnes expanders need be tight due to the fact that they do not obturate (expand) when the rifle is fired. Without a tight fit, the sabot spins but the bullet slips leading to instability. I can not tell you if yours are too tight or not. Sounds like you are in canada, where its really cold right now, so I imagine that loading could be tough when you get to camp.

I'd probably do this. Before going, I'd test the PB's with 70 grains 777 and if they grouped well 2" high at 50, I'd try 75 yards, then 100 yards. If you group 4" to 5" at 100 yards then you should be good to 100 yards. You may alsowant to test the load with the barrel at thetemperatures you'll be hunting at just to see how a very cold clean barrel changespoint of impact.

Aim double lung on the deer.

Good luck

ahankster

live,
I think Pglasgow's advise is right on.

Pellets are fineas opposed to loose powder. They do tend to work better if they are NOT crushed though. Pyrodex and 777 come in pellets and two 50 grain pellets of either and a 295 grain PB (or heavier) would be an ok place to start. 70 grains of loose 777 is pretty close to 100 grains of pyrodex, maybe a little less. Other suggestions for projectiles might include Hornady XTPs, Gold Dots, Shockwaves and several others. These can be pushed much faster than the PBs and in some cases are ballistically superior.
After you have been shooting awhile, and refine your needs, you might want to shift to loose powder and more modern sabots. It will increase your range and accuracy.
Good luck.
Hank

Triple Se7en

Put an even amount of bore butter in the Powerbelt hollow base-bottom. Fill the bottom so it's smooth across the entire bottom - like you were putting wallboard compound over nail holes in your bedroom wall. That will help reduce gas-cutting. You may have to tweak your scope afterwards.
For those Barnes bullets, try these below. Buy a couple of packs of each. I guarantee you that over the years - as you buy more bullet brands, those plastic sabots will not go to waste.

http://www.cabelas.com/products/Cpod0012633.jsp

livtohunt

Thanks guys for the replies!!! After reading the post about overdriving Power Belts, I realize how much there is to know about muzzle loading and how ignorant I am about the sport!!!
I'll take all the advise with me to the gun shop and hope I spend my money on the right components..[&:][&:]