Desert Sheep

I had my second range session with my Knight Shadow, .50 cal, stainless with a Green Mountain barelltoday. My first range session was shooting Powerbelts, since that's all that the local Sportsmans Warehouse stocked. They shot ok, but I didn't take my screwdrivers so I could adjust the sights.

Today, I went with a buddy of mine and we started to shoot from 50 yards off my portable bench. Steve went first and had a decent group of 3, so I started to load my gun. I had bought some Hornady Great Plains 410 and 460 grain bullets. I started with the 460. I loaded 80 grains of T7 ffg and then attempted to load the bullet. It didn't fit!!!

I tried and tried with the short bullet starter and it wouldn't go. So I pulled the plug and pushed out the load. The bullet got almost started, but was pealing lead off the bullet. So I tried again with the 410 bullets with the same results.

Talk about disappointed. I then tried one of Steve's .503 No Excuses 460 grains and was able to push it into the barrel with my thumb. They shot good for me with 90 grains of T7 - 3 shot group of 2 inches at 75 yards - which I consider good, since this is my first year with a muzzleloader.

So has anyone else had the same experience with the Great Plains? I'm assuming that my barrel is just too tight for them.

frontier gander

yes and that is normal. the very first ring towards the tip of the bullet i believe is .515", you need to use a bullet starter and give a very firm push or sharp smack to cut the lead. That groove engraves into the rifling.

cayugad

Some conicals are not slip fit. Meaning you can't load them with little or no pressure. As FG said, you need to take a short starter and smack it under the crown. Sometimes it takes a good stiff range rod to load some of them, depending on the rifle. The .503 is a slip fit conical. That is why it loaded easier.

Indiana SmokePole

DS

When I used the HGP I always had to use a Short Starter and like FG said give it a sharp wack.

But now I use the Bullshop conicals and like you said start with my thumb I also shoot a .503
If your buddy has enough and don't mind you shooting some more of his Boolits drop your powder charge down to 80gr and you should see your groups tighten up even more ! I shoot 80gr 2fg 777 and a 460gr NEX Bullshop with a .510 over the powder nitro card wad in my Disc extreme MHC and @ 100yds can cover 5 shots with a 1/2 doller pc.The Knight rifles and Bullshop Conicals are a great mix. Sending you a PM

Desert Sheep

I have a short starter, but even with that, it wouldn't work. My buddy tried too, who is bigger than me, and even with his weight (sorry Steve), they wouldn't go. I guess I will try the"smack down" next time, since I still have them.

Indiana - got your pm - I'll respond on Tues.

lemoyne

You might consider sizeing them or getting something like the bullshops or no excueses that you can buy to the size you want. If you have to drive them in you will likely force them off center and then they will shot all over. Lee

arcticap

I generally use a smallmallet and gentlytap, tap, tap thebulletdown the bore.
When loading, there'sreallyno need to repeatedlybeat upone's palm unnecessarily.

Ihave a coupleof these inexpensive CVAsizers which areprobably longdiscontinued.Their diameters averagebetween about.503 - .506 because they'relower quality andnot perfectly round. I suppose that the sizer could deform a conical since neither end is more open than the other, butusing itwould still probablybe more preferable thantrying to load& shootanoversized bullet.
I haven'teven tried one of these out yet to see how well it works.