Goin' traditional!

[StockGlock23]

So after trying about 10 different loads for my .54 cal ML and not getting even close to the results I wanted I have decided to go with the old patch and round ball with iron sights. My ML has 1:48" twist and every single load I have ever tried has never yielded anything better than about 6" groups at 50 yards.

Here what I have tried so far:
348 Gr Powerbelts
444 Gr Powerbelts
Remington Corelokt with sabots (I forget the weight)
3 different kinds of other brands of saboted bullets (I forget these weights too)
400 Gr Hornady Great Plains
3 different sizes of off brand conicals
(All these were shot with a scope)

I admit that I was not taking into consideration the slow twist when I fired the Powerbelts and the saboted bullets. So I am hoping that the patch and ball will give me a little more accuracy. This gun has made me more angry and frustrated than one should ever be at an inanimate object. I have had this gun since I was 19 (5 years)and it was a gift from my mom and dad (first gun they ever bought me)and I would like to get a single deer with it before I retire it to my safe. I am not happy with it but I take it out every year just for the sentimental value. If I can get a 3" group at 50 I will be happy.

Once this season is over I am going to buy a T/C Encore in .50 cal with a scope for rifle season and a .50 cal ML barrel with iron sights for my Mossy 500 for ML season. I figure since the ML season is meant to be "traditional" I will devoid myself of a scope. Anyways I ordered to patches and balls tonight and a set of replacement sights since I have lost the old set.

Wish me luck!

[vafish]

When I initially did accuracy testing with my TC .54 Thunderhawk I got the best accuracy with 385 gr Buffalo Bore bullets.

I ran out of them at the end of last year and found some 425 gr bullets on sale at the end of the season. I bought a couple boxes of them.

Accuracy of the 425's is no where near what I was getting with the 385's. With the 385's it would shoot a nice cloverleaf 3 shot group at 50 yards. The 425's shoot about a 3-4" group.

All I can say is try varying your powder charge up and down a bit to see what your gun likes. Keep trying you'll eventually find the magic combination that works.

[noway]

fwiw: You are doing the right things by trying various things.

Now for the powerbelts I have never gotten any reliable accuracy between shots. Don't ask me why but they never work for darn in any of my mzl'er.

1n48 rifling is kinda slow for sabot imho and you be better off with a 1n35 inch or better, that's the idea range for sabot. For ball/patch you need to be closer to the 1n60 or slower range but 1n48 could be made to work.

You rifling , guess what? Is idea for a simple conical.

Have you tried any of the 54cal conical from Knight, TC or White? if IIRC Knight makes a very nice conical that supposely one of the best out on the market. Also the maxiball is supposely nice in this caliber. White's Muzzleloading outfit also has a few conical that are gear to go far and have alot of enegry at over 200yards. I would seriously look into one of the 3.


One thing I haven't seen you posted is what charge are you using between your testing are you swabbing the bore between shots? are you performing a fouling shout?etc?.

This has a big impact on accuracy just like the bullet type and rifling. Somewhere between min and max is the normal sweet range in performance from my personal experience. You have to try and try and try again. Also in any of the plain conical ( no sabot ) you need to lube the bullet correctly. The lube, quality or lube all factors into how it flys. This is true for all except a powerbelt that has a plastic skirt that acts like the lube if I may.

If your getting 6" at 50yards, which is not good but not bad eithter ( at 50yards or less ), than I highly doubt you will do better with an lead ball. Ball-n-Patch is much harder todo and more critical in loading ( amount of lube, thickness or patch, how hard the ball is,diameter of the ball, etc.....) and no where as accurate at longer ranges than what a conical or sabot/bulley would give. In your setup you should easily get 6" or less at 100yards from off a bag/bench. Fine tunning your mzl'er you should beable to get it even smaller.

{ figure since the ML season is meant to be "traditional" I will devoid myself of a scope. Anyways I ordered to patches and balls tonight and a set of replacement sights since I have lost the old set. }

I'm not going to even argue that point, but just point out;

> my mzl'er season saying Mzl'er and has nothing todo with traditional or have the wording traditional mention in it from anywhere or documentation describing muzzle loader season

> if you want to play off the wording "traditional" and in the situation you describe, then the two models you are spec'ing aren't even closely consider a traditional model ( Encore or 500 with Mzl'er bbl ) ;)

> a true traditional or all hardware being traditional would be something like TC Hawken or something with a curly or spalted maple stock with flint or side percussion iginition.



Good luck.