Muzzleloading bullets prefomance in breechloaders?

[Jim Holmgren]

I have several moulds for muzzleloaders and I wonder if anyone has tested to use Maxi, Minie or REAL bullets in breechloaders?

I thinking about getting a something that can use my old molds (.500 cal).

[K.O.]

well there is no reason you can not make it work and in fact the long Heavy Barrels can be an advantage...

But.... what you are facing it the the different type of rounds are best suited for different types of rifling...and twist rates...

so...

Calibre    Roundball twist   Conical twist      Compromise

.36          1:48                      1:16   
.40          1:48                      1:16, 1:18   
.45         1:60, 1:66              1:18, 1:20           1:48
.50         1:66, 1:70, 1:72      1:24, 1:28           1:48
.54         1:70, 1:77              1:28, 1:32, 1:38   1:56
.58         1:70, 1:72, 1:83      1:32, 1:38, 1:48    1:60 

Patched round ball deep rifling...  Bullets/ maxi Ball shallow rifling

etc... there are many discussions on which barrel for what I am sure and how well they work...

If I remember right the T.C. Barrels where just a tad slow twist for there own Maxi Ball and needed a heavy load to shoot well... was a long time ago  talking to  folk would need to research to be sure... also in the compromise barrels the round ball did best with light loads and so on...had to get patching right... and so on...

But yep could be doable...

[Tonykarter]

Everything he said.  Best assembly of muzzleloader facts I have seen.

[Kinetic45^]

I've tried to shoot just about everything in my .457 Texan.
I had an old Lee 250gr REAL mold and tried it but accuracy was poor.  So since I don't have any ML any more I checked the mold up in my lathe in a 4 jaw and dial indicated it in then openned up the base band to cast.458.
Then it shot fairly well, sized to .456(OK), .457(best) and .458(2nd best)...much improved but there were much, much better bullets so stuck it back in ' mold storage'

I have also tried several different pistol bullets that go with my .45 BP revolvers and some shot OK but other 'regular' molds were better.  I found that any bullet with a tapered base for ease in loading in the revolver chambers did not produce much accuracy in my .45 Texan.

Of course, the round ball is the quintessential muzzle loading slug and some big bore rifles shoot them well.