Ball or Conical bullet

[ozblackpowderguy]

Is there any benefit in using a conical bullet over a normal round ball in a Ruger Old Army Black Powder Revolver.
What load better suits each type of round.
I use 22 gns of FFFg with 15 gns of filler ( polenta ) for both 25 and 50 meter events.

[sparky]

I'm guessing yes. Greater bearing surface for better, more uniform contact with rifling, leading to a more stable projectile. Also, the conical one is probably a more aerodynamic projectile.

[deleted1]

Hey, why don't you try the Traditional Muzzleloader Message Hide---www.tmmh.com ----That site is dedicated to shooting BP guns.

[Mike McDaniel]

Use round ball. The conicals nave never been noted for accuracy. Walk down the line at a World Muzzle-Loading Championships when the Colt or Mariette events are being shot, and 95%+ of the competitors are using round balls.

[sparky]

Use round ball. The conicals nave never been noted for accuracy. Walk down the line at a World Muzzle-Loading Championships when the Colt or Mariette events are being shot, and 95%+ of the competitors are using round balls.

Interesting. Why is that? Perhaps conicals deform when being loaded while round balls don't? I'm curious.

[Mike McDaniel]

I think it's mostly a matter of the conicals being aerodynamically unstable. Also remember how difficult it is to get the bullets loaded straight, particularly when loading with the lever as required by MLAIC rules (or in the field). Round balls are a lot easier to work with.

[David M]

From all the testing I have done, Balls are the way to go.
There is no accuracy advantage with conicals because they are heavier and you need to drive them a lot harder for the same result.
I use 18g FFF with 22g polentia filler for 25m and swap the nozzles of 50m.
One of the best tricks for accuracy is to use fresh cast balls in pure lead. Because lead age hardens if the balls are grey instead of shiny bright, melt them and re-cast. Also the grease make quite a difference to accuracy.

[The Bobcat]

According to my knowledge the round balls have a reputation for better accuracy than the conicals.

Straight loading of the conicals is not too difficult with a seating lever formed to match the point of the conical, I think.

Remember that for best accuracy a round ball also should be loadet with the spruecutter mark pointing uniformly in the same direction (either rearward or forward. Theoretically forward would be beneficial).

A conical is often longer and heavier than a round ball. The rifling twist of a gun intended for round balls it optimized for round ball. The conicals could possibly benefit from a slightly faster twist.

As things are, good round ball loads in a sound gun can be very accurate.