Conical bullets in ML handguns

[ovenpaa]

I have a Rogers and Spencer .55 ML revolver arriving at some point and although it comes with all of the reloading kit and full load data for ball I was wondering if anyone shoots such things with conical bullets?

[1066]

Give them a try by all means but I never have found them to compare with the accuracy of a good ball. I use H&N balls, I've found size and weight to be very consistent and will deliver accuracy comparable with good centrefire ammunition at 25 yards.

[dromia]

I like conicals for paper cartridges.

First of all you need to check the twist rate of the revolver, a lot of the modern replicas are slow twist for round ball.

Many original pistols had gain twist to help with the heavier conical bullets.

At our target ranges 25 - 50 yrds the round ball is usually more accurate than the conicals but you must remember that the pistols were designed to shoot man sized targets out to 100 yrds and here the conicals would have done better. It is also the reason why these pistols shoot high at 25 yrds

I was shooting my Pedersoli 1858 Remington at 100 yrds today with round ball and it was easily holding 12" x 24" at that distance shot rested.

I am actually trying to get a conical GB going over on NOE see here: http://noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php ... 041.0.html

Finally if you are going to shoot conicals in a repro revolver then the loading gate in the frame will usually need enlarging as it is only made big enough for ball, easy enough to do with a Dremel and a grinding wheel.

[Triffid]

How about the Lee REAL conical slug if a 54 cal would work in your gun?
http://leeprecision.com/mold-d-c-54cal-300.html
My ROA likes their 45 cal REAL slug.

Triffid

[dromia]

I have tried the REALS in my guns and they need sizing down and don't seem to work as well as the Lee conical. The sizing also removes most of the lube capacity from the REAL.

The ROA has larger chambers than the other repro's so will take the REAL.

I also suspect that the calibre is a typo and the Rogers and Spencer is in .44.

[ovenpaa]

Opps, yes it is a .44