1858 NMA remmy, anyone use conicals??

[tony1975]

as per the title, I got a 1858 remmy NMA stainless with target sights etc, worked a really nice load for it and worked the trigger now, its a beauty to shoot, but only ever put .454 balls through it, I know that everyone tells me that its supposed to run balls, but being the curious person that I am, I wondered about conicals, anyone tried them, whats the difference in performance if any??

or is there a very good reason for only using balls?

[LONG REACH]

If I get the mould I'm after, I'll let you know, because I've been using .457 soft lead balls through a stainless 1858 and I want to see what conical's will shoot like !!!
I would imagine that they would be more accurate, because of their shape, but as I'm yet to try them, I'll have to wait and see. If you shoot some before I do, please let us know what the outcome was.
I think the only drawback to using conical's, is maybe in the loading, as they would need to be spot on straight, as they were pushed into the cylinder, or so I would have thought

Anyone who know's better that us, please do tell !!!

ATB
Baz

[tony1975]

my intention was to make a new "pushing" section that fits the conical shape as opposed to the current flatter section for pressing a ball in.

but only if the conicals show some real advantage

anyone suggest places online that sell moulds and associated equipement?

[LONG REACH]

Midway UK sell a good selection of Lee moulds and melting equipment, the moulds are about £18.00 and there's a few different furnaces you can buy, but you could also try the Lee website, I think it's www.leeprecision.com, but I'm not 100% sure.

ATB
Baz

[Auto culto]

just out of curiosity how accurate are the bp muzzleloaders ?

[LONG REACH]

I've seen 3-4" grouping @ 50m, so they're not too bad, on the other hand, I've seen shot's all over a double bedsheet, that was used as a backdrop behind a 12" target (that's with a rifle by the way !!!) a pistol, I'm averaging around 65 @ 20 yds on a standard 9" pistol target.

Overall, it depends on the weapon and the person using it.

ATB
Baz

[tony1975]

more accurate than me LOL

theres a guy at my club that is the bible as far as Im concerned on BP guns, hes a crack shot and top notch engineer.

spent an hour or so with him, various coaching tips, stance grip and work that I needed to do to my trigger etc.

done some practice since, single handed 6 shot groups at 25yards

my best is roughly measured with a ruler centre to centre just under 4"

certainly not impressive but Im very proud of it

tomoro will be fun,club comp is 6 shots left handed 6 shots right handed at 25yards GULP!!

had a practice at 50 yards in the past, was very shocked at how good it was.

[LONG REACH]

You're doing better than me, I'm using a club gun with standard sights and I hate them, because I'm so inconsistant with it. When I shoot my mate's Rogers & Spencer .44 with target sights, I'm getting 3-5" grouping, but when I use the club 's 1858, it goes from 3"-shotgun, some cards are really good, others you would think I had my eyes closed
But hopefully, not long now before I can get my own guns !!!

ATB
Baz

[tony1975]

I very nearly bought a .44 rogers and spencer, very nice at local firearms auction, cased with moulds, tools etc etc, good nick made £46, but already had the NMA, and the R&S didnt have adjustable sights.

[LONG REACH]

I bet it would have made a lot more if it had been fitted with target sights !!! they're lovely guns to shoot, the grip is qiute a lot larger than the 1858 and the Colt 1851 Navy.
Are you restricted to how many guns of the same calibreyou can have on your ticket, because I've noticed a few people on here have a number of the same calbre pistols on their tickets, I know our Police fireamrs bod's aren't too keen on you having too many of the same calibre.

ATB
Baz

[tony1975]

I personally only have 1 slot for .44 BP revolver

could have bought it on the RFD ticket for where I work, but as it wasnt a target sight version I wasnt too sure, was a blued one and being the tart that I am, I like shiney things LOL

[LONG REACH]

It's got nothing to do with being a tart, the stainless one's clean up so much easier and you can actually see how clean it is, without using a torch to check the cylinder, no, stainless it is, unless it's something a bit different, like the Pietta Remington 1858 Buffalo that on of the club members is selling and I've used it a few times and even though it's blued and it has a brass frame, I don't care, because it shoots brilliantly and as I only use 15gn charges, there's no problems about stressing the frame

ATB
Baz

[tony1975]

I know what you mean, guy at the club has some superbly beautiful BP guns, all originals, and with them I can make exception with regards to bluing

shooting the genuine old colts is a real treat for me.

[LONG REACH]

I haven't had the pleasure of firing an original, sad to say, as no one in the club seems to have any, I'm also looking at long guns and I've already got two on my wish list, a Hawken with Creedmore sights and a Pedersoli 45/70 Sharps Quigly (but the Quigley will need a fair bit of saving up, as they're around £1100 and I haven't seen any used models about)
But I think when I go for my ticket I'll do what our clubs F.L.O. said and put down as many different firearms that can be used at our club, as possible and see how many they let you have, then you can pick and choose which one's you want on there, or should I say what I can afford
I think on of my motorbikes may have to go

ATB
Baz

[Jim McArthur]

I know what you mean, guy at the club has some superbly beautiful BP guns, all originals, and with them I can make exception with regards to bluing

shooting the genuine old colts is a real treat for me.

What originals have you shot?

Jim