Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders So what does a 50 cal 1 in 48 twist mzl shoot well.

I understand it is a jack of all trades for a 50 cal mzl. I have heard they shoot everything but nothing really well. Too fast for a round ball and too slow a twist for sabots. What says 24hcf.

Twist is a big factor, but so is the type of rifling. You really just have to try different options. I would start with two thicknesses of patch on a round ball. I like the prelubed patches because it is consistent, and usually cold after Christmas for PA muzzy season. I have a TC 1/48 54 caliber, and it shoots ball better than sabots. I would try 70,80, and 90 grains of 3F black powder. Flint lock is the word in PA, so flints are better with real BP, no substitutes. Sabots have a habit of getting plastic in some rifling, and that is the main reason I just use patched ball.

All of my 1:48's shoot a saboted .45 cal 250 grain XTP very well.

Two Renegade, a New Englander and Hawken.
All 1 in 48.
All did #11, FFg and .495 ball (thick cotton patch) just fine.........after being shot in (all bought new).

Did OK with maxiballs and Maxihunters too.
Of course the roundball being lighter is a little easier on ya recoil wise.

One Renegade had issues, poorly fitting hook/tang.
Screw holes run as well.
Microbedding fixed it, shot fantastic after that (longest MZ kill with it, 178 yds, iron (barrel) sights.
New Englander was horrible vertical stringer until shot in, then it was no sheite..........cloverleaf at 100 yds off bags.
I moved a few times since, and the target has disappeared
Of course with it being so good........I only shot one deer with it, less than 40 yards (hey at least it was running).
9 pt, 160# dressed........not too shabby.
The Hawken was very temperamental...........got it to behave running T 7 and musket cap. Did not go back to try previous bullets. Had my fill of that mofo.
Cheek buster that threw fliers.
Gave it to my dad.
Of course he wants to sell it now.
Might buy it back just because it shot my avatar deer.

Hunting rigs.........I shot 80 gr only one day, for stepson to try. All other times 100gr w roundball or sabot.
Even 100gr with Maxihunter.
Maxiball was only 90 gr way back (first Renegade).
100gr and roundball is petty comfy IMHO.

depends on the brand of rifle you are talking.

I shoot the cva and traditions sidelocks, these love everything from a simple patched round ball to a 250 & 320 REAL conical, maxi balls, powerbelts, federal bor lock bullets, light weight 185gr and under sabots, all the way up to big 450gr conicals I made and tested out for fun.

As with all muzzleloaders, your rifle will tell you what it likes.

My flint Renegade shot PRB's and saboted 260gr Speers at 80gr 3F the best. 2"-3" at 50 yards was pretty standard.

I shot 6 or 7 deer with that rifle over the years. Have to bear in mind that in PA, flintlock season comes in last, so some years I didn't have tags when that season came.

I shot deer with 490-dia balls and the 260 speers. All died quickly.

It seemed to shoot everything about the same. Satisfactory for hunting, but you won't win any bragging rights.

Maxi Hunters.

That's pretty-much correct with my findings. Conicals 240-300 grains -- sabots between 180-250gr and roundballs out to 60-70 yards.

Hornady FPBs. My Greyhawk shot them very well (350gr).

I second the FPBs! They shoot even out of a clean bore very well!

Still to date, even though I hunt with a custom long rifle now, my longest flintlock deer kill came with that Renegade and a patched round ball. 90 yards....offhand.

My old TC 54 Renegade shot both RB and Maxis into the same group at 50 yards with 100 ffg. Alternated shots, one damp, one dry patch between shots. That maxi kicked pretty good. I hunted with RB as that was still required back in them old more traditional days.
I have a 50 Renegade now and for some reason, it prefers RB. Doesn't like Maxi or REAL bullets.

My Renegade drives tacks using the TC 430gr. Maxi-ball, 100gr. FF and RWS primers. Doing my part it will clover leaf three shots at 75 yards. A fourth shot will leave the group about an inch but swabbing the barrel puts me right back to clover leafing.

I've got a couple of inlines that I like but if forced to go with one it would be the Renegade every time.

I used Lee Real bullets with great success before going to saboted loads. For sabots I loaded 240 XTPs and 90 grains of 777.

I have had several 1:48 twist guns and found they shoot both PRB as well as cronicals such as maxi balls just fine. The I really like a lee real bullet. I roll them around in the lee liquid lube and let them dry very handy to use but overall I like the PRB best for target as well as deer hunting.

My T/C Hawkens 1/48 twist will shoot 350 gr Maxi Hunter and 370 gr Maxi Ball same point of impact with 90 grs of FF Goex. My cap is a German # 11 and they're getting hard to find. If I sight-in at 100 yards with either weight and then shoot a patched round ball it will impact the target 10 inches high and dead center above the conical loads.

I've tried substitute powders but nothing shoots better then the Goex Black Powder. I've owned this Hawkens since new in 1986 and it's dropped 18 + deer. My furthest shot was 140 yards open sights down thru open hardwoods on a 5 pointer and totally disconnected the lungs from the wind pipe. Went 50 yards and piled-up. I've also used a T/C Encore 50 cal. Shot a few deer with it but my love is for my Hawkens. After cleaning I season the bore with T/C Bore Butter. Been doing it since new and it still looks new. My 3 shot groups are 1 hole at 100 yards with the 350 or 370 conical bullets.

Ken

OK, just got the Lyman Deer Stalker LH flintlock in 50 cal. 1 in 48 twist. Going to the range next weekend to play and see what it likes. Have round balls, conicals, sabots and maxi hunters with FFG to start. Will be interesting to try to see what it likes.

It may like everything you have, especially if the sabots are around 240 grains.