Ballistics

joegbk · Rookie Member Joined: Aug 07, 2005 Posts: 1

I am looking for the ballistics for 50 caliber 320 gr T/C Maxi-Ball using 3 50 gr (150 gr) Hodgdon pyrodex pellets for 50 - 100 -200 yrds.

popgun · Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 8:39 pm Post subject: Re: Ballistics

Try the Hodgdon website. They have a lot of load information ie. estimated velocity for numerous bullets.
Next you can try to contact TC directly and ask them for a bc estimate. After you have these two bits of info you can plug it in PointBlank and get a trajectory chart.
I don't know your experience level with muzzleloaders so bear with me if you already know all this stuff. Just trying to help.
It is probably much easier to sight in at 100 and then shoot some test rounds to see the drop beyond 100.
If you are shooting an inline you would do better with a sabot bullet. If you are not shooting an inline the 150 grain charge is over max charge. Also the pyrodex pellets are not for use in an inline.
The TC Maxi-Ball or Maxi-Hunter are great bullets for a flintlock or caplock but would lead the barrel of an inline causing a decrease in accuracy and a big clean up job when that happens. I cast the Maxi-Ball & Maxi-Hunter myself and use them in my caplock TC Renegade 54 cal. But these two bullets kind of defeat the purpose of using an inline that shoot sabots more accurately and don't lead the barrel. If you like pure lead better you can still get lead bullets in a sabot.
Safe shooting,
Chris

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

We need to know the Ballistic Coefficent of the conical, and your muzzle velocity to be able to tell you where the bullet will be at 200 yards.

popgun wrote:

Try the Hodgdon website. They have a lot of load information ie. estimated velocity for numerous bullets.
Next you can try to contact TC directly and ask them for a bc estimate. After you have these two bits of info you can plug it in PointBlank and get a trajectory chart.
I don't know your experience level with muzzleloaders so bear with me if you already know all this stuff. Just trying to help.
It is probably much easier to sight in at 100 and then shoot some test rounds to see the drop beyond 100.

I actually like 120 yards for my ML zero. Trajectory is still pretty good at that point and it allows me to shoot to my personal max range of 150 yards.

I agree fully though about sighting in then shooting paper at 200 yards to see what your actual drop is. Personally I dont see a need for powder charges over 120 grains. Velocity isnt really that much more and accuracy in my rifles really degrades.

Quote::

If you are shooting an inline you would do better with a sabot bullet. If you are not shooting an inline the 150 grain charge is over max charge. Also the pyrodex pellets are not for use in an inline.

Ummm pellets are not for use in an inline? Perhaps this is a typo but yes they were designed for inlines hence the center flame channel. They dont work so hot in sidelocks and maybe thats what you meant to type?

Quote::

The TC Maxi-Ball or Maxi-Hunter are great bullets for a flintlock or caplock but would lead the barrel of an inline causing a decrease in accuracy and a big clean up job when that happens. I cast the Maxi-Ball & Maxi-Hunter myself and use them in my caplock TC Renegade 54 cal. But these two bullets kind of defeat the purpose of using an inline that shoot sabots more accurately and don't lead the barrel. If you like pure lead better you can still get lead bullets in a sabot.
Safe shooting,
Chris

I prefer sabots but found Ball-ets to work surprisingly good. I havent noticed leading issues but then I havent shot too many of them (went through a box of 50... still have 10 left over). The ones I bought had some wierd sticky as honey lube on them /shrug they worked good though.

Good infos Very Happy

-DallanC

popgun · Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:12 pm Post subject: Re: Ballistics

Your right Dallen, typo typo typo

Quote::

Also the Pyrodex pellets are not for use in an in-line.

Pellets ARE for use in in-line rifles but not for cap-lock and flintlock rifles per the Hodgdon website. Thanks for picking up on that typo (BIG FAT ERROR)

I found my TC Renegade had a considerable build up of lead with an accuracy drop off at about 30 rounds when using the Maxi's. Might be the pure lead I was using, actually plumbers lead to cast the bullets. I wanted the softest metal for expansion. That much pure lead in any configuration is an awesome performer in the Cap-lock or Flintlocks.

And I agree that the difference at 120 yds is not much and that would be a good zero. I use a Burris with a ballistic plex reticle on my in-line and I sight in at 100 and the first dot down is right on at 150. I still need to work out the distance on the lower dots but I think they would be close at 175 and 200. Range time will tell.

But when all is said and done it looks like the Triple Se7en granular fffg will be the most accurate, cleaner burning, and higher velocity than the T7 pellets. Lots of ML shooters are going that way. The easy loading of the pellets is nice but I'm looking for better accuracy and from what I am seeing posted elsewhere it seems that the fffg granular is the ticket. At least I will try it and see if it helps the accuracy in my rifle.

Shooting a muzzleloader over a chronograph is a pain and it is easier to make a drop chart by shooting the same load at different ranges and recording the drop from the zero range.

It is also interesting that you are getting good results with round ball's in an in-line. Have you tried the round balls in a sabot? Someone sells them that way. I have so much load work pending now that I put the sabot ball's on hold for a while. Ball's do a good job of killing deer and shoot flatter too.

Speaking of load work I need to set up camp at the range for a week to get all the load work done. The seasons are getting close.

Gil Martin · Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 3:25 am Post subject: Re: Ballistics

Here is a link to a ballistics calculator. Just plug in the data and it will report bullet drop out to 2,000 yards. All you need to know is bullet weight, BC and velocity. Hope this helps. All the best...
Gil

www.beartoothbullets.c...s/DATA.htm