Sabbatloader question

[kirkl]

I have a 50 cal TC Pennsylvania Hunter. Can I use jacketed bullets in it? Or those strictly for I lines?

Thanks

[jdb]

You can use them but not sure how well they'll group

[fastdam]

 

[kirkl]

Ok, 2nd question. I have some maxi balls which aren't balls and it shows a picture of it in the TC book and says I just need maxi lube which I take it as I don't need a patch. Is that true? It's been awhile since I shot this gun so trying to figure out what load I used last. I think I used the maxi balls

[jdb]

Maxi balls are actually a conical bullet and are very affective, they usually come prelubed(there will be a yellow waxy substance in the grooves of the bullet.)although adding a little extra will make loading easier. In your rifle you should be somewhere between 80 and 100 grains of
Loose powder. I shot 90 for years but switched to 80 and accuracy stayed the same and I still got complete pass throughs on elk

[CP]

The key to your questions is the twist of your barrel.  I believe that you have 1:66 and if that’s the case you probably won’t get good results with heavier weight conicals (maxi-balls).   Your rifle is designed to stabilize patched balls around 180ish grains.  There are some lighter weight Minie ball style projectiles made that might work but you need to match the weight with the twist.

[kirkl]

Thanks all, and yes the maxi balls are a conical but the ones I have aren't prelubed. Pretty sure those are what I used last time with 90 grains. I should be good to go I think.

[Sabotloader]

Thanks all, and yes the maxi balls are a conical but the ones I have aren't prelubed. Pretty sure those are what I used last time with 90 grains. I should be good to go I think.

Kirk, as someone has already suggested the twist rate is a big key.  If your Penn is a slow twist rifle for round balls you will have a problem shooting longer projectiles - especially if you shot them with to much powder.

So to switch to a sabot and projectile would be difficult because of the length of the project.  I do not think you could get it to stabilize.

Switching to a short lead conical could work very well for you.

You could lube those maxi's with a little bore butter in the grooves also if you want to. But at the velocity that you will probably shoot them it really isn't necessary.

[kirkl]

Thanks for the info. I have never shot balls out of it. Always the conicals and it shot good.
I'll get her dialed back in.