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arcticap · May 13, 2008, 11:01 AM

Hi thabear,
I've heard of Gonic Arms rifles but am unfamiliar with their bore dimensions & bullet requirements.
I thought that you might be able to find out more information from the company itself, but I don't know if they are still in business. Their website isn't up but maybe their phone works:

Gonic Arms
134 Flagg Road
Gonic, NH 03839
voice: (603) 332-8456
Fax: (603) 332-8457
web: http://www.wbm.ca/wilderness/gonic/
{makes 'magnum' muzzle loaders}
[manufacturer:muzzle loader]

Having said that, have you tried to measure the actual land-to-land diameter of the bore with calipers? That should give an indication about what size projectiles you have the option to choose from.
Many inlines favor shooting plastic sabots, and there are some brands designed to load easier in tight barrels. The first that come to mind are all of the different styles of Powerbelt bullets that have a removable plastic skirt at their base that are designed to load easily and expand upon firing. They [plastic skirted] are supposedly the easiest bullet to load, but your actual bore diameter will determine whether they are small enough to work in your gun.

Powerbelts available from Cabela's:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...pod&id=0012630

Another sabot that claims to be easy loading is the TC Super Glide Shockwave bullet:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...exId=cat200005

Here's all of the Cabela's bullets:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...entId=cat20712

Another poster had a similar bullet question with his .45 Gonic rifle and mentioned that the manual listed the required bullet diameter. Utilizing that strategy, there are some Gonic rifles usually listed on Auction Arms and right now there is a brand new one with an owner's manual included. The other is used and for sale by a knowledgable BP rifle & bullet dealer. You can try to contact either of them for helpful bullet advice as either a current owner and/or interested buyer. Just ask if the manual lists the required bullet for the Gonic .50 rifle, or know about bullet requirements. These auctions are both listed below and will be relisted under a different auction number once the auction expires. Just click on the links in the ad once it expires to follow the new listing to contact the seller (you do need to register with Auction Arms though):

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/di...temNum=8440981

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/di...temnum=8525826

So measure (or slug) the bore, call the company or seek advice from the owner's manual, and then you can begin to hunt down some appropriate bullets to try. Enough people shoot Powerbelts to provide the dimensions of the plastic skirt to see if they will fit. Hopefully they will, unless you want to load solid lead conicals and not saboted or plastic skirted bullets.

BTW, the previous TFL thread about the .45 Gonic Arms and the recommended (or maximum?) bullet diameter being mentioned in the owner's manual is right here:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...10#post2524610

May 13, 2008, 11:01 AM	#2
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	Hi thabear, I've heard of Gonic Arms rifles but am unfamiliar with their bore dimensions & bullet requirements. I thought that you might be able to find out more information from the company itself, but I don't know if they are still in business. Their website isn't up but maybe their phone works: Gonic Arms 134 Flagg Road Gonic, NH 03839 voice: (603) 332-8456 Fax: (603) 332-8457 web: http://www.wbm.ca/wilderness/gonic/ {makes 'magnum' muzzle loaders} [manufacturer:muzzle loader] Having said that, have you tried to measure the actual land-to-land diameter of the bore with calipers? That should give an indication about what size projectiles you have the option to choose from. Many inlines favor shooting plastic sabots, and there are some brands designed to load easier in tight barrels. The first that come to mind are all of the different styles of Powerbelt bullets that have a removable plastic skirt at their base that are designed to load easily and expand upon firing. They [plastic skirted] are supposedly the easiest bullet to load, but your actual bore diameter will determine whether they are small enough to work in your gun. Powerbelts available from Cabela's: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...pod&id=0012630 Another sabot that claims to be easy loading is the TC Super Glide Shockwave bullet: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...exId=cat200005 Here's all of the Cabela's bullets: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...entId=cat20712 Another poster had a similar bullet question with his .45 Gonic rifle and mentioned that the manual listed the required bullet diameter. Utilizing that strategy, there are some Gonic rifles usually listed on Auction Arms and right now there is a brand new one with an owner's manual included. The other is used and for sale by a knowledgable BP rifle & bullet dealer. You can try to contact either of them for helpful bullet advice as either a current owner and/or interested buyer. Just ask if the manual lists the required bullet for the Gonic .50 rifle, or know about bullet requirements. These auctions are both listed below and will be relisted under a different auction number once the auction expires. Just click on the links in the ad once it expires to follow the new listing to contact the seller (you do need to register with Auction Arms though): http://www.auctionarms.com/search/di...temNum=8440981 http://www.auctionarms.com/search/di...temnum=8525826 So measure (or slug) the bore, call the company or seek advice from the owner's manual, and then you can begin to hunt down some appropriate bullets to try. Enough people shoot Powerbelts to provide the dimensions of the plastic skirt to see if they will fit. Hopefully they will, unless you want to load solid lead conicals and not saboted or plastic skirted bullets. BTW, the previous TFL thread about the .45 Gonic Arms and the recommended (or maximum?) bullet diameter being mentioned in the owner's manual is right here: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...10#post2524610