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Old October 9, 2012, 08:07 AM   #1
flintlock.50
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elk with cast round ball

In Wyoming last Monday. He came in to a cow elk call. I was shooting a traditional flintlock pushing a round ball cast from wheel weight lead. He doesn't have a monster rack, but I'm thrilled!

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Old October 9, 2012, 08:47 AM   #2
Rifleman1776
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Congratulations. Wheel weight metal would not be my choice for an ml roundball.
BTW, "cow" and "he"????
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Old October 9, 2012, 09:15 AM   #3
SL1
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BTW, "cow" and "he"????

I think the OP says that the hunter used a call that resembled a call from a cow elk to attract the bull elk that the hunter shot.
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Old October 9, 2012, 09:55 AM   #4
AllenJ
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That's awesome Flintlock, congrats!
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Old October 9, 2012, 10:52 AM   #5
flintlock.50
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The bull responded to a cow call and came in screaming (bugling) his lungs out. Undoubtedly he had only one thing on his mind. (That's been known to get guys in trouble too!)

Wheel weight metal, being harder, gives more penetration than pure lead. He was coming toward me at a slight angle. I hit him just inside his right leg. The ball passed diagonally through his chest cavity taking out both lungs, and was caught by the far side skin.

Many of the "old timers" (Cody, et. al.) recommend using hardened balls.
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Old October 9, 2012, 11:07 AM   #6
Strafer Gott
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That little old pill sure cured him of bugling! I like the old style. You have it.
I'm always amazed at what a little lead ball can do.
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Old October 9, 2012, 11:21 AM   #7
Salmoneye
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I assume this was the '.50' of your screen-name?...Appx, 175gr Ball?

What was the charge if I might ask?

What patch material?
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Old October 9, 2012, 11:47 AM   #8
rclark
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Quote:
I was shooting a traditional flintlock
That's so cool. Congrats. BTW, you can't eat the horns so don't worry how 'big' they are.
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Old October 9, 2012, 02:12 PM   #9
flintlock.50
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I used 90 grains of Swiss 3F. I used .015" Ox Yoke patches lubed with mink oil tallow.
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Old October 9, 2012, 05:22 PM   #10
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Well done, Flint, that's a great bull and one very pretty flinter...(I can say "Pretty" 'cause I'm a flinter shooter too). Who built the rifle, and how far out was he when you took the shot? My standard load in my gun is 70 gr of FFG by Goex and a .015" patch, lubed with the yellow peril; the ball is one of Hornady's swagged pure lead...I've not had any luck with wheel weights in a muzzle loader. I've chrono'd my 70 gr FFg load and got 1705 fps (avg. of 5 shots) from a 42" barrel...the ball measures .490" BTW. Good shooting padnuh, and congratulations. Rod
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Old October 9, 2012, 06:27 PM   #11
flintlock.50
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The guide was whispering the distance to me. When he said "40 yards" I pulled the trigger.

I built the rifle back in the late 80s. It has a 38" swamped Getz barrel, Davis trigger and large Siler lock. I use hand knapped English flints.

I cast the 0.490" balls from wheel weights. Since they are harder than pure lead I had to drop from 0.018" patches to 0.015".

I used 90 grains of Swiss FFFg. Patches are 0.015" OxYoke lubed with mink oil tallow from Track of the Wolf. As for accuracy, check out the 50 yard target below. There are 10 shots in the target, though only 9 are visible. All these were with my hunting load, which chronographs at 2000 fps.



A fellow who founded Cast Performance Bullet Company put me on to using WW lead. He told me, "If you read the writings of Southerland, Forsyth, Clifton, Cody, and Ashley you'll see ALL of them recommended hardening the balls." He also told me, "I once shot 4 balls into 1 1/4" at 100 yards with a 54 cal FLINTLOCK over a rest, and I did it with WW balls."

I'm pretty pleased with the performance of my WW balls, though the elk has a different opinion.
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Old October 9, 2012, 07:41 PM   #12
DadsMod12
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Wow, beautiful gun and a great looking elk. Someday I hope to build a flintlock.
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Old October 9, 2012, 09:20 PM   #13
Mike Irwin
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Nice, but please only post a topic in ONE forum, not multiple.

I'm closing this one, and will leave the one in Black Powder open.
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