I came across a fellow who managed to use a flintlock on buffalo/etc. in Africa-an 8 bore (see link below). Now, to me, this sounds like a heckofa good time, except I would do it with a double instead of a single barrel, since I shoot flintlocks a lot(95%)...My question to all is where would a person find a bullet mould for a 8 or 4 bore? I'm thinking a R.E.A.L. type mould rather than a ball mould...The Jaeger double flinter is already on the drawing board...

http://gefrohbigbores.com/Gallery1/albums.php

Any info appreciated
Mark

"God gave us two of every major body part for a reason"

Hello! I am considering building a double muzzleloading bore gun (probably an 8 bore) Is there anyone who makes ((or has made) a 8 bore conical mould? See link below for my inspiration...

http://gefrohbigbores.com/Gallery1/albums.php

Mark

Mark I merged these threads as they are basically asking the same question.

Thanks
Bob

Mark---

Geeee, a man with nearly the same pursuits as I. I'm toying with the idea of a double 8 bore too!

The conical 8 bore mould has to be available. There is an Englishman that I bought my last special mould from. If I can recall his name and contact info I'll get that to you.

Also, I'm pretty sure I found some online somewhere. Just wondering...

Why are you against the round ball?

I'm not exactly against roundball (use them all the time in my longrifles)-I'm just considering the penetration factor/ballistics here. I have not seen a roundball match either from a muzzleloader. This will be a purpose built weapon-heavy game (and the occasional whitetail, maybe...).

Mark

Go to www.neihandtools.com They make molds for everything up to 1.022" dia. (4 bore?)

I'm sure there are others but Jeff Tanner is the name I see dropped all the time by my fellow custom ML builders. I have no dealings with the man nor have I seen his molds other than the pic's on his website so I cannot give a testiment of any kind.

Here's the link to Mr. Tanner's website
http://www.jt-bullet-moulds.co.uk/

I came across a fellow who managed to use a flintlock on buffalo/etc. in Africa-an 8 bore (see link below). Now, to me, this sounds like a heckofa good time, except I would do it with a double instead of a single barrel, since I shoot flintlocks a lot(95%)...My question to all is where would a person find a bullet mould for a 8 or 4 bore? I'm thinking a R.E.A.L. type mould rather than a ball mould...The Jaeger double flinter is already on the drawing board...

http://gefrohbigbores.com/Gallery1/albums.php

Any info appreciated
Mark

"God gave us two of every major body part for a reason"

http://www.jt-bullet-moulds.co.uk/moulds.htm#
Quick service. Good mould.

Conicals are not always the best choice for heavy game with a ML. Baker had a bad experience when he tried a conical in his Elephant rifle. His "Devil Stopper"failed to stop with a conical so he went back the to hardened RB.
Dan

Hmmm...I am a patched roundball user in my longrifles, but how would compression be on a BIG bore? Would much be lost, and would the loss be relevant? 10%, 20% loss?

Hmmm...I am a patched roundball user in my longrifles, but how would compression be on a BIG bore? Would much be lost, and would the loss be relevant? 10%, 20% loss?

I think you are over thinking this. The larger bore rifles use the powder much more efficiently, better velocity for grain of charge weight, than smaller bores like 32-58 caliber.
It is very difficult to move a 90-93 caliber conical to the same velocity as a 90-93 caliber RB. Since a ball this big properly hardened will kill anything on the planet and according to Baker stop a charging African Elephant the conical is simply not needed and may in fact be hazardous to use on heavy game. For lung shots a hardened 10 bore RB will kill African Elephant. Read "Pondoro" By John Taylor.
If you do some research you will find that even the 8 and 4 bore cartridge guns shot RBs or or very short, blunt conicals weighing little more than a ball. There is a reason for this. It is simply impossible to shoot a 90+ caliber conical of any length (weighing perhaps 1/2 a pound) from a shoulder fired weapon if significant velocity is needed. Since penetration requires velocity the slow conical is not a good choice.
This was all worked out 130-150 years ago by people who had no choice, they did not have someone backing them up with a 458. They were the whole show. If the projectile did not work properly they were is deep do-do. If they hunted heavy game in Africa they used 8 bore and larger guns, often smoothbores and always hardened round balls. Its all written down. Until the advent of the 450 NE the 6 and 4 bore was about all that would stop a charging African Elephant (or so I have read). The smaller BPE cartridge guns that used conicals like the 577 BPE were not Elephant guns.

Dan