How tight is to tight?

[c-ne-rlk]

In my .50 caliber, CVA Colorado Paramount Pro Colorado I have started shooting the Fury, .50 caliber Universal Fit bullets and they shoot spectacular out of my rifle.

But... they are very tight to load, even with a clean barrel. I ran a bullet through and it is the bullet not the plastic base that is causing this. (see attached photo) This bullet is only made in one size and Fury does not make a bullet with a small enough diameter for the Paramount Pro in one of their other lines of bullets. I am looking at using this bullet for an elk so I like the idea of a bonded core bullet. I know there are other options but I am not wanting to give up on the Fury if I don't need to as it shoots so good out of my rifle.

So my question is, when is tight, too tight? I am new to muzzle loading but not new to reloading/shooting centerfire and know when you have pressure signs on a modern center fire rifle but I do not know how to tell if one is getting high pressures in a muzzleloader.

On one sizing page I had read that you should be able to seat the bullet with about 20 lbs of pressure on the ram rod but that was for an all lead bullet. This takes quite a bit more than that and am wondering if I am risking high pressures in my rifle due to this.

Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions.

 

[HC]

The bullet photo looks good to me. If you’re able to load in the field with a fouled bore then go for it. I wouldn’t worry about over pressure.

 

[c-ne-rlk]

I was able to shoot 4 shots without any swabbing between shots and the 4th was not any harder than the 1st so loading with a fouled bore was not any more of an issue than the first shot.
Thanks for your reply!

 

[ronlaughlin]

If the bullet is engraved by the rifling when you load it; my opinion is it is too tight. None of the Fury bullets in my rifles follow the rifling down to the powder. All Fury bullets are EASY to load in my rifles, and that is just right. Fury bullets are so easy to load in my rifles, they destroy the myth that Blackhorn requires a tight fitting bullet to work.

Dennis sells a 50 caliber adjustable sizing die; it works good. Deer in the freezer attest to that. We have been shooting the 50 caliber star tip mz sized to fit two different rifles. Bullets for the different rifles differ by 0.0005" diameter.

To me it is poor tasted to spend other's money, but the adjustable sizing die does make one's life more better.

 

[ENCORE50A]

...................the Fury, .50 caliber Universal Fit bullets and they shoot spectacular out of my rifle................. But... they are very tight to load, even with a clean barrel........................... I am not wanting to give up on the Fury if I don't need to as it shoots so good out of my rifle.

So my question is, when is tight, too tight?

A couple things............ 1st call Dennis. You would be surprised what he can do for shooters.

You're not over pressuring the rifle IMO. The partial quote of yours tells it all. The word "spectacular" I find is rarely used in muzzleloading.

I would be cautious using a sizing die with that bullet base without discussing it with Dennis first.

 

[dozer_xj]

They were too tight to load in my SMI 50 cal Encore. It got about an inch in the barrel and stopped dead. They fit awesome in my 1:28 700ML but tumbled and key holed. Dennis said to go up to max charge. I haven't tried it since. I have his size to fit star tips coming and a 50 cal swing lock sitting here.