Muzzle Loader Bullet Question

[WildernessHunter]

I was readng the 2009 regulations and trying to figure out if polymer tipped bullets that were otherwise lead, or lead alloy were legal. Here is the word for word definition from the Oregon 2009 regs:

"It is illegal to hunt with jacketed bullets, sabots and bullets with plastic or synthetic bases during muzzleloader-only seasons and 600 series hunts where there is a weapons restriction of shotgun/muzzleloader only or archery/muzzleloader only. Conical lead or lead alloy bullets with a length that does not excede twice the diameter and lead or lead alloy round balls used with cloth, paper or felt patches are allowed".

I dont see any explanation of polymer tips in this or other definitions within the regs. As I am an archer myself I am not as versed in muzzleloader technologies (wow, those two words seem not to fit together).

Can anyone help?

[billc_sbio]

I don't see where they in any way ban Polymer Tipped Bullets for muzzleloaders.

(Unless you're referring to using smaller caliber Polymer Tipped Bullets in conjunction with Sabots? Then those aren't allowed in Oregon)

But then, on the other hand, there's really NO need to use them!

Unless you're looking at something different from what I'm aware is out there, Polymer Tipped Bullets are generally for being used in Centerfire Rifles to prevent damage to the tips occuring in the rifle's magazine from recoil of the rifle.

More recently Hornady's introduced SOFT Polymer Tips that now allow Tubular Magazine (mainly Lever Action) rifles to use pointed bullets.

Previously, they always had to use flat pointed bullets to prevent discharge of cartridges in the magazine by recoil inertia setting off primers from the tips of pointed bullets.

The object of having these Polymer points has always been to keep the pointed tips POINTED.

And these pointy bullets work best in high velocity rifle cartridges and firearms.

But Muzzleloaders ARE NOT high velocity firearms and they DON'T NEED pointed tip projectiles. In fact they fly better at sub-sonic velocities with ROUND NOSED projectiles, just like those you see on .22 Rimfire ammunition.

Also bullets for Muzzleloaders benefit from having fairly wide noses on them. It aids in spreading out the force required to push the bullet down the bore with a ram rod.

[scottishsetter]

How do you get a polymer tip without a jacket?
Like stated above;use a good conical lead with grease grooves.Good Luck

[Blowing Smoke]

I know that blackwidowbullets.com offer plastic/ polymer tipped bullets for muzzleloaders .45 thru 58 cal maxi style cast lead, precision bullets out of Canada usta make them also with a swaged lead knurled style skirt for engraving upon loading with a little looking you can still find some new old stock in .50 and .54 cal. Buck Skin bullets out of Utah also has some .50 cal bullets in cast and swaged if you can get him to return your call. At this point they at still legal to use in Oregon. With this being said all I use for hunting is a .610 roundball for hunting. Hope this helps.........BS