Question for roachcreek

[45 2.1]

You've posted pictures of your Ranger 45........ what weights have you tried in it, what is the twist and rifling configuration...... and does a round ball or collar button shoot accurately in it? I'm interested in the Quackenbush Airguns version....... anything you could add would be appreciated.

[roachcreek]

It is a 1-22 .452 TJ, although it is closer to .453 after polishing. TJ barrels are hammer forged, but compared to Kreigers, Shielen and even Douglas they look rough and tend to lead, so I always fire lap them using the two finer grits of the Wheeler fire lap kit.

But I digress from your question of bullet weight.

I have shot round ball, 155, 185 , 200, 240 maxiball, 274, 300, 325, 375, 385 and 410 grains. I have probably shot more weights than this but have lost track of them in my steel trapped mind.

Dan McVey designed it with the idea you could use off the shelf 45 LC bullets, something I have not had much luck with, but then I only tried 300 grain bullets and at the time I blamed the poor performance on their hardness.

But Round ball shoots well out to 50 to 75 yards, the 155 UTG, I know I am wrong on the name there, Accuratemolds calls it a cap and ball bullet and I think that was what its first use was, was extremely accurate, the 185 grain bullets are close to a wadcutter and pretty accurate, Maxiball is pretty accurate and the 274 grain bullets are an inch or so at 35 yards. 300 grain bullets have never shot well in it and I really don't understand why, and I did try soft ones. the really heavy for bore 410's shoot very well, being a two shooter untethered, I have shot two shots touching at 100 yards before.

Right now I have a Lee mold for round ball, a Maxiball mold, a 274 grain from 20-1 Saeco 4 cavity and a single aluminum Accurate mold and a double cavity accurate mold for the 410 grain. I will do a shoot off between the Maxiball and the Saeco to see which one I like the best or rather which one the rifle likes the best.

The rifle has three power levels depending on the weight of the bullet our shooting, round ball should be shot on low power generally, I shoot the Maxiball and the 274 Saceo on medium power, and get 900 to 870 FPS, your basic 45 LC load, and the 410 on high power and it just kisses 800 FPS. If you use a high power for a light projectile you just waist air and don't accomplish much more.

One thing to consider is that the RB will shoot to different POI than the heavier bullets just like any big bore rifle shooting different weights.

Bear in mind I have a 28 inch barrel, they can be had with barrels as long as 36 inches for much more power, but I wanted a brush beater so I chose the 28 inch barrel for hunting elk in the mahogney brush.

When I first ordered mine in December of 2009, it was a 4 month wait for serial #12 serial numbers in the 16 and further range took 2 to 3 years. Supposedly Dan is going to make a upper receiver in 30 and 358, but I am not holding my breath.

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af343/chbartlemay/1999%20match%20results/DSC06261.jpg (http://s1022.photobucket.com/user/chbartlemay/media/1999%20match%20results/DSC06261.jpg.html)

I have a friend who lives in bush Alaska, he travels to Hawaii each year to harvest pigs for his bacon. In the past he used archery but this year he took his brand new Ranger 45 and a good supply of 250 grain bullets.

He hunts from tree stands primarily and had a low pressure load, 2500 PSI on low power that would stack them at 35 yards.

Andy shot a couple of hogs and noticed that he was getting quite a bit of turf torn up as the bullet passed thru and struck the ground. So he positioned his bait to line up more than one.

Yeah got your attention don't I?

Well the had four hogs line up at his bait and he unleashed hell fire out of that Ranger 45, or would that be hell air?, with a 250 grain bullet, the first hog fell dead, the second went to the bush with a blood spot on it's rib cage and Andy being a great woodsman tracked it down and had gotten two hogs with one shot.

Well he retrieved his hogs to his car and was driving off and he kept thinking about that third hog and the fact he should really return and track it in case he wounded. Andy returned, followed the tracks, found blood and then found his third hog from a single shot.

Needless to say Andy is very pleased with his Ranger 45.

[45 2.1]

Good information, Thanks... AND it confirms what I expected from experience with conventional firearms. You mention the 300 gr. boolits being too hard. What alloy do you use on your boolits? You also mention power ranges.... is that a function of the pressure you put in the airgun or does it have a regulator?

[roachcreek]

Many use pure lead, I use 20-1 myself to get better fills.

The power on the Ranger is adjusted by fill pressure and the fact that the rifle has different cocking positions, low medium and high, altho either low or high or medium can be used without changing hammer settings with screws that act as sears. As a result you either have low and high, or you have medium.