WidenersMidSouth Shooters SupplyLoad DataTitan Reloading
Inline FabricationRotoMetals2Lee PrecisionRepackbox
Reloading Everything
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 21 to 23 of 23

Thread: A take on the Whitworth

  1. #21
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    321
    Sry for the delay on my behalf,but i had a real moronic setback...all me.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	73.jpg 
Views:	21 
Size:	100.1 KB 
ID:	233033

    I fabbed a fresh chamber insert alright,this time out of regular SIS2172 "regular construction steel". It turns out it copes just fine too..

    But. We were off to try the thing out,armed with approx 50 all soft bullet cartridges and in turn 50 alloy ones.
    Starline brass,70 grains of 3F,an over powder card (out of milk carton) then a dry 36cal wad followed by a greased 45 cal one and in turn the bullet...

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	66.jpg 
Views:	21 
Size:	88.9 KB 
ID:	233034

    Set the rifle up in my new shooting bench and me and close friend Stefan went at it at 50 yards.. taking turns to shoot.
    My bad.
    My turn once again,we had fired like short of 10 rounds by now,and i felt something was REALLY amiss as soon as the hammer struck home.
    Powder splash all over and i felt something pass my head violently
    As in turns out,seeing all the jobs pulled,i must have missed on on torquing the nipple down and seeing its threads were so so to start with the nipple was simply ripped out of its socket,bottoming the hammer out in its travel to shear the tumbler spindle clean off!
    Yeah well..that´s all on me and i´m an idiot...period.

    Seeing that the hammer went missing me and a friend went down there a couple of days later to search for it with a metal detector,and lo n behold if we didn´t find us a hammer!

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	74.jpg 
Views:	18 
Size:	92.3 KB 
ID:	233038

    Headed straight back for the shop to repair the thing...

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	78.jpg 
Views:	23 
Size:	80.9 KB 
ID:	233039

    Uhu. Welded the thing back up and got it all ready for action again. Now just missing a nipple but seeing that these rifles use a regular 5/16-18 threaded one and that the postal services takes forever around x-mas and new years i...

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	79.jpg 
Views:	20 
Size:	91.3 KB 
ID:	233040

    ..opted to turn one myself as a "make do" waiting for the ordered pts to arrive. Works just as well i guess,with a 3mm major inner diameter and in turn a 1mm through hole to limit backpressure per normal these days.

    That said i´m going to revisit the range as soon as i can,figuring that what´s been pulled since the nipple turmoil might very well be the ticket.

    Also fabbed a fresh "cartridge stopper" for the plunger setup/bolt. This time out of steel and with way tighter tolerances.
    Going to be very very interesting to see how this piece performs next time up.

  2. #22
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    321
    Quote Originally Posted by Buckshot View Post
    .............I have a 2nd Gen Parker Hale Whitworth.



    The Bore/Groove is .451" X .470". I have shot quite a few of the Lyman 475gr 457121PH which is a conical intended for the Volunteer rifle, yet it shoots very well in the Whitworth to about 400 yards. Another slug I shoot, which is also a conical are those I swage and then paper patch. The cup based cores are .447", and then they are paper patched. The swaged/patched (below) are what get shot the most.



    I've never experienced any leading in the bore, so I have to assume they are fully expanding. However I have never been able to collect one after firing. Another LR muzzle loader that shoots very well is a facsimile of a period British rifle from a Pecantonica River kit and a Green Mountain barrel, below:



    It has a conventional 6 groove, 18" twist .450" x .458" bore - groove. It shoots no better nor worse then the Whitworth, in whose barrel the same slug has a LOT more windage to fill via expansion. I don't believe that the original fit of the slug is as important as is the fact that the powder charge and the slugs' temper is compatible. That is, so long as the slug upsets fully and evenly you're good to go.

    ...............Buckshot
    Thank you!
    Really valuable information there!

  3. #23
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    321
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	82.jpg 
Views:	26 
Size:	44.7 KB 
ID:	233865

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	85.jpg 
Views:	30 
Size:	55.7 KB 
ID:	233866

    Due a streak of rather poor weather i´m still awaiting a window to go shoot without getting completely soaked around freezing.
    So i turned my attention to the rifle.
    No more of that carneval/tivoli looks. Silk finish due that i polished it out with 800 grit and oil at the end.

    Starting to look like a proper rifle again.

    In turn,although that percussion nipple on there is tight n dandy at the moment i´m going to turn an insert somewhere down the road.
    Due to wear,after all,and the material used coupled with the fact that i clean my firearms out in a rather OCD fashion everytime they´re used..might as well.
    Doing so i´ll be replacing the stock 5/16 UNC thread for 5/16 UNF too.

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check