New Mold Design/BIG BOOLIT!!

[John in PA]

Here's the 200 yard test target for the new cannon pellet.


Center five hits (there's a double just below dead center) are the group. Top two were with another powder charge and projectile. Bottom two were before a sight adjustment. The one with the blowhole in the nose went just beneath the target.

Here are two recovered projectiles to show obturation. I really didn't plan for the central cylindrical section to open up. I thought the walls were thick enough that there would be no movement there---NOT!! But there's good rifling engagement and the thing shoots well.


Look how thick the original walls are, and how much the cavity opened up!! You can also see the tiny entrance to the shrinkage void in the nose on the unfired projectile. I've drilled this hole and filled the void with a little extra lead on the match projectiles.



Here are the blow holes in the noses of two projectiles. the larger one decreased velocity enough that the shell hit low, immediately below the target.


Anyhow, we'll be trying out the "Matchbuster 2" at it's first national this coming weekend. I'll report back with results.


And, Yes, there are lots of Remington Zouaves and Smith Carbines still on the firing line, originals and repros. I shoot an original 2nd Model Maynard in carbine competition. I'm trying a Spencer bullet in it this national, with plastic cases instead of brass.

[Reloader06]

Dang I wish I was closer. That looks like SOOOO much fun. Good luck and thanks for sharring.

Matt

[stubshaft]

VERY interesting and informative!

Thanks for sharing and good luck on your competitions.

[cbrick]

Dang I wish I was closer. That looks like SOOOO much fun. Good luck and thanks for sharring.

Matt

Check with Ojai Valley Gun Club, I believe they still have cannon matches there.

http://www.dock.net/ovgc/

Rick

[Reloader06]

Rick,

Thanks for the info, I'll check it out.

Matt

[beladran]

wonder if lathsmith can make you a sizer die for that thing ! ha ha ha and how many sticks of lube would it take to fill that groove

[10x]

I've used this pellet for about 15 years. RWS Meisterkugeln match .177 cal pellet that I scaled up and adapted for ease of casting. original mold was made by Walt Melander, founder of NEI Handtools (now deceased).




Center shows cast and sized, unfired. Left is fired with normal obturation 160 grams 1F, right fired and recovered with minimal obturation (weak batch of GOEX cannon grade, 6.75 oz) Point of impact with the left pellet was about 8 feet higher at 200 yards distance. Also severe vertical stringing with the weak powder batch of cannon grade.

Sizing is done with a hydraulic ram on a log splitter that I adapted for the purpose.

I take it you would be using those bullets on the larger ground hogs?

[oscarflytyer]

Where in the world do you guys get all the lead to feed these monsters?!?

This is just WAY too cool! I would be completely afraid to attend a shoot. I WOULD be ADDICTED for life. And shortly divorced!!!

[PbHurler]

John,
Thanks for posting this! Very neat stuff! I'm all grins.....

[zuke]

Could you post more info on the Grayling meet and greet?
I just might do a road trip!

[dougader]

Yeah, I was worried about how much lead I'd go through casting up boolits for 480 Ruger and 500 Linebaugh. Sheesh, that was awesome!

[littlejack]

Watta'ya got, a scope on that thing?
That shoots better than some rifles i've seen.

[John in PA]

Here's a Youtube link to video of my Parrott shooting full military loads at this year's Historic Artillery Match in Grayling , MI. Last shot shows 100X downrange shot of projectile passing through the 4'X6' target, 1000 yards distance. We use 10 lb diecast boolits with brass cup bolted on for hollow base expansion into the rifling.
1 Lb. of 1F GOEX per shot. Muzzle energy around 190,000 ft-lbs.

The hissing you hear after each shot is the bullet traveling downrange. If you listen carefully, you can hear it rap the target about 6 seconds after the shot (travel-time for the projectile, plus travel-time for the sound wave back to the camera.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL13quhcUMw

the Grayling match is always held 3rd or 4th weekend in July at Camp Grayling, Michigan National Guard base in northern Michigan, about an hour south of Mackinac. Spectators free and more than welcome!!

[John in PA]

Here are some stills posted from the HD video showing the fireball at the muzzle that disappears in a few milliseconds.









This last one is our final target at 1000 yards. 10 shots fired, no sighters. One more on the paper (16"X24") would have won the $1500 purse. (We had 2 more shots within 6-8" of the paper --- ARRRRGH!!) Instead the money rolls over till next years match.

[TXGunNut]

Fired boolit would make a cool planter if you would make a base out of a section of 2" pipe. Already has a drain hole.

[wonderwolf]

That new stone berm made it hell for a lot of folks this year thats for sure.

Jury is still out I suppose if its what caused all the broken trails though huh.

[John in PA]

WWolf, you shooting with a crew out there?? Which one?

[wonderwolf]

My dads coehorn crew and I spotted for 2 or 3 rifled guns Saturday and Sunday. I know I helped out on the Wisconsin crew, One of their members is a big black powder paper patch sharps nut. I helped spot for Matt's wiard rifle, until the front sight fell off

Another member on this forum "Percival" also served on a few gun crews up there, we were all wearing big straw amish type hats....a lot cooler than the forage hats

My dad is George wolf, knows Jim Brady who iirc served on your gun

Percival and I spent a good deal of time sun watching those guys trying to get that maxim 7mm to fire on more than 3 barrels

Need to start a petition to allow us to shoot our sharps rifles up there....that would be nice

[wonderwolf]

In fact I think I helped spot or something the year you scored a perfect.....been awhile now.....heck you may even remember when it was on the old range and years and years ago they had to wait to shoot during open range because some little kid was still down range......

[Capn Jack]

You guys are serious...

I finally gave up on my 1/3rd scale Parrot Rifle because 2oz. of FG
and 6oz. of lead every shot was hitting my pocket book too hard.

Now it's just 300 - 500gr. of lead, but it's as fast as I can pull the trigger

Jack...