took the new rifle out today

[Gunlaker]

No questions, just some observations and thoughts after coming back from the range with my C. Sharps 1874.

I recently had the chamber in this rifle cut with a .45-70 reamer designed by Dan Theodore for bore diameter paper patch bullets. (the one detailed in the Black Powder Cartridge News article he wrote.)

It looks like this thing is going to shoot well once I've got it figured out. Probably the biggest learning curve is getting used to the MVA scope. It's surprising how different it is to shooting with a Soule sight :mrgreen:.

I'm getting good "confetti" most of the time, but still plagued with some odd flyers which I believe are caused by the paper not coming off consistently.

I've been playing with 2 different bullet/paper combinations. Both BACO "Money" bullets. One in .444" wet patched with BACO paper, and one in .446" wet patched with 8lb Seth Cole paper. In both cases the bullets patch up a bit bigger than I'd like. (when I use the Seth Cole paper on the .444" bullet it comes up a bit small).

The bore on this rifle is pretty tight and the rounds require a lot of thumb pressure to chamber. This time I've tried sizing the patched bullets with a .451" Lee push through sizer which is helping a bit.

I'd reduce the tin in the alloy to get the diameter down a bit (I'm using 20:1) but the money bullet apparently wants a fair bit of tin to prevent nose slump. I think 16:1 is the recommended starting point (although my .45-110 does very well with my existing setup). I've got a Creedmore mould coming which should give me more flexibility in alloy choice.

I imagine that a soft alloy, with its easier bump up might help with consistent patch cutting too.

I'll post results if I find anything interesting.

Chris.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Try the BACO .444 with the Smaller Seth Cole a tad undersize wont hurt. Your Paper Issues maybe Fouling problems.

2 damp Patches. First through and out off the brush, second to the muzzle, mark your rod, then back to the chamber then up and out.

Lastly 2 dry, 1 out and off the Brush, second to the muzzle then back to chamber then out and off.

You might be surprised.

PS use a 1-4 or 1-5 Oil to water solution to wipe with.

Kenny Wasserburger

[Gunlaker]

Try the BACO .444 with the Smaller Seth Cole a tad undersize wont hurt. Your Paper Issues maybe Fouling problems.

2 damp Patches. First through and out off the brush, second to the muzzle, mark your rod, then back to the chamber then up and out.

Lastly 2 dry, 1 out and off the Brush, second to the muzzle then back to chamber then out and off.

You might be surprised.

PS use a 1-4 or 1-5 Oil to water solution to wipe with.

Kenny Wasserburger

I'll give that wiping routine a try next time. I've been using 2 wets and one dry, all pushed through to the muzzle. My solution has been around 30 percent ballistol 70 percent water. Admittedly I haven't been to precise about the ratio. I should probably do that better. I did try the 8lb Seth Cole paper on the .444" bullet but they had no resistance when chambering (not a good thing? Not sure?). Those bullets seemed to tear the paper in the bore as I had some leading about 2 inches before the muzzle on a few of the shots. When I went to the thicker paper that problem went away. Do you think there ought to be some resistance upon chambering?

Thanks Kenny,

Chris.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

If your that tight into the rifling that your tearing paper it is too tight. Resistance is good to a point. However I have had loads that drop in and do not touch the rifling and shoot fine as long as your using a Grease Cookie or wipping for fouling control.

Most of my loads bearly get a mark from the rifling.

They seem to shoot ok on more then a few occasions.

KW
The Lunger

[Gunlaker]

Hi Kenny,

The tight fitting loads never did lead the barrel but it was the loose ones that did. I was just guessing that somehow those smaller diameter bullets may have torn the paper somewhere in the barrel due to the occasional shot that leaded the barrel. This thing doesn't quite shoot as well as my .45-110 yet. That rifle just seems to really work well. This one will be close though I think. I want to see if I can get approximatelly the same bullet "fit" to the bore that the .45-110 does. With the new .45-70 if I seat a bullet patched to .451 into the bore it cannot be pushed through easily. I have to drive it out with a dowel and a mallet. But the bullet comes out undamaged, patch is good but it does engrave the bullet itself.

The interesting thing about these bore diameter bullets is that they seem to work pretty well without too much fiddling around. In the three rifles I've found that once the bullet fits the bore it'll shoot pretty well. I can generally get a reasonable load figured out faster than I can with a grease groove bullet. Although when a PP load is wrong it'll be really obvious (crazy fliers).

Thanks for the advice Kenny, I appreciate it.

Chris.



Chris.