missionary5155
07-02-2012, 10:42 PM
Greetings
Closeup of Hall rifles added at post #7
Took a very nice 1832 U.S. Hall Breachloading Rifle to the Danville Rifle Pistol Club range today and fired it numerous times. This is my second Hall Rifle with the first being a flintlock made in 1819 and on display at the loacal Danville War Museum.
This particular 1832 Hall is from the first year of the percussion model 1832. Possible it was assembled from left over flintlock parts but with the new percussion breachblock. There is no serial number visible on the exterior but # 10 is stamped on a breachblock part visible upon disassembly of the breachblock.
The breachblock pivots on a bolt at the rear thus permitting the foward part of the breach to rotate upwards for easy loading.
The Hall's were reported to fire up to 100 grains of BP. That would be a full "chamber" and would take some considerable compressing to get a .530 ball seated far enough to close the breach.
Today I loaded 3F starting with 60 grains and seating a .535 40-1 ball. I used a .535 so it would be a tight fit in the breach possibly showing the best accuracy. This particular rifle has a near perfect bore. Looks like 16 lands and grooves finely cut and deep enough so a patched ball could be shot. Paper cartriges were used when available with origonals.
My loading procedure was to cock hammer to half cock and blow through barrel verifying nipple was clear. I had previously fired a percussion cap to be sure there was no residue oil in the nipple. Raise breachblock by pushing up and to the rear on the breachblock locking lever located on the bottom of the rifle. Next measure 60 grains of 3F in a standard BP measure and dump it into the mouth of the raised chamber. A .535 RB was now placed sprue up and tapped into the chamber mouth opening and seated with a short starter. A "blob" of Crisco was placed on top of the ball. Breachblock was pushed down until locking lever snaps and locks. A standard musket cap was used for ignition and placed on the origonal nipple. A target was selected, hammer brought to full cock and the trigger squeezed. No misfires were encountered. Accuracy was great. This is by far my most accurate origonal military BP "breachloading" RB rifle. 25 yard targets were easily dispatched. The 50 yard 5"gong was easily hit. A 100 dirt clod was just missed low. All shots from the standing position. I may yet bench this rifle to measure how accurate it really is.
Most the shooting was done with 60 grains 3F. There is some "clearance" between the breachblock face and the barrel. Think of the cylinder gap of a revolver. There is some blowback with 60 grains 3F but not severe. At 70 grains 3F the spitting is noticable. At 80 grains there was visible fire exiting the "gap". There was a chronograph available today thanks to our klcarrol. 70 grains was clocked at 1274 fps. 80 grains was 1384 fps.
Many fine articles are found about the Hall Rifle on the internet. I decided to deal with what we did today shooting this Hall Rifle. Most shooters have never heard of one. Few have held one. Today three shooters fired live rounds from a rifle made 180 years ago still capable of fine accuracy.
Mike in ILL.
Closeup of Hall rifles added at post #7
Took a very nice 1832 U.S. Hall Breachloading Rifle to the Danville Rifle Pistol Club range today and fired it numerous times. This is my second Hall Rifle with the first being a flintlock made in 1819 and on display at the loacal Danville War Museum.
This particular 1832 Hall is from the first year of the percussion model 1832. Possible it was assembled from left over flintlock parts but with the new percussion breachblock. There is no serial number visible on the exterior but # 10 is stamped on a breachblock part visible upon disassembly of the breachblock.
The breachblock pivots on a bolt at the rear thus permitting the foward part of the breach to rotate upwards for easy loading.
The Hall's were reported to fire up to 100 grains of BP. That would be a full "chamber" and would take some considerable compressing to get a .530 ball seated far enough to close the breach.
Today I loaded 3F starting with 60 grains and seating a .535 40-1 ball. I used a .535 so it would be a tight fit in the breach possibly showing the best accuracy. This particular rifle has a near perfect bore. Looks like 16 lands and grooves finely cut and deep enough so a patched ball could be shot. Paper cartriges were used when available with origonals.
My loading procedure was to cock hammer to half cock and blow through barrel verifying nipple was clear. I had previously fired a percussion cap to be sure there was no residue oil in the nipple. Raise breachblock by pushing up and to the rear on the breachblock locking lever located on the bottom of the rifle. Next measure 60 grains of 3F in a standard BP measure and dump it into the mouth of the raised chamber. A .535 RB was now placed sprue up and tapped into the chamber mouth opening and seated with a short starter. A "blob" of Crisco was placed on top of the ball. Breachblock was pushed down until locking lever snaps and locks. A standard musket cap was used for ignition and placed on the origonal nipple. A target was selected, hammer brought to full cock and the trigger squeezed. No misfires were encountered. Accuracy was great. This is by far my most accurate origonal military BP "breachloading" RB rifle. 25 yard targets were easily dispatched. The 50 yard 5"gong was easily hit. A 100 dirt clod was just missed low. All shots from the standing position. I may yet bench this rifle to measure how accurate it really is.
Most the shooting was done with 60 grains 3F. There is some "clearance" between the breachblock face and the barrel. Think of the cylinder gap of a revolver. There is some blowback with 60 grains 3F but not severe. At 70 grains 3F the spitting is noticable. At 80 grains there was visible fire exiting the "gap". There was a chronograph available today thanks to our klcarrol. 70 grains was clocked at 1274 fps. 80 grains was 1384 fps.
Many fine articles are found about the Hall Rifle on the internet. I decided to deal with what we did today shooting this Hall Rifle. Most shooters have never heard of one. Few have held one. Today three shooters fired live rounds from a rifle made 180 years ago still capable of fine accuracy.
Mike in ILL.