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ohland
11-15-2013, 06:31 PM
Phil Sharpe’s Complete Guide to Handloading, pages 110-111
Just what can be done with a properly loaded paper-patch bullet? Nearly half a century ago on July 18, 1891- Francis J. Rabbeth, experimenter, shooter, and writer of that day under the pen name "J. Francis," performed the officially recorded feat of fifteen consecutive shots into a 2-inch circle at 200 yards at the Walnut Hill Range, near Boston, Mass. You ultra-modern riflemen with your heavy barreled International Match Springfields, think that over a bit. In this shooting Mr. Rabbeth used a .38/55 Ballard and the 330-grain Rabbeth paper-patched bullet. This type of bullet had a cylindrical body with a rounded and flat tip nose cast in a cylindrical adjustable mould, not swaged.
He used 55 grains Hazard Fg black powder, no wads, bullets patched by the Chase method with a single thickness of .00225 paper. Bullets were seated into the rifling 1/32 inch ahead of the shell by means of the Ideal Ball Seater. After each shot he cleaned the barrel with a wet bristle brush, pushing it through with a rod having a snug-fitting wiping rag attached. This rag is pushed clear through the barrel from the breech and drawn back. No second wiping. No oil or other lubricant was used. The performance record speaks for itself.

:coffeecom

v/r,
Fellow servant to Heavy Metal

williamwaco
11-15-2013, 07:41 PM
PS:

That bullet was cast, not swaged AND it was NOT "Hard Cast".

ohland
11-16-2013, 01:01 AM
At the velocities that Mr. Rabbeth was getting with black powder, "Hard Cast" doesn't appear necessary.

btroj
11-16-2013, 08:37 AM
In that time frame 16-1 was hard cast!

Janoosh
11-16-2013, 06:48 PM
Great Shooting there. Not mentioned is was the shooting off hand (standing erect, on your hind legs, like a man), single rest, or double rest. They shot WAY different then we do nowadays, and I am always amazed at the scores and the distances.