Pedersoli Creedmore #2 and Malcolm Scope

[knewmans]

Hi
I have the possibility of buying a secondhand Pedersoli Creedmore #2 and 6x Malcolm Scope. This would be my first rifle of this type for target shooting probably to 600yds and potentially 1000yds. I'm currently intending to use smokeless.

http://tinyurl.com/qhrotqc

As far as I know its all standard pedersoli equipment. I know the sights may need changing at some point but my intention would be to keep it as is at least I have some experience with the rifle and cast boolits.

I'm looking for opinions and any pointers on what to look for when buying.

Thanks
Ken

[rfd]

hi ken

i've had three pedersoli's and still have and shoot and love their bodine rolling block in .45-70. it has excellent craftsmanship and the match grade barrel and broach rifling are second to none.

with the sharps creedmoor yer looking at, is it of recent (within a few years) build? if you absolutely must use smokeless, i'd check to see if it can handle that heathen white stuff as some pedersoli's (i think those larger than .45-70) are black powder only. it should be stamped so somewhere in the barrel, probably under the fore stock. you could also take down its serial number and query pedersoli via email - they're pretty responsive about answer customer questions.

if it comes with the pedersoli tang and globe - imho though they're serviceable, what's missing is a hadley eye cup, a soule windage, and a front globe spirit level, all of which i believe is required to make the rifle truly competitive. but if yer just gonna use the scope, none of that will matter.

i would also strongly urge you to consider only shooting black powder.

bpcr is a great sport to join and enjoy!

[knewmans]

Thanks rfd.

I'm not ruling out back powder but small steps initially. It already feels like a big jump from .223 and 6.5x47.

[rfd]

Thanks rfd.

I'm not ruling out back powder but small steps initially. It already feels like a big jump from .223 and 6.5x47.

for the longest time my thoughts were the same as yours about bp cartridges.

but the hard truth is that bp loading is easy. really easy.

actually, easier, safer, and imho more accurate than any smokeless.

[EDG]

I would inspect the scope mounting set up. If poorly done or if the mounts are poor quality the mounts might not take the recoil or it might not be possible to sight in the scope. For the longer ranges it takes a lot of elevation to get a 45-70 zeroed.

The rifle should be excellent for your use. It is a little on the light side for 500 grain bullets used for long range but you can determine if that matters to you.
I have a 10 lb Pedersoli and 12 lb rifles of other makes and the extra 2 lbs is nice off a bench but makes the rifle too heavy for carrying around while hunting.

Examine the bore carefully from both ends. Make sure it was not left uncleaned after shooting BP . The bore should be perfect as examined from both ends if it was well cared for.

Check out the double set trigger by cocking, setting and letting the hammer fall onto a piece of hard foam like an ear plug. Or you can just catch the hammer with your off hand.

Don't worry about using smokeless if you are interested in standard velocity loads that duplicate the original BP loads. Do your research and use the right powders and you will have good accuracy and lots of fun.
Some of the better smokeless powders are 4227, 5744 and SR4759. SR4759 is my favorite but it was discontinued last year.
For a 500 grain bullet loads run between 22 to 25 grains but verify them by several sources.

If you ever try the tang sight set up you will be surprised how small groups you can shoot with the right set up.

Use a 6" to 8" black bull at 100 yards with an aperture front sight insert with about a .090 aperture. The rear aperture needs to be large enough that you do not get a fuzzy image. With the sights set up you should be able to shoot groups of 2" or maybe less. With well developed loads the groups will get down close to 1".

[country gent]

The pendersoli rifles have decent reputation for accurate shooting and being good rifles. Get you start with it. go slow and enjoy the trip to nostalgia and history. Put some time in with it starting where you are comfortable at be it smokless duplication loads or true black powder. Order several styles bullets to try before buying your mould/moulds ( one is never enough). This way you have an idea of what the rifle likes before buying moulds. The lyman 457125 510 grn round nose and the Lyman 535 grn postell are both good performers in many rifles. Cast from 16-1 up to 30-1 they are good performers for target and hunting. Several books will be helpfull also. One that gives good information on loading black powder though geared towards paper patched bullets is Loading and Shooting Paper Patched Bullets, A Beginners guide. by Randolph S. Wright.

[Baja_Traveler]

Ok - I have this exact same rifle, and the first thing I did was to take the stock sights off and put MVA sights on. Well, rather - I Had that exact same rifle - I used it a few years in our local BPCR matches, and really enjoyed myself until I got frustrated on misses on the rams that I knew I should have hit. Common feeling around the range was that the barrel on this particular rifle is too thin and whippy, so when it got out to longer ranges the accuracy fell apart. It did great 300 yards and closer, and just alright on the Turkeys. Tried many different styles of bullets, and found the Buffalo Arms Money bullet shot best, with the Postell second. I sold my Paul Jones Creedmoor mould because it just didn't work in this rifle.
I had a chance to pick up a really nice Shilo, also in 45-70 - so I had the Pedersolli re-barreled in a heavy half round 40-65. I Love it even more now with a proper heavy barrel. Luckily, the money bullet shoots great in the Shilo. Here's the Pedersoli now with the new barrel.

144854

[NSB]

Nice gun Baja! I was just thinking about it the other day. It looks even better with the heavy barrel on it.

[Don McDowell]

Lots of things to consider. Who's scope is it, and did the person drilling the holes for the bases get them centered on the top of the barrel? If it's one of the Leatherwood scopes the mounts aren't going to be to great. If it's the 18 inch scope you can put DZ mounts on, but there goes another 400$+. If it's one of the full length scopes probably best to just go with a good set of irons, or order an MVA.

[knewmans]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I had a nagging doubt about the barrel as it is thinner and shorter than the other target models. Maybe this isn't the best one to get.

[M71]

I concur with the opinion that the heavy barrel is advantageous for target shooting. I too have owned the lighter tapered barreled 45-70's, Shiloh and Pedersoli. Other people are playing with those now. I have two 34" heavy 1/2 round Pedersoli rifles, a roller and an 1874. I couldn't be more pleased with them. I'm the weak link concerning accuracy. I'm enjoying making steady progress with load adjustments and improving my shooting technique. I just love those long heavy barrels.


144922

[Bent Ramrod]

The Creedmoor Rules limited the weight of the rifle to ten pounds max, and the trigger pull to three pounds min. A true Creedmoor rifle shouldn't have a set trigger, but those are de rigeur now, so the styling is preserved in the long, skinny barrel. There shouldn't be any worries about accuracy. I have a Cabela's Pedersoli "Long Range" rifle with the straight stock and heavy barrel. It's more forgiving of lapses in good shooting technique than my Shiloh with lighter barrel and more traditional drop in the stock, but the intrinsic accuracy of both are equivalent as far as I can see.

You should be able to get on target and do very accurate shooting with the sights and scope you are looking at. However, if you eventually want to use your rifle for competition, the issue will then be how reproducible your sight settings are, when you dial back and forth from one distance to another, and try to allow for shifting and varying winds.

The Lyman tang peep sights and the standard "set and forget" hunting scopes could be sighted in with a half box of ammunition and used from then on for hunting or plinking with only an occasional recheck. When people started cranking them up and down and back and forth for HP and Cowboy silhouette and 200- to 600-yard target shooting, the backlash in the adjustments had them wasting sighting shots and tearing their hair out until the manufacturers started providing sights and scopes with more precise and reproducible adjustments. This, of course, cost lots more money to make, and to buy.

So it's basically a matter of deciding what you want to do with the rifle and what you are willing to pay for. I would think what you are looking at would be a really good way of getting an idea of what this kind of shooting is about. After you gain the necessary experience with this setup, you will be able to figure out what you need yourself.

[montana_charlie]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I had a nagging doubt about the barrel as it is thinner and shorter than the other target models. Maybe this isn't the best one to get.
Being that it is a 30-inch barrel. it will be less 'whippy' than those 34-inch jobs that others have been comparing yours with.

Also, that USA 430 tang sight is a pretty good one. It is one of Pedersoli's 'better grade' of tang sight, so it will also accept their Hadley-type eyepiece.

CM

[MT Chambers]

I wouldn't bother with those experimental smokeless powders, fill 'er up with real Black Powder!