Johnathan Browning .54 Mtn Rifle loading

[bearmn56]

I bought a Johnathan Browning .54 cal Mountain rifle a few years back. It has VERY deep rifling and with a tight fitting patch can be somewhat difficult to load, especially in the field hunting. Recently I saw a muzzle loader that had the muzzle altered to make loading easier. The rifling at the muzzle were tapered so that the ball could be started with one's fingers, then rammed home. This rifle also shoots the Lee R.E.A.L. .54 short 300gr Mini quite well. However, again, with the deep rifling, it is hard to start this Mini straight and square with the bore.
Has anyone had any experience with haveing their muzzleloaders barrel altered like this? Does it work? I know that the JB Mtn rifles are kind of collectors items. Will this modification destroy its value?
By the way, this particular rifle has all iron hardware and looks like, with the exception of the adjustable sights, an original Hawken.
Any help would be appreciated,
Bearmn56
Montana Territory

[docone31]

I wouldn't alter it.
I carry a small nylon head hammer. I can drive in the R.E.A.L.s in my rifle without flattening the tip! When I fire tight balls, I use it.

[Maven]

bearmn56, If you go to www.americanlongrifles.com and search for muzzle coning, you'll find plenty of useful information. Whether you want to do that to your rifle is another matter though. Btw, docone31's suggestion re: using a nylon hammer works very well for seating conicals straight. Also, the early CVA Hawkens (ca. 1970's - early '80's) had a coned bbl.

[451whitworth]

if you plan on selling it and it retaining top value for a would be collector then modifing it out. but if you want to use it and have no intensions of selling/ not worried about resale then a proper crown will allow for easy loading of tight patch/ball combinations.

[waksupi]

If you cone a barrel properly, it will not be readily noticeable, and shouldn't hurt the value of the rifle at all. I do not know how well this will work on other than round ball shooting, though. I coned my .54 southern mountain rifle last week, and if anything, it seems to be a bit more accurate than before.

[76 WARLOCK]

I have two Sharon kit rifles the I coned the muzzles a .54 and a.58 both shot just as well after as before.

[northmn]

Sometimes if the combo loads hard you can also improve the existing crown. Try rubbing a ball covered with sandpaper around to seen if you can improve the crown you have. As to the coned muzzle you can go for that also. It would not be any less practical for accuracy.

Northmn

[bearmn56]

Thanks everyone for your help. Talked to my gunsmith today and he said that this modification is quite common. Done right, one would hardly notice the change in the muzzle. He is going to do it...all I need to do is bring in a .535 dia ball, some patching material and a Lee R.E.A.L. 300gr Mini along with the rifle of course. :wink: My gunsmith is a custom gunmaker (a member of the Gunmakers Guild) and is buried right now. However, as soon as the mod is done and the Montana weather cooperates, I will give things a try and will post the results.
Thanks again,
Bearmn56
Montana Territory

[mooman76]

Why go with a really tight patch in the field? You generally do not have to shoot a really tight patch especially in the field where all you need is minute of deer accuracy vs. shooting paper for competition. You could as an option also have a sizer cut for your minies so you can presize them for a perfect fit. Have you also tried a .530 ball insted of a 535? It would go in easier with a somewhat tight patch.

[StrawHat]

Why go with a really tight patch in the field?

I agree with mooman, why fight the loading procedure?

Most of my rifles can be loaded with just minimal pressure on the rod, even after a couple of shots. And they are accurate enough to hunt with and win at the local target matches.