1866 Uberti Yellowboy all over the place

[Sheridan64]

Bought a used Uberti 1866 Yellowboy in .45 Colt. Carbine, 19in barrel.

It is patterning like a smoothbore musket at 100yds. Actually, that's unkind...my Charleville patched does better.

The rifling seems really thin. It's there, but you have to look for it. It's not even close to what I would call deep.

Loads tried: .452 250gr coated LRN...with 25gr 2F Pyrodex, 35gr 2F Pyrodex, 9gr Unique.

It goes from 5in at 50, to larger than a trashcan lid at the 100.

I'm drilling 3in groups at 100 with an original 1881 Trapdoor carbine, so it ain't me...

Any insight appreciated.

[cwtebay]

What does the bore slug to?

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[Sheridan64]

Haven't slugged it.

I've got some softer lead on order, but lowest I can find in a commercial cast is Brinell 12. (Missouri, non coated, Cowboy #1)

[snowwolfe]

Could the barrel be badly leaded?

[Sheridan64]

Could be, but I've worked it over pretty good. Butches, old Rem Bore Cleaner, Ballistol.

That makes some sense though. If previous owner was a CAS, it's probably full.

Brake Cleaner and Copper scrubby I guess.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

There're so many things it could be.....is there a nick in the crown at the muzzle? Is the barrel band too loose or too tight?

DG

[Sheridan64]

Crown looks OK. Just had a Trapdoor re-crowned. It was bad. Even so, it still did ok. (does even better now)

Barrel bands factory spec. As with all Ubertis the biggest problem was initial screw removal. Nothing odd regards the bands.

[pworley1]

It could be many things, but my first thought is under size bullets and leaded bore.

[Sheridan64]

It could be many things, but my first thought is under size bullets and leaded bore.

That's easy to check. Start there.

It's a good looking gun, and it's gonna get some tack work so I'd really like to be able to hit something with it.

[cwtebay]

I guess I would start with a righteous cleaning and slug the bore. Definitely keep the barrel band in mind too!
I'm with the undersized bullets theory.

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[HWooldridge]

Try some jacketed bullets with smokeless as a test. If those shoot well, you probably have a size or BHN issue.

[Castaway]

Count your lands and grooves and post the number of each

[missionary5155]

Get a fishing sinker of pure lead and use that to check your bore.
Marlin Micro-groove barrels ( very shallow thin lands) will shoot cast with tight cast. Groove +.002 works in our 45 Colt.
Your experience reflects why many reloaders think cast cannot shoot well. You must size the "piston to the cylinder".

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Sounds like undersize boolits and leaded barrel. Maybe you know someone with a bore scope to check for leading. Serious barrel cleaning might be in order. New brass brush wrapped with Chore Boy or brass wool, there is product called Lead Out that helps.

[Castaway]

Deleted, double post

[Castaway]

Wow, a new record, a triple post. Sorry

[Castaway]

pworley1, many of the older Henry's had micro-groove rifling. That’s why I suggested counting your lands and grooves. If that’s the case, they can still shoot cast, but you’ll want them 0.454 or larger. Where do you get them, other than a custom mould, I don’t know. As HWooldridge suggested, try some jacketed bullets. If not micro-grooved and it doesn’t shoot jacketed bullets, that maybe the reason you got it on the used market.

[DAVIDMAGNUM]

.....but you’ll want them 0.454 or larger. Where do you get them, other than a custom mould, I don’t know..........

Desperado Cowboy Bullets
good people, good product

[HWooldridge]

I bought a 92 Rossi several years ago from a guy who was having similar problems. He was shooting CAS using factory loads with 250 gr lead bullets and said they shot all over the target. I got it home and saw streaks of lead in the bore - so I loaded a box of jacketed 250 gr Hornady XTP pills with 16 grs of Blue Dot. Groups now run about 1-1/2” at 50 yards. I’m going to work up a lead bullet load but I know there’s nothing wrong with the rifle.

[saguaro]

When I shot BP through my 24" barrel Marlin I put a grease cookie in for good measure to keep the fouling soft. Seemed to work.