Long Shadow said:
This is my first post other than hello post.
I hope I get it right! Could a person build
a muzzle loader with the parts available now
that could shoot 1,000 yard targets using conicals
and fast rifling??
What do you think!!
Fred
People do it all the time, but the bullets are generally 500-560 grains in 45 caliber and are not called conicals, these are too short for LR work. The bullets are cylindrical and usually 3 calibers or so in length. About 1.375 to 1.5" long for a 45.
If you read Ned Roberts "The Muzzle-Loading Caplock Rifle" you will read accounts of the first longrange match in the US which pitted the Irish Champion of the world team with MLs against the Americans shooting Sharps and Remington breech loaders. The underdog Americans beat them both years in America and convinced people that the breechloading rifle really was viable as a longrange competition gun. The British developed a cartridge for this purpose that was almost identical to the 45 2.4" Sharps LR cartridge.
Pedersoli makes a recreation of a similar ML longrange rifle that does very well indeed in 1000 yard matches.
Anyone who shoots ML guns and has not read Ned Roberts book is not properly informed. Roberts grew up shooting MLS.
Roberts is better known in some circles as the man who invented the 257 Roberts CF.
If you build one you need the 1 1/4" english breech with a 32-34" rapid taper barrel preferably full round, in 45 caliber with a 16 to 18" twist. The pressures involved dictate careful breeching, a QUALITY barrel of alloy steel 4140-4150 CM, platinum lined nipple and several hundred dollars (600 probably) in sights.
Its all out there. But do your research.
The Pedersoli costs about 1000-1100 bucks. Can't make one for that. I would make my own but to do this as I stated one must do his homework, pressures are far higher than with a round ball or the typical ML conical. The originals used 90-110 grains of powder.
Dan