I found a awesome deal on a brand new flintlock 54. Cal layman great plans hunter. I passed it up originally because I didn't like the fast twist barrel. But he has dropped the price so low I can't pass on it. I know that's definitely not a round ball twist but do you think there is any chance it might shoot a round ball with any accuracy?
1/32 twist ?
- Thread starter boker
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
That .54 rifle will shoot round ball quite accurately with light loads.
Great for target shooting, of which we do most.
Plus you have the advantage to shoot conical bullets very accurately for hunting applications.
You have the best of both worlds, at a great price.
Make sure the barrel is perfect!
All the best!
Fred
Great for target shooting, of which we do most.
Plus you have the advantage to shoot conical bullets very accurately for hunting applications.
You have the best of both worlds, at a great price.
Make sure the barrel is perfect!
All the best!
Fred
palonghunter
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2014
- Messages
- 147
- Reaction score
- 3
There's a good chance it will shoot reasonably well with PRB. If it doesn't you can buy a slow twist barrel for I think ~$200.
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2004
- Messages
- 14,767
- Reaction score
- 320
The twist rate isn't really a problem with round balls if you pay attention to one small detail.
Most fast twist barrels also have very shallow rifling. Punch your charges up past a certain point, and I think what's happening is the rifling isn't grabbing so well.
Easy remedy. Just go to a tighter patch/ball combo if you want to push up your charges.
My bud has the Hunter barrel in 54, and I've borrowed it and played with it quite a bit to help him get it shooting RBs better.
With an easy-loading combo of .018 patches and .530 balls, you can stack the balls on top of each other with charges up to around 60 grains of 3f. But accuracy starts to go south past 70 grains of 3f. That still plenty hot for deer smacking, but lotsa guys want hotter.
Going to a .018 patch with a .535 ball requires a pretty good smack on a short starter to get the ball started, but it shoots well up to at least 90 grains of 3f, as high as I've gone. Might or might not be even more accurate with 2f, but I never got around to trying it.
One thing to remember with Lyman barrels. When new, the sharp edges of the lands and the crown can cut patches and hurt accuracy for the first 100-200 shots. There's simply a break-in period, following which accuracy will put a real smile on your face. My bud had already shot the barrel quite a bit, so I don't know if it's a factor with the shallower rifling of the Hunter, but it would be something to expect if yours is new, but be pleasantly surprised if not.
Most fast twist barrels also have very shallow rifling. Punch your charges up past a certain point, and I think what's happening is the rifling isn't grabbing so well.
Easy remedy. Just go to a tighter patch/ball combo if you want to push up your charges.
My bud has the Hunter barrel in 54, and I've borrowed it and played with it quite a bit to help him get it shooting RBs better.
With an easy-loading combo of .018 patches and .530 balls, you can stack the balls on top of each other with charges up to around 60 grains of 3f. But accuracy starts to go south past 70 grains of 3f. That still plenty hot for deer smacking, but lotsa guys want hotter.
Going to a .018 patch with a .535 ball requires a pretty good smack on a short starter to get the ball started, but it shoots well up to at least 90 grains of 3f, as high as I've gone. Might or might not be even more accurate with 2f, but I never got around to trying it.
One thing to remember with Lyman barrels. When new, the sharp edges of the lands and the crown can cut patches and hurt accuracy for the first 100-200 shots. There's simply a break-in period, following which accuracy will put a real smile on your face. My bud had already shot the barrel quite a bit, so I don't know if it's a factor with the shallower rifling of the Hunter, but it would be something to expect if yours is new, but be pleasantly surprised if not.
I would definitely get it. I have an old Jaeger in 58 caliber with a 1:28 twist and it shoots patched balls accurately. Like others have said the charges have to be moderate with balls and Minnie's can be pushed faster.
I shoot 80gr FF with PRB's out of my GPH barrel and it's more accurate than my GPR barrel. Both are .54's. I have shot 120 FF from the slow twist barrel and accuracy actually improved over the 80gr target load, but haven't tried heavy charges in the fast twist barrel. I would buy it! You can always add a GPR barrel later!
As has been said, it may or may not shoot RB's accurately using lighter charges, but you can always buy a decent used slow twist barrel that will drop right in to your current stock. I had a similar set up with a modified GPH fast twist barrel on a Cabelas Hawken stock. The only concial I could get good or better accuracy with was a 220 grain REAL bullet pushed by 95 grains of 3f Goex. It was one hole accurate at 75 yards from a bench rest, however recoil was brutal. It sure got everyone's attention at the range though and I'm quite confident that it would go end to end on an elk. This one was in 50 caliber, but that's another great thing about the Great Plains stock; you can choose fast or slow twist in either 50 or 54 caliber. I'd choose the .54 only because it makes the barrel a little lighter and the rifle less nose heavy.
Lastly, only one of my Lyman barrels, even when new, needed a break in period in order to get great accuracy but that's an easy fix. All you really have to do is put a bunch of shots through it and I hardly call that work!
PS- be sure to drop a bore light down it and see for yourself what condition it's in. You might also want to bring a piece of flannel with you to put on the cleaning jag and see if any rust comes out. Have as much negotiating leverage on your side as you can when buying used.
Lastly, only one of my Lyman barrels, even when new, needed a break in period in order to get great accuracy but that's an easy fix. All you really have to do is put a bunch of shots through it and I hardly call that work!
PS- be sure to drop a bore light down it and see for yourself what condition it's in. You might also want to bring a piece of flannel with you to put on the cleaning jag and see if any rust comes out. Have as much negotiating leverage on your side as you can when buying used.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2009
- Messages
- 13,221
- Reaction score
- 7,560
Jeepers, sure have wished that Lyman marketed the fast twist in the lefthanded flinter.
Well, that's the thing about cap locks, when you're left handed you can shoot RH cap locks without problems. If it had been a RH flint barrel then I wouldn't have ever bought it to begin with but I am just pointing out the accuracy potential that the GPH barrels are capable of. Oh, and I need to mention that I found that with this barrel, the best accuracy was only achieved by using a lubed fiber wad in between the powder and bullet. I had the muzzle crowned so that conicals would center and load easily as well.GoodCheer said:
Similar threads
- Locked
