.40cal GM Flint barrel on order

[roundball]

Roundball ya might want to start with a smaller charge of say 25 gr. for target out to 25 and 50 yards. The one grain per caliber, kind of doesn't apply as much when you get under .45 cal. There's one thing thats great about the small calibers, and it's that they are cheap to shoot. My squirel/ wood chuckie, small critter load is only 50 grains and that's for out past 60 yards. With these little guys point of aim at 15 yards is also point of aim at 80 yards. Good luck with her, even thought everyone knows 1 in 48 twist ain't very accurate
:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: Bill

Just found a couple pages of .40cal range reports in a book I had by Sam Fadala...looks like you and Sam are on the same page.

It has a load data chart with chrono'd results for 20-50grns of 3F with everything the same as what I'll have and be shooting...50grns 3F is right at 2000fps/mv...even 30 grns is listed at almost 1600fps/mv, so I can see where 25grs would be fine for plinking.

I have a TC adjustable powder measure originally made for pistol charges that's graduated from 20-60grns...it'll be perfect for the .40cal.
:thumbsup:

 

[amccall]

I have the 50 cal flint but I love GM 40 cal barrel that is on my percussion. Yes it is heavy but I am a big boy so at my age right now it is not a big deal. I was wanting to put a 40 cal flint barrel on my 15/16th rifle. I am glad that GM would do that, when I get the money around that will be something I will do. Yes the 3/4 flints work great in my flintlock and thanks for the email for Cains. :hatsoff:

 

[roundball]

I have the 50 cal flint but I love GM 40 cal barrel that is on my percussion. Yes it is heavy but I am a big boy so at my age right now it is not a big deal. I was wanting to put a 40 cal flint barrel on my 15/16th rifle. I am glad that GM would do that, when I get the money around that will be something I will do. Yes the 3/4 flints work great in my flintlock and thanks for the email for Cains. :hatsoff:

Hard to beat half price...mortage the house of you have too and get a lot...Fuller is already at retirement age and nobody else makes them.

 

5/16" is pretty much standard on 40cal and smaller, at 45cal you bump up to 3/8" but if you can get a 3/8" to fit then go for it. I'd run 35-40grs of 3fg for a target/general purpose load and go to 60-65grs for a deer load. 80grs might be a bit much in a 40cal, heck, that's what I was using in my 50cal for a deer load.

It was just my initial thinking based upon the old adage of caliber = powder charge for targets, and double that for hunting...plus Lymans manual lists 25-80grns of Goex 3F with a .395 in a .40cal caplock, so pressure in a flinter should even be less...we'll see...I have one deer stand that overlooks a trail crossing a drainage ditch close at 25yds...when one walks up to that ditch they stop and look around before going down into it and up the other side...plenty close enough for a little 90grn ball in the heart.
(heck, here I am already shooting deer with it and they haven't even shipped it yet :grin: )

IMHO an 80 gr charge in a .40 would be an extreme overload (regardless of whether or not the breech/barrel wiill withstand it). Accuracy in my 37" barreled .40 is very good with 40 grs fffg and .395 ball. The modern idea that increasing charge (velocity) in small bores makes up for lack of bullet weight in the energy downrange really does not apply well to BP ML rifles. You want big game killing energies, you go to a bigger bore. That is why .50 and .54 are so popular as deer calibers--not that they are absolutely needed, but modern folks want modern killing energies like their old fave .30-06 or whatever. No doubt thousands of deer and not a few bear have fallen to the little .40 and a well-placed shot. But many states outlaw it for big game for a reason. Davy Crockett reportedly killed over 100 black bear with his .40 longrifle, but remember he used dogs, treed or cornered the beasts, shot them at close range, and by his own admission, had to finish off many with his hunting knife!

 

[roundball]

Mike Roberts:
IMHO an 80 gr charge in a .40 would be an extreme overload (regardless of whether or not the breech/barrel wiill withstand it). Accuracy in my 37" barreled .40 is very good with 40 grs fffg and .395 ball. The modern idea that increasing charge (velocity) in small bores makes up for lack of bullet weight in the energy downrange really does not apply well to BP ML rifles. You want big game killing energies, you go to a bigger bore. That is why .50 and .54 are so popular as deer calibers--not that they are absolutely needed, but modern folks want modern killing energies like their old fave .30-06 or whatever. No doubt thousands of deer and not a few bear have fallen to the little .40 and a well-placed shot. But many states outlaw it for big game for a reason. Davy Crockett reportedly killed over 100 black bear with his .40 longrifle, but remember he used dogs, treed or cornered the beasts, shot them at close range, and by his own admission, had to finish off many with his hunting knife!

roundball to T.N.Frank:
Just found a couple pages of .40cal range reports in a book I had by Sam Fadala...looks like you and Sam are on the same page.

It has a load data chart with chrono'd results for 20-50grns of 3F with everything the same as what I'll have and be shooting...50grns 3F is right at 2000fps/mv...even 30 grns is listed at almost 1600fps/mv, so I can see where 25grs would be fine for plinking.

I have a TC adjustable powder measure originally made for pistol charges that's graduated from 20-60grns...it'll be perfect for the .40cal[/b]

 

[Java Man]

RB,

.40 is my favorite caliber for target shooting. I had been using 50gr FFFg and doing fine. Then a friend told me about a guy who does very well at Friendship with a .40 and 10-15gr loads.

I tried 30gr FFFg on Saturday. It was very pleasant to shoot, and at 25 yds, I got some nice groups other than the shots I screwed up. :cursing:

I was even thinking of your 50shot sessions without wiping. When shooting a match, you have plenty of time to wipe between shots. But when practicing offhand, its easier to just keep on loading. So I did, with good results. Lube was MAP-W equal qty's of Murphy's/Ajax Dish Soap/Pine Sol, and water to thin. 70F, 60-70%RH.

Java Man

 

[roundball]

RB,

.40 is my favorite caliber for target shooting. I had been using 50gr FFFg and doing fine. Then a friend told me about a guy who does very well at Friendship with a .40 and 10-15gr loads.

I tried 30gr FFFg on Saturday. It was very pleasant to shoot, and at 25 yds, I got some nice groups other than the shots I screwed up. :cursing:

I was even thinking of your 50shot sessions without wiping. When shooting a match, you have plenty of time to wipe between shots. But when practicing offhand, its easier to just keep on loading. So I did, with good results. Lube was MAP-W equal qty's of Murphy's/Ajax Dish Soap/Pine Sol, and water to thin. 70F, 60-70%RH.

Java Man

Since mine will be a 15/16" barrel, I assume it has the same patent breech design GM uses regardless of caliber, and I know from hands on that the patent breechplug holds about 18grs Goex 3F...so 20 grains would be the smallest I would probably load...(which is good since that's the smallest size powder measure I have :grin: ).

Personally, I find shooting without wiping between shots really convenient me...saves a lot of time at the range too

 

[Java Man]

Anywhere between 20-30 would make a good starting point. And on up to 60-65 for max velocity.

Based on some posts regarding penetration, you might be better off with 40-50gr than a heavier charge. You might not want that 90gr ball to expand too much. JMHO.

 

[CrackStock]

hey agreed to take an existing new .40cal caplock barrel, replace the breechplug with a Flint, and reblue everything for $60.

Did they supply the T/C breechplug or did you have to find one of your own?

I bought several a year or two ago and was curious if they are still available. I am down to 1 for my Seneca and one for the Hawken -- both caps.

CS

 

[roundball]

hey agreed to take an existing new .40cal caplock barrel, replace the breechplug with a Flint, and reblue everything for $60.

Did they supply the T/C breechplug or did you have to find one of your own?

I bought several a year or two ago and was curious if they are still available. I am down to 1 for my Seneca and one for the Hawken -- both caps.

CS

It's a Green Mountain Barrel...Green Mountain uses their own breechplugs...they just don't happen to normally make a flint version of the .40cal...they're going to remove a caplock plug from a .40cal, install one of their 15/16" flint plugs they use on other calibers, reblue it and send it to me.

During the past few years, I've had them do the same thing on their 1" .58 & .62cal drop-in barrels so I could have flint versions of them...

 

[CrackStock]

I also have a Green Mountain barrel that was outfitted with a Lyman GPR plug and fitted to a T/C. Pretty odd combination of pieces parts. I understand that it won't work the other way around.

CS

 

[roundball]

Lucked out and found 9 boxes of Hornady .395 for $2.50/box.

The .395's arrived and I opened a box...they look like toys they're so small...so I won't be intentionally going deer hunting with it.

I'll use it at the range plus some squirrel hunts.

 

[roundball]

1000 .40-.49cal .018" pillow ticking patches arrived today...so that's the .40cal balls, patches, jags & pullers...got everything else...now just waiting for the barrel to get here.

PS:
FWIW, Southern Bloomer's .40-.49cal .018" pillow ticking patches seem to be exactly the same as TC's .45-.50cal .018" pillow ticking patches...I got these dry, will lube them myself.

 

[retired]

Roundball how did you get GM to make up the 40 cal flint barrel? I corresponded with GM regarding a 54 cal rifled flint in 15/16 and was told they would not make one up. Could you PM me the details of how you went about getting your 40 cal flint. Thank you.

 

[roundball]

Roundball how did you get GM to make up the 40 cal flint barrel? I corresponded with GM regarding a 54 cal rifled flint in 15/16 and was told they would not make one up. Could you PM me the details of how you went about getting your 40 cal flint. Thank you.

Told them I wanted it...costs an extra $60 bucks.
They've made Flint versions for me in .58 and .62 as well.
If you haven't dealt with GM before, place the order through Ed Cain at Cains Outdoor, West VA...he's a big TC and GM dealer...first name basis with the Green Mountain staff for years...he'll get it done for you.

 

[roundball]

So I drive in the driveway after work, and see an unmistakable GM barrel box on the front porch, I take it in, open the flap, reach in and pull out a brand new .40cal CAPLOCK barrel !!
:cursing:

Somebody got their hands crossed at GM...already have Emails waiting for them at GM to straighten it out.....the only good news is I got to check some things:

1) The 15/16" .40cal drops right into the Hawken stock I had set aside for it;

2) My 3/8" range rods work fine, although they shipped it with a slightly smaller diameter synthetic rod;

3) The tubular brass hunting ramrods left over from another 33" barrel are the exact length, just have to install 3/8" thinbles when I finally get the Flint version;

4) Jags & patches fit fine, so I patch wiped most of the rust out of the bore for them;

And like the GM .58cal, this .40 really has deep grooves...just wish I could shoot it this weekend

 

[tom hargrove]

go ahead install it and have someone smack the cap with a hammer :shake: :bull: :bull: :bull: :rotf: does that kind of snap your suspenders :cursing: ,when you wait for something ,then it comes ,and it wrong ,man what a way to ruin your day, but been there done that
:v :winking: