.69 caliber english sporting rifle

[Bulletproof]

I am interested in building an english rifle modeled after TOTW's purdey rifle.

What twist would be the best to get the best accuracy out of heavy charges in 69 caliber? 200 grain charges will be what im after.

also, will the 1 1/4" breech be large enough for the 69 caliber? with the heavy charges i will need some weight but there will be almost .3" of wall thickness.

I dont have any experience with building a rifle this big, is there anyone else out there who has done something like this that would care to share some information?

Thanks,
ABhunter

 

[BS]

I will send you a pm with an e-mail address for Daryl S. he has a 69 cal in a Elglish Sporting Rifle. His load for RB is 165FF. He used a 1.1/8" straight barrel.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Accuraccy will depend on many things, twist, barrel length, sights, your ability , etc....
The only way to know will be to build the gun and shoot it, and see what load it shoots the most accuately.

 

[more powder]

I am building English sporting rifle right now it 1 1/8 at breech in 73 cal tapers to 1 inch

 

[BS]

Ron V,

Tell us about your Barrel, brad and twist, rifling and such.

Thank You.
Bruce

 

[more powder]

Bruce The barrel is 33 long .292 width between lands lands or 008 deep,.089 thick, and it looks like the lands are kind of round,as near as i can tell its about 3/8 of a turn ,its oct to rd also.Did you get a load worked out for your big bore?

 

[BS]

Ron V,
I am going to lead lap the barrel this winter.....It will shoot one good group, then three bad ones.........It is deadly at fifty, but..............100yds is a different story.

Be sure to try some paper patched hard lead balls in your gun. If you get the right combination, they are very accurate. 1.1/2" at 100 yds. a super big game Killer!

That light barrel will be super to carry! It will kick, but who cares........about a little KICK every now and then! :shocked2:

 

[Bulletproof]

Thanks guys,

ill have to get in touch with Daryl S.

I was thinking that the extra meat of the barrel would be good for the high powder charges. Also I was seeking advise on to the twist rate suitable for these larger charges. In the DGJ it mentions forsythes thoughs for slow twists allowing better accuracy with higher charges.

Brett

 

[varsity07840]

My .69 has a 1/104 twist, narrow lands wide grooves similar to Forsythe. The barrel is a bit over 1/1/4" x 30", no taper. It's an original gun that was .54 cal. Bob Hoyt freshed it out to .69. I generally shoot 120-150 gr. out of it, but I've gone up to 200. Even though it's a heavy rifle, it's a thumper (off the bench at least)with that charge.

I have an original Westley Richards English Sporting Rifle in percussion, .635 cal. Looks very much like a Purdey. The barrel is 1 1/16"x 30" and tapers to around 15/16". I usually shoot around 90 gr. of Swiss 2F which is equal to about 120 gr. of GOEX, for whitetail. Ross seyfried has some good articles in Blackpowder Hunting on this style of rifle.

 

[Bulletproof]

Duane,

Thanks for the reply. I enjoy seyfried's articles alot. He writes in the DGJ quite a bit and seems to be very knowledgable about old english guns.

Maybe Ill have to pick up a copy of blackpowder hunting.

Brett

 

[Swampman]

http://www.gunweek.com/2001/feature0201.html

This might interest you.

 

[varsity07840]

Brett:
You'll have to go on line with them and check out the back issues. His articles on English rifles/Forsythe rifling were published quite a while ago.

Duane

 

[jimeckersley]

I am interested in building an english rifle modeled after TOTW's purdey rifle.

What twist would be the best to get the best accuracy out of heavy charges in 69 caliber? 200 grain charges will be what im after.

also, will the 1 1/4" breech be large enough for the 69 caliber? with the heavy charges i will need some weight but there will be almost .3" of wall thickness.

I dont have any experience with building a rifle this big, is there anyone else out there who has done something like this that would care to share some information?

Thanks,
ABhunter

My 30" long .72 is 1 1/4" tapering to 1." You will be fine with a .69 caliber.

If I have another .72 barrel made, I'll go to 1 3/8" tapered to 1 1/16.