Back to the range with my GPR

[Bob J]

Here on Florida's East Coast, on many days I have to shoot early AM or late afternoon (sometimes breeze lets down after 5:00 pm or so).

 

[Runner]

Do not use two powders in the same session. Use black one day and the other the next. Go to store bought pre-lubed patches for a while until you get a handle on that rifles prefered load. Take a green scrub pad and wrap it around a bronze bore brush with the ends hanging over in the front. That makes getting it started easier. The brush will clean deep in the rifling. Do not use a bore paste yet. Use the scrub pad brush with the barrel in a bucket of hot water with a good detergent so that the barrel gets flushed good each stroke. Check the crown for dings with a magnifying glass. If you and another shooter both fail to get under 3 inches at 50 yards off the bench with 3f black, then see what Lyman has to say. I have seen a lot of off hand groups from those rifles at 50 yards better than what you are describing off the bench.

 

[soquili]

a 10 mph cross wind will drift my ball about 3" at 50 yards. I have been getting 3" to 4" groups. Next time at the range I will pay attention to the wind and see if groups are opening up in the wind direction.

How about trying an indoor range, to eliminate that wind variable too? Ones near me will let you shoot black powder. Try it just long enough to sight it in and see if that gets a consistent grouping, then go back to the outdoor one and experiment to correct for windage, to correct that 3" drift.
Patsy

 

[cptleo1]

Bob I will be on the east coast next week

I can bring my GPR so you can have something to compare to

I think I also have a Lyman Peep you can try

It should tighten things up a bunch.

Leo :front:

 

[Bob J]

Be happy to go shootin' with you, Capt. Leo. But its Mr. Nick that's having difficulties with his GPR. Mines putting 4 holes touching at 50 yards, don't think I can shoot better than that withought a scope ::

 

[Mr Nick]

cptleo,

Why don't you grab your GPR and come on over to the west coast. I'll buy lunch.

 

[strongarm]

How many balls of each combination did you try? You need at least 5 of each and when you think you have an answer, go home and come back the next day and see if you can repeat the same results. Did I mention you need to also wipe the inside of the barrel before you take each shot?

Throught the mallet away(so you don't ever use it again.) And stick to one size ball; the .490

and try again.

 

[Mr Nick]

I haven't been wiping the barrel. Based on other posts, I have been using Black Mag 3 and lubed felt wads. The idea being that the combination of the clean burning Black Mag 3 combined with the wiping action of the lubed felt wads keep the barrel clean. After shooting 50 rounds the last ball loaded with about the same pressure as the first and a visual inspection of the barrel showed it to be clean and bright. Maybe I need to wipe?? Also some have sugested that excess lube causes ball to fly irregular. Wiping would help here. I have made notes of all the sugestions given. Some have already been applied. I haven't had a chance to get back to the range. Next week shows me some free time to shoot.

 

[Old40Rod]

Get a bottle of liquid patch lube, like Hoppes 9 BP lube. I can shoot 30 or so shots on a trail walk with no wiping, 1st shot loads like the last, rifle shoots better than I can. I think liquid lube will give you better consistency in your patches, shot to shot, than butter types.

In either event I doubt lube is your problem unless you are gunking it in there. Since you are having problems, I would start with a very simple load... powder, patch, ball... K.I.S.S.

Stick with Goex, a store bought patch, light liquid lube and go from there. All barrels are different... I'm lucky because my .50 GPR is not a finnicky eater. I can switch patches, balls, etc., with no discernable loss of accuracy. I'm sure if I did this all from a bench rest I would probably notice... but on trail walks there doesn't seem to be a problem.

About the only thing my GPR does not like is Pyro or other substitutes. I don't know if the fire channel is big enough to get enough flame to do the job of setting the stuff off with #11s or exactly what it is... I just don't get that satisfying BANG with substitutes... more of a PFFFT. I tried Pyro and some other type (Clear shot I think). I ended up given the unexpended portions of the cans to one of the guys in our club to use in his rondy cannon.

 

[Bob J]

Old40Rod's right :thumbsup: Keep it simple: Goex, Pre-lubed store bought patches (like Ox-Yokes Wonder Ticking) and throw away the wads. This combo has worked in every GPR I've heard of. :imo: You know, Black Mag worked well in my GPR, but not in the Kodiak .58. Goex works great in both!

 

[Mr Nick]

Back to the range again.

This time I went early while the air was calm. My dealer didn't have pre-made patches in my size. I used .015" pillow ticking from wall mart and lubed sparingly with my fingers with wonder lube. .490 balls, goex 3f, no wads & swabed the bore with a moist patch followed with a dry between shots.

80 grains yielded 1 1/2" 5 shot group at 50 yards. Going up or down opened up the group a little. I think I am finally on my way. Today I only used goex 3f and .015 patches A little more experimenting should get me down to 1".

I would like to thank all of you for the great input. I couldn't of made it without your help.

 

[Rebel]

Sounds like you are headed in the right direction. Congrats. :front:

 

[Runner]

There are too many variables to try and just pick one. That is why so many people kept saying keep it simple. Once you have a good head start, then you can experiment with one thing at a time to try and improve.

Years back someone published some new gun load tuning tricks that no one uses anymore. Once you find a patch/ball combo the gun will shoot consistant, they recommended that you do this. Using that patch and ball combo, lay newsprint on your shooting table and shoot over it. You were supposed to keep upping the load until you started to see evidence on the newsprint that powder was being blown out unburnt. Record that point as max load with that rifle/patch/ball combo. Reduce the load by 15 percent and shoot for groups. Move up and down five grains to see how close to the most accurate load you were. In most guns, you would be just about at the correct accuracy load for that rifle. It is a lot of trouble to do but it did work pretty well. Working up by five grains and then repeating works just as well.

 

[Tahquamenon]

Glad to hear that GPR is finally printing for you. :thumbsup:

BTW, I'll be more than happy to take the unused BM'3 off your hands.

 

[Mr Nick]

The BM3 shoots fine in my revolver. Here in California no one sells it. Since I had to pay haz mat and shipping, I bought 10 lbs. That will be a lot of revolver shooting.

 

[Tahquamenon]

I remember you mentioning you bought 10 pounds.

Don't give up the ship with BM'3 and your GPR. I'd be really surprised if you could not find a combination with BM'3 to make that GPR print well.

Plus, cleaning afterwards will make the extra effort in load development very worthwhile.
:thumbsup:

 

[Mr Nick]

Next time at the range I plan to keep everything the same except a change to BM3. I will try different charges in 5 gr increments.

 

[Bob J]

1 1/2" at 50 yards using 80 grains? Right on, Mr. Nick! :redthumb: That's a good huntin' load. I think you "gotter done". :hatsoff:

 

[Vince N]

I had a .50 GPR that shot 1-1/4" 5 shot 50 yard with two loads:495 hornady .018 patch 75grs GoexFFF and 90grs GoexFF.Hope this helps.