Coning done to Parker Hale Volunteer Rifle

[richardtl]

I have been looking for a 3 band volunteer rifle (either Henry or Rigby rifled) for a while here in South Africa. Either an original Parker Hale or Euroarms one. I got all excited when I thought I found one. I already have 2xEuroarms 2 Band Henry rifled ones. One I shot a lot, and is fitted with Mike Neumann vernier sights. The other is a mint one I keep to one side. I like wise have 2 x Euroarms Whitworth 3 band volunteers.

It was in a gunshop here in SA in Johannesburg, and I was shown the rifle and it looked good. It was in good nick and had Mike Neumann vernier sights. It was a proper Parker Hale 3 band volunteer rifle. I was excited to see this and when I looked at the muzzle it was smooth. It seems the top of the crown was damaged and they sent it to an expert Nitro gunsmith who recommended coning the barrel instead of cutting back muzzle a little and recrowning. It is now coned to about 20 to 25mm depth.

In my view this will no longer shoot as the match rifle it was once and will require the full inch cut off, and recrowned which will also require the front sight moved back and new dove tail cut.

Also the price of this rifle is not cheap comparatively. They want R18000 and it comes with a mould (I have about 10 or more 451 type molds) and a wooden box (a scarcastic whoopee). To put it in perspective I bought the mint Euroarms whitworth a month before for R15000 and got 2kg of Wano (in SA about R2000 worth).

I need some comment from others who shoot or understand match rifles to comment. I think this rifle will no longer shoot the sub 2inch 100m groups it once was capable of.

Will this rifle be capable of shooting like it did at 100, 200, 300......500yds as it did originally?

------Edit-----
I asked the question on a FB page supposedly dedicated to match rilfes and got all sorts of answers relating to american PRB and inline rifles, and when I asked how their rifles performed at 500yds the confusion was apparent.

 

[weewill]

You could ask Lee Shaver . Www.LeeShaverGunsmithing.com.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I've coned several of my round ball rifles and they shot as well, if not better, than when unconed. That's a different subject I know but before you do anything shoot it a lot and see how it shoots. It may surprise you, or maybe not. It's a good idea to give Lee Shaver a call. He knows more about long range muzzle loader shooting than most anyone.

 

[ETipp]

I just coned the barrel on my squirrel rifle yesterday. It shoots as accurate as it ever did.

In the directions that comes with a Joe Wood coning took it states that coning will not affect accuracy.

Third paragraph.

 

[Uncle Miltie]

Try shooting it first...

 

[dave951]

Coning a rifle that you're shooting minies from will not result in better accuracy. A good crown can help.

 

[Sam squanch]

See if the vendor will refund the amount it will cost you to get it re crowned. But I’d shoot it first, if he will allow it. But I’m sure in SA there is a law that says you can’t do that……….

 

[richardtl]

See if the vendor will refund the amount it will cost you to get it re crowned. But I’d shoot it first, if he will allow it. But I’m sure in SA there is a law that says you can’t do that……….

I fortunately did not buy the rifle, but I may ask him to let me try comparatively to one of my military match rifles or one of my .451 target rifles. The issue is it is not cheap and it will put off the next seller as well.

 

[richardtl]

Coning a rifle that you're shooting minies from will not result in better accuracy. A good crown can help.

Thats what I thought with a rifle shooting 451 long conicals at plus 100yd distances. I suppose putting on a cone would have been cheaper than cutting and properly recrowning. Now it will mean shortening by about 1 inch, moving sight back and new dove tail and recrowning.