Crowning Accuracy

[rcscott30]

I bought a percussion pistol, loves a tight ball/patch combo with a fowled bore for best accuracy. Its a pain in the *** to load, and when I went to clean it afterwards, I noticed the muzzle isn't crowned. If I have it crowned, will this affect its accuracy? It shoots great as is, just hard to load.

 

[Buff1958]

cone it..... I coned 4 of my rifles. Easy to do and now easy to load

 

[LME]

I bought a percussion pistol, loves a tight ball/patch combo with a fowled bore for best accuracy. Its a pain in the *** to load, and when I went to clean it afterwards, I noticed the muzzle isn't crowned. If I have it crowned, will this affect its accuracy? It shoots great as is, just hard to load.

If you had a dog that was an excellent pointer would you swap it for one you know nothing about? Leave it alone ! You don't have a problem, why take a chance of producing one?

 

[French Colonial]

Lets see some close up pictures of the muzzle

 

[Smokerr]

If you had a dog that was an excellent pointer would you swap it for one you know nothing about? Leave it alone ! You don't have a problem, why take a chance of producing one?

As noted, if it works don't mess with it. No idea on Coned install but an accurate gun is a wondrous thing.

 

[smokeum54]

I've got a cva rifle that came from the factory without a crown. It'll drive tacks at 75 if i do my part. Never thought about fixing it. Although mine loads easy. A thumb on some sandpaper might do you some good. I've never heard of a proper crown hurting accuracy.

Would also like to see some close up pics.

 

[SDSmlf]

I noticed the muzzle isn't crowned. If I have it crowned, will this affect its accuracy? It shoots great as is, just hard to load.

Plenty of folks struggle with a gun that doesn’t shoot all that great but looks pretty. You have a gun that ‘shoots great’ but want to finkle with it because it’s hard to load. If I find a gun that ‘shoots great’ I call it a gift and leave it alone, but maybe that’s just me?

And out of curiosity, what do you mean by ‘hard to load’? Cut patches? Can’t start the ball? Can’t get the load down the bore? Maybe just a little bit of detail to explain the issue.

 

[M. De Land]

If you had a dog that was an excellent pointer would you swap it for one you know nothing about? Leave it alone ! You don't have a problem, why take a chance of producing one?

There is sound thinking in your logic how ever after cutting scores of crowns over many years in new barrels I can say I have never seen a proper crown job do anything but maintain or improve good accuracy. It is a necessity for maintaining accuracy because it protects the integrity of of the muzzle against impact and wear.
Tapering a crown is a good practice for a hunting rifle but you won't find it in match rifle circles as a rule !

 

[French Colonial]

Still no pictures, without seeing what the muzzle actually looks like everyone is just guessing.

 

[LME]

There is sound thinking in your logic how ever after cutting scores of crowns over many years in new barrels I can say I have never seen a proper crown job do anything but maintain or improve good accuracy. It is a necessity for maintaining accuracy because it protects the integrity of of the muzzle against impact and wear.
Tapering a crown is a good practice for a hunting rifle but you won't find it in match rifle circles as a rule !

I agree with you but someone in his garage without the proper tools can do more damage than good. I have crowned a few rifles myself. I have a shop and all the proper tools. I also know one has to be careful with a uncrowned rifle/pistol as a small nick at the muzzle will destrory accuracy. I hear of a lot of things people do to rifles/pistols that make me cringe. I don't know it all but what I do know I do right to the best of my ability.

 

[new2bp]

If you have it PROPERLY crowned, it can increase accuracy even.

 

[LME]

If you have it PROPERLY crowned, it can increase accuracy even.

That is if it needs crowning. A barrel muzzle that is square with the bore will be accurate regardless of whether it is crowned or not.

 

[LME]

If you have it PROPERLY crowned, it can increase a.ccuracy even.

That is if needs crowning. A lot of target rifles are not crowned. Would you crown it expecting better accuracy when there is no problem? Crownings main benefit is to keep from bumping the edge of the muzzle which can ruin accuracy.
Personally I want my rifles crowned but not for accuracy but protection of the bore

 

[M. De Land]

If you have it PROPERLY crowned, it can increase accuracy even.

Very true !

 

[M. De Land]

That is if it needs crowning. A barrel muzzle that is square with the bore will be accurate regardless of whether it is crowned or not.

Well, for awhile any way until it starts cleaning rod wearing out of round on the sharp land end corners or gets any kind of impact on it.

 

[LME]

Well, for awhile any way until it starts cleaning rod wearing out of round on the sharp land end corners or gets any kind of impact on it.

That is true but that wasn't the question. I have fixed many rifles in my day. I don't know how many I have crowned. What I know for a fact is people with no knowledge of a rifle wind up at my shop after messing up.

 

[#BPBReloadingFFL]

Are you meaning "chamfered" where the bore intersects the muzzle.
Because if your muzzle is already flat, it's crowned. Unless again your referring to the rounded shape given to suppository barrels.

 

[French Colonial]

Ruling out false muzzles and those dreaded suppository guns.

By definition if a muzzle is not crowned is it not perfectly flat?

If the muzzle is perfectly flat do you not have sharp edges at every perfectly 90 degree land and groove?

Will this not cut the patches when loading?

(Next comes the yeah but, yeah but, answers)

 

[LME]

Ruling out false muzzles and those dreaded suppository guns.

By definition if a muzzle is not crowned is it not perfectly flat?

If the muzzle is perfectly flat do you not have sharp edges at every perfectly 90 degree land and groove?

Will this not cut the patches when loading?

(Next comes the yeah but, yeah but, answers)

If you don't have a false muzzle and you have a M.L. rifle that is flat at the muzzle you will cut some or all patches during loading. All the front loaders I have and had I crowned.

 

[new2bp]

That is if needs crowning. A lot of target rifles are not crowned. Would you crown it expecting better accuracy when there is no problem? Crownings main benefit is to keep from bumping the edge of the muzzle which can ruin accuracy.

By definition the crown is just the end face of the barrel - no matter what shape/condition it is in. And I would bet dollars to donuts that any true target rifle will have a nicely done even crown on it.

A bad crown - uneven, unaligned to the bore, dented dinged and scraped - is detrimental to accuracy, doesn't matter if it is a cartridge gun or a muzzle loader. Bumping the edge of the muzzle will damage the crown, which is why it ruins accuracy

By definition if a muzzle is not crowned is it not perfectly flat?

No. And a nicely crowned barrel can have a flat face, recessed and flat face, angled face, etc.

Personally I want my rifles crowned but not for accuracy but protection of the bore

Good news, is that with basically any well done crown other than just a perfect flat square cut at the muzzle (recessed and flat, 11 degree cone target crown, etc) - you get the benefits of both accuracy/consistency and protection of it from most accidental damage (watch those bending ramrods and make sure you aren't scrubbing grit into the edge of it with the ramrod when loading, swabbing or cleaning)