Down the Fast Twist Rabbit Hole

[SciAggie]

I'm finally putting together a fast twist bullet rifle. I shot BPC rifles for years at silhouettes and some long range. I always wanted a ML that would emulate that performance - I just thought it would be cool. I'm also only really interested in shooting out to 200 meters. I primarily want it to hunt with. I don't expect it to perform better than a PRB - I just want it because I want it. Y'all ever fall into that trap?

So I have a 45 caliber match grade Rice barrel with a 1:18 twist I picked up here on the forum. I called Jason at Rice barrels and he fixed me up with the under rib and rod guides to match. At first I was going to mount the barrel on a TC Hawken I have - then I changd my mind. It's a 45 caliber with a 4 digit serial # and I love to shoot it. I decided to get another TC Hawken for the base of the new rifle. I found one and it should be delivered next week. I have an adjustable PP mold I've had for many years that I tried in my Sharps. I cast some bullets and it is juuuuuust the right size if I use .0015 patching paper. it weighs 401 grains out of pure lead. I bit the bullet and ordered a .443 mold from Buffalo Arms as well and a .450 sizing die. This mold will be 6-8 weeks before delivery.

When the new TC gets in I'll have to fit the barrel to the stock. The barrel is in the white and I'll shoot it that way for a bit - but at some point I'll need to finish the barrel. I'll probably brown it. I'll be leaning on y'all for directions about that when the time comes...

Just sharing with y'all because my wife - bless her heart - just really isn't interested, lol.

 

[Mad Professor]

Idaho Ron knows what you are asking.

 

[Bushfire]

Nothing wrong with a fast twist. I have a fast twist 50 that I shoot sabots through. Beautiful gun. It has its own charms just as much as my slow twist ball shooters.

 

[harleysboss]

80 grains of powder, 1 50 cal wool wad and your PP bullet = tiny groups. Those Rice barrels are real nice!

 

[SciAggie]

Yes, I'm looking forward to getting this all put together.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

Doing pretty much same thing. Got a 45 cal. fast twist barrel. Can't even remember how long I've had it. Supposed to be a barrel that was made for a 45/70. Using a Rigby stock from Pecatonica. Have a 350 grain and a 250 grain molds to try with it. Like you just want something tha can reach out to 200 yards for hunting.

 

[SciAggie]

My TC Hawken was delivered today. It was as advertised- the barrel is a bit rough but the stock and lock are nice. When I tried the Rice barrel it didn’t fit. They send fitting instructions with the barrels though. I started the process. I needed to relieve a bit of wood behind the tang hole. It’s amazing what 1/32” or so does…

The barrel wedge mortise needed a bit of relief. Then I noticed that the under lug itself needs to be filed on one side. I’ll get to that tomorrow. I’ll need to do a bit of draw filing to make things mate up and match better.

I’m not a gunsmith so this makes me a bit anxious, but at the same time it’s not that hard. I just need to go slowly and be careful.

The worst part is this lock has a hammer that I’m going to have to bend so that it will strike the nipple correctly. That will really give me anxiety, but I’ll read up and deal with it. I’ll be asking for help here too. That’s a later step so I’ll deal with it later.

Even though the barrel isn’t completely fitted it does fit in the stock well enough to see how it will look. This thing is going to be a lot of fun to shoot. It will look pretty good too when I’m done.

 

[Carpd]

I’ve done the same project as you’re doing (except my barrel is a 1 in 20”, I would prefer the 1 in 18” for my purposes). I needed to bend my hammer a bit to get everything lined up. I read online somewhere that the hammer could be bent cold. I guess mine could not. Oct-acetylene fixed that for me after scrounging a used hammer. Eastern Maine Shooters supply has wool wads that are a little larger diameter than the usual oxy-yoke brand and were more accurate for me in my rifle. My rifle with a Lee Shaver soule sight will keep a 450 gr paper patched Gibbs bullet inside of 1 to 1 1/2 MOA at 400 yds. A 200 yd hunting shot should be easy if the situation and equipment is carefully chosen.

 

[Gooddaytoya!]

I'm finally putting together a fast twist bullet rifle. I shot BPC rifles for years at silhouettes and some long range. I always wanted a ML that would emulate that performance - I just thought it would be cool. I'm also only really interested in shooting out to 200 meters. I primarily want it to hunt with. I don't expect it to perform better than a PRB - I just want it because I want it. Y'all ever fall into that trap?

So I have a 45 caliber match grade Rice barrel with a 1:18 twist I picked up here on the forum. I called Jason at Rice barrels and he fixed me up with the under rib and rod guides to match. At first I was going to mount the barrel on a TC Hawken I have - then I changd my mind. It's a 45 caliber with a 4 digit serial # and I love to shoot it. I decided to get another TC Hawken for the base of the new rifle. I found one and it should be delivered next week. I have an adjustable PP mold I've had for many years that I tried in my Sharps. I cast some bullets and it is juuuuuust the right size if I use .0015 patching paper. it weighs 401 grains out of pure lead. I bit the bullet and ordered a .443 mold from Buffalo Arms as well and a .450 sizing die. This mold will be 6-8 weeks before delivery.

When the new TC gets in I'll have to fit the barrel to the stock. The barrel is in the white and I'll shoot it that way for a bit - but at some point I'll need to finish the barrel. I'll probably brown it. I'll be leaning on y'all for directions about that when the time comes...

Just sharing with y'all because my wife - bless her heart - just really isn't interested, lol.

"I just want it because I want it." Yup!.It's not a trap, it's ambition. Admirable.

 

[SOLANCO]

At age 75 I have a bunch of stuff I just wanted because I wanted it. Almost every bit of it pleases me when I see or touch it.

 

[Rifleman1776]

The worst part is this lock has a hammer that I’m going to have to bend so that it will strike the nipple correctly.

There is a recent thread here on that very subject. My experience trying to bend a TC hammer is quite different than others have stated. I heated one from a TC 'hawken' to where I thought it was going to melt and wanged it with a big hammer. Did not budge. I suggest you locate a source for a replacement hammer before heating and whacking on yours.

 

[SciAggie]

@Rifleman1776 Thanks.

 

[Bad Karma]

@Rifleman1776 Thanks.

Track of the wolf sells a replacement hammer. I have one one one of my TC’s. Haven’t had to bend it so I don’t know if it’s easier or harder than the stock hammer. Idaholewis had a thread on the sister site describing his method for bending TC’s hammers.

 

[SciAggie]

@Bad Karma Thanks. It doesn’t need too much, but I don’t want to break it.

 

[Sandro_Ventania]

@Bad Karma Obrigado. Não precisa de muito, mas não quero quebrá-lo.

Olá.
Do you have update?