First shots from new GPR kit gun

[ebiggs1]

This is the first time shooting the GPR kit gun.
Actually I had shot it before but had some trouble with the lock. I now have a new lock on it, thanx L&R.
It also has a Davis trigger. The first target is from 10 yards, I was resting my arm on a table. The high shot outside the group was my fouling shot which I normally don't take because I don't take fouling shots when I deer hunt. But it just might be a worthwhile thing as this is the best group I think I have ever shot! There was no working up a load. I just used my favorite recipe of:
70 grs of 3f GOEX load
4f GOEX prime
.530 Hornady round ball
the red pillow patch from Wal-Mart cut at the muzzle
w/olive oil lube
5 shots

No picking, prodding, wiping, swabbing just shooting, about 25 times today. Here is the target.

I moved back to 25 yards which is just about as far as I can here at the house. I need to go to the farm to get any farther. Same loading, same everything.

Here is just a photo of my gear.

 

[Rusty Spur 82]

Looks like you had fun. Your grouping looks good.I played around with my GPR yesterday,getting it ready for deer this weekend.I ended up with about a 2-1/2 inch group at 50 yards with 90 grs.ffg,490 ball and .015 pillow ticking,mink oil lube.My new flint was destroyed in 12 shots.I am still waiting for my new hammer cock to arrive from TC for it,but that L&R sure looks good on yours.I like the color of your stock too.I will no doubt,refinish mine.
Watch your top knot,
Rusty Spur

 

[ebiggs1]

Never touched the flint in the 25 or so shots and it is still razor sharp.

Ebony die mixed in tung oil.

 

[pab1]

Nice work on the kit and good shooting!

 

[wattlebuster]

Now thats gettin er done. :thumbsup:

 

[jbtusa]

Keep shootin'. It takes 150+ shots in the GPR to settle the barrel down. Then, they are sweet!

 

[paulvallandigham]

The top and 3rd patch down from the top show clear indications of gas blow-by- streaks of soot going forward of the dark ring. That's an indication that the patch material is TOO THIN for your gun, and load combination. It may that the lead balls fired with those patches were smaller in diameter than the others. Check patch thickness against groove depth, and check the diameter of your lead balls. Without an indication on the target of which ball fired hit where, and which patch relates to which ball fired, its impossible to know what these problems are doing to your groups. I do see flyers, obviously, and that simply should not occur at 10 yds., IMHO. :hatsoff:

 

[Skylinewatcher]

Really nice gun. I see you have the T/C u view powder measure. Thats what I use, I like it.

 

[ebiggs1]

Really nice gun. I see you have the T/C u view powder measure. Thats what I use, I like it.

Yeah, I like to see what is going into the gun. I am pretty methodical but I am not anal about it. I may be off 5 grs form load to load. I have to maintain My World's Worst Shot status.

 

[ebiggs1]

The top and 3rd patch down from the top show clear indications of gas blow-by- streaks of soot going forward of the dark ring. That's an indication that the patch material is TOO THIN for your gun, and load combination. It may that the lead balls fired with those patches were smaller in diameter than the others. Check patch thickness against groove depth, and check the diameter of your lead balls. Without an indication on the target of which ball fired hit where, and which patch relates to which ball fired, its impossible to know what these problems are doing to your groups. I do see flyers, obviously, and that simply should not occur at 10 yds., IMHO. :hatsoff:

Mr. vallandigham,
I did as you suggested and took my digital calipers to Walt-Mart and measured the pillow ticking material they had. There was the red and yellow and some blue and yellow. I sure got some, “What the sam hill is that idiot doing”, looks!
I found it difficult to do as the measurement was all over the place on either one. Even the TC .018 Pillow Ticking pre-cut and lubed patches don't measure .018. I didn't measure the balls but they are supposed to be .530. I will do so. Remember I don't swab the barrel so that patch may have been the last patch (of 5). And I was not using a bench rest but I did have a table to lean on. And besides I must maintain my
The World's Worst Shot title.
As I have said, if we only lived closer together!

 

[ebiggs1]

BTW, I did try to measure the groove depth but with calipers that isn't easy. I doubt you would get an accurate measurement. The rifling looks deeper than TC's does but not as deep as Green Mountain. But that ain't very accurate either.

 

[rancher]

Nice. I'm thinking about putting an l&r on my gpr and davis triggers.

 

[ebiggs1]

Do it. You won't regret it. I have done it to two rifles now.

 

[bub524]

From looking at those patches, I suspect the streaks coming off of the dark rings are soot and gunk from the previous shot when you loaded the ball, not necessarily blowby. I've seen it before. There dosen't appear to be any burning around the edges as I've seen with a loose ball. I think if you fired a couple of shots and then pulled the third bullet you'd see a similar pattern on the patch from soot. Unless you're wiping the bore between shots, then its maybe blowby.

 

[rancher]

Do it. You won't regret it. I have done it to two rifles now.

Do you have any more pics of them?