Well I am excited to say I had a great day at the range yesterday. I was on sort of a mission to test out a few things that I have been reading about here on this forum.
First: Will my custom 45 cal 42" green mountain with a large Siller lock shoot with FFF in the pan? Ball was a .440 Hornady, patch .018 twice lubed (once by factory once in my mouth) pillow, and Goex 3F powder. Yes indeed, I shot 32 rounds- everything from clean barrel to swabbed barrel to dirty barrel and the pan in all three conditions also. I had 100 percent ignition. My group was not effected by this experiment, all shots were in a 2 1/2 group at 25 yards. I could not tell the difference in ignition time. In fact I think I noticed less debris flying out of the lock.
Second: How much powder do I really need to use to prime my pan? I used different amounts of powder to prime. I used about a grain and a half with no problem and as much as 4 ish grains-- I know that that is just too much for my pan so 2 1/2 to 3 grains works just fine.
Third: I wanted to get some velocities from shooting; to see the clean barrel shot to swabbed to dirty barrel readings if any differences existed. How fast the RB really was going and what speeds were produced between a target load and a hunting load. I am not super concerned with the question if it was fast enough to take a deer because I already know it's about placement rather that power anyway but curious I was. Results: Chronograph was set ten feet out-- 60 gains of powder averaged 1712 fps--- 65 grains 1731 fps, 70 grains 1820, 75 grains 1858, and 80 grains 1894. I shot at least four loads per grain level. I shot cold barrel, cooled barrel, and shot one after another and saw no differences with that condition. The clean barrel shot were all 30-50 fps less than the other shots.
Finally: I went to have some fun. Results-- I did.
Questions for you guys My English flints are breaking the barrel-side edge off. It has hit the barrel in the past but I make sure the flint clears before I shoot but after three or four shots the flint has this chip. Is it happening from blowback from the main powder charge? This condition does not effect the ignition at all, it just happens to every flint I use. Come to think of it, it happens to the Harper's Ferry pistol flinter too.
I know I have read about dressing the flints after the they run their life with a dremmel tool. I can use the rifle flints in the smaller pistol if I can widdle them down with some kind of bit. Which to use? Is there a more traditional way? By the way I got all of my 32 shots from the same flint without knapping. I have great luck with the flint life in this rifle. I bet I have shot 150 shots from the most recent flint. (leather wrapped)
Anyway I had a great time with my rifle, I did the same tests with the 58 cal Harper's Ferry pistol too with mixed results but I will save the story for the pistol section. Happy shooting
First: Will my custom 45 cal 42" green mountain with a large Siller lock shoot with FFF in the pan? Ball was a .440 Hornady, patch .018 twice lubed (once by factory once in my mouth) pillow, and Goex 3F powder. Yes indeed, I shot 32 rounds- everything from clean barrel to swabbed barrel to dirty barrel and the pan in all three conditions also. I had 100 percent ignition. My group was not effected by this experiment, all shots were in a 2 1/2 group at 25 yards. I could not tell the difference in ignition time. In fact I think I noticed less debris flying out of the lock.
Second: How much powder do I really need to use to prime my pan? I used different amounts of powder to prime. I used about a grain and a half with no problem and as much as 4 ish grains-- I know that that is just too much for my pan so 2 1/2 to 3 grains works just fine.
Third: I wanted to get some velocities from shooting; to see the clean barrel shot to swabbed to dirty barrel readings if any differences existed. How fast the RB really was going and what speeds were produced between a target load and a hunting load. I am not super concerned with the question if it was fast enough to take a deer because I already know it's about placement rather that power anyway but curious I was. Results: Chronograph was set ten feet out-- 60 gains of powder averaged 1712 fps--- 65 grains 1731 fps, 70 grains 1820, 75 grains 1858, and 80 grains 1894. I shot at least four loads per grain level. I shot cold barrel, cooled barrel, and shot one after another and saw no differences with that condition. The clean barrel shot were all 30-50 fps less than the other shots.
Finally: I went to have some fun. Results-- I did.
Questions for you guys My English flints are breaking the barrel-side edge off. It has hit the barrel in the past but I make sure the flint clears before I shoot but after three or four shots the flint has this chip. Is it happening from blowback from the main powder charge? This condition does not effect the ignition at all, it just happens to every flint I use. Come to think of it, it happens to the Harper's Ferry pistol flinter too.
I know I have read about dressing the flints after the they run their life with a dremmel tool. I can use the rifle flints in the smaller pistol if I can widdle them down with some kind of bit. Which to use? Is there a more traditional way? By the way I got all of my 32 shots from the same flint without knapping. I have great luck with the flint life in this rifle. I bet I have shot 150 shots from the most recent flint. (leather wrapped)
Anyway I had a great time with my rifle, I did the same tests with the 58 cal Harper's Ferry pistol too with mixed results but I will save the story for the pistol section. Happy shooting
