Long Range Muzzleloader Build

[oscarlovel]

Am looking at building a long range English Rigby style rifle. Am wondering about the bore diameter. I know that the Pedersoli Gibbs uses a .451 bore. I am thinking about using a .457-.459 size bore in 1-18 twist and having a broader choice in bullet selection. I belong to a 1000yd. range and am interested in stretching my shooting a bit. Any thoughts between the two bore sizes or twist?

 

[52Bore]

I have an original Rigby Match rifle, Fleener as well. Fleener also has built a nice kit Rigby.
If you're not aware - .451 (52bore) all started with Whitworth. Your thinking is understandable with a .458, but finding a barrel maker to make such may be a chore/$$$. Most are 450/458 cartridge barrels, which will certainly work for a ML. You're twist is fine..
There are plenty of bullet mold makers and Buffalo Arms sells PP bullets for .451".

David Minshall has a website dedicated to LRML, if you're not familiar.

FYI, Oak Ridge, TN will host the 31st LRML match this March - 200-1000yds.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[ResearchPress]

The original Gibb-Metford had a bore size or .461, so your bore size and rifling twist are typical of the rifles of the period.

The Long Range Muzzle Loading section of my web site will be found here.

David

 

[Don Steele]

David,
Your site has an enormous amount of information that is interesting to me. Thank you for the link. I'll be spending some time there.
To the O.P.'s question:
When I was shooting long range BPCR, I was using .459 bullets. Had I stayed out West where I had the range to experiment, I was considering building something in a 40 caliber size. Has anyone had success with that sort of more slender, lonnggg bullet.. Either loaded through the muzzle or in a case..??
Thanks.

 

[fleener]

Just to make sure that we are on the same page.

It is very common (at least to me) to use a black powder cartridge barrel that is .45 Caliber, .450 Bore and .458 Groove.

So, if this barrel was on my Sharps BPCR I would be shooting a .458 bullet and that rifle has a chamber. This same barrel on a LRML, I would most likely use a .450 bullet, and the bullet will bump up to filling the rifling.

Again, if you already know this, I am not trying to insult your intelligence, just make sure we are on the same page.

With the custom mold makers it is easy to get a grease groove mold cut for you.

Fleener

 

[fleener]

Seems like the BPCR guys are going to a faster twist with 1 in 16. If I was building a new rifle, I would at least consider that over the 1 in 18. I only have 1 in 18 rifles.

I do have a contemporary Rigby LRML that I would sell. Send me a private email if you are interested.

[email protected]

Fleener

 

[2grouse]

The late Joe Hepworth was a big proponent of the 40 cal. That old boy knew more about LRML than most people.

 

[ResearchPress]

I don't ever remember Joe shooting a .40 cal.

Pedersoli brought a .40 cal version of their Gibbs out, but it didn't make any inrounds against the .45 cal long range muzzle loading rifles.

David

 

[52Bore]

I don't ever remember Joe shooting a .40 cal.
David

I agree, I shot with Joe in many matches.
I recall him showing up at Friendship for the first time about 2001.
Records show him first showing up at Oak Ridge in Oct. 2002. He shot a Ped Gibbs, original Rigby (Elenor) and a Charles Ingram (now owned by Kenn H.) and a Gibbs Metford (now owned by Ray H.) over the 8-9 year period. He did not shoot with us in the spring of 2010 (health) and he passed that June.
I attended his funeral.
He was a good friend and a business man - I'll always remember his smile and his saying: "Well, I am in the gun business".

 

[nkbj]

.458 bore allows you to shoot .45 rifle molds greased or with a thin paper patch (sized).
:metoo:

That's 24" twist, not intended for long range target work but made as a slow of a twist as was comfortable with ordering.

 

[nkbj]

By the way, I do have a forty bore that I made the mistake of having made a forty bore. It's a good shooter but in retrospect (for me, not the next guy standing here) a .41 bore would have been preferable to make use of all the commonly sold "forty" molds.

 

[BillinOregon]

I bought a Pedersoli Gibbs from Joe -- wasn't it J. Cunard and Co. or something like that? He was just a complete hoot to chat with over the phone, and he sure was a missionary for the long-range gospel. God rest his soul.

 

[BillinOregon]

By the way, there was a very fine gentleman who was a retired college professor in West Virginia who used to post here. Seems to me he built a pretty nice long-range rifle using a Pete Allen box lock action from Pecatonica. I don't recall if he was using Badger or Green Mountain barrels. I do believe he built rifles using barrels from the late Bill Moody.
Maybe someone here will have a clearer memory than I. I have a stock pattern he sent me around here somewhere.