Pedersoli .451 Volunteer Rifle

[bill2mars]

I just purchased a new Pedersoli .451 cal. Volunteer Rifle and have a fre questions.
1. Do I use FFF black powder? If so, how much?
2. Can I use FFF pyrodex? If so, how much?
3.DO I need to use cards and wads when loading? Or can I load the lubed bullet right on the powder?
4. Is a lubed .45 cal. 460 grain bullet proper for this rifle?
5. What is the effective range of this long range muzzleloader?
6. If anyone has the Volunteer, could you please give me some pointers/advice?
I have not fired mine yet and am getting the needed accessories first.
THANKS!!

 

[SmokepoleSam]

Go to the proper forum for questions, in this case percussion rifles in the firearms section. This is for introductions only. May I suggest reading the rules. Welcome to the forum.

 

[Bad Karma]

I just purchased a new Pedersoli .451 cal. Volunteer Rifle and have a fre questions.
1. Do I use FFF black powder? If so, how much?
2. Can I use FFF pyrodex? If so, how much?
3.DO I need to use cards and wads when loading? Or can I load the lubed bullet right on the powder?
4. Is a lubed .45 cal. 460 grain bullet proper for this rifle?
5. What is the effective range of this long range muzzleloader?
6. If anyone has the Volunteer, could you please give me some pointers/advice?
I have not fired mine yet and am getting the needed accessories first.
THANKS!!

Welcome to the forum!

 

[ResearchPress]

I just purchased a new Pedersoli .451 cal. Volunteer Rifle and have a fre questions.
1. Do I use FFF black powder? If so, how much?
2. Can I use FFF pyrodex? If so, how much?
3.DO I need to use cards and wads when loading? Or can I load the lubed bullet right on the powder?
4. Is a lubed .45 cal. 460 grain bullet proper for this rifle?
5. What is the effective range of this long range muzzleloader?
6. If anyone has the Volunteer, could you please give me some pointers/advice?
I have not fired mine yet and am getting the needed accessories first.
THANKS!!

I have experience of the Parker-Hale Volunteer with Henry rifling. I understand that the Pedersoli is of similar pitch rifling but don’t know what form it takes. Some answers to your questions and related to target shooting only.

1. What distance are you seeking to shoot at? Some use these rifles with light loads of FFFg and get good accuracy at 100m. If I was starting load development with this rifle I would be looking at FFg or 1.5FG (Swiss No. 3 or 4 respectively), but my interests are primarily long range.
2. -
3. For best accuracy these rifles are usually cleaned between shots. You can try with the bullet seated directly on the powder, but will need to clean to the breech - usually best to cap off again after wiping to ensure flash hole is clear. Alternatively, a snug fitting card wad loaded on top of the powder can be used. You can then wipe the bore and seat the bullet (the wad stops moisture getting to the powder). That’s how I fired my Volunteer. A lubed felt wad could be tried to manage fouling. Wads can help protect the bullet base.
4. 460 grain is quite light, but should be good for short range. Getting out further I would be looking for around 530 grains.
5. I set an MLAGB record score at 600 yards with my P-H Volunteer that remained in place for several years. They can reach out to 1000 yards but aren’t often seen in matches, generally being outclassed by the half-stocked match rifles (eg. Pedersoli Gibbs) that have a faster rate of twist for their rifling.
6. To get the best out of them, consider in due course fitting aperture sights. Contemporary sights have elevation on the rearsight and windage on the foresight. Beware of ‘Soule’ type sights; with their windage adjustment they are mounted quite high and you may not be able to use them at short range - if ‘spirit of the original’ is a factor, Soule sights are from the breech loading era and post date the muzzle loading military target rifle by two decades or more. Nipples on these rifles can burn out very quickly - the solution today, as in the 19thC was a platinum lined nipple. As the flash hole erodes blow back can cause the hammer to lift, even fractionally you will get pressure loss and accuracy will suffer, in extreme cases the hammer can be blown right back.
Browse the Long Range Muzzle Loading section on my web site for more general guidance.

David

 

[bill2mars]

Wow, thank you David for the valuable information! I will check out your website too! Also, isn't the Parker Hale made by Pedersoli also? Anyway, thank you!

 

[bill2mars]

Go to the proper forum for questions, in this case percussion rifles in the firearms section. This is for introductions only. May I suggest reading the rules. Welcome to the forum.

Ok, thanks.

 

[ResearchPress]

Wow, thank you David for the valuable information! I will check out your website too! Also, isn't the Parker Hale made by Pedersoli also? Anyway, thank you!

Happy to help.

Birmingham, UK, based Parker-Hale introduced their Enfield rifle reproductions in the early 1970s and the Volunteer and Whitworth followed. c1990 the percussion rifle production section was sold, and the company subsequently ceased trading; the brand name has been obtained by other companies since.

David

 

[Stantheman86]

You will need a way to size the bullets, and they must be the long, heavy ones.

No Excuses Bullets sells a .450 pre-sized and lubed bullet that works well in mine.

Otherwise, I use a push-thru sizer after hot dip lubing them.

I wouldn't recommend Blackpowder Subs in these, the ignition may be too inconsistent or unreliable. I haven't tried them in mine, I use 3f Black Powder.

I shoot mine with the iron sights, I don't use a tang sight. 90gr of 3f , a felt wad and the bullet are plenty for pinging steel out to 300 yards. These aren't light kicking, casual target plinkers, these are powerful long range precision target rifles and are designed for a heavy charge and a heavy bullet, to reach out to 1000 + meters/yards.

 

[mark_fare]

I have experience of the Parker-Hale Volunteer with Henry rifling. I understand that the Pedersoli is of similar pitch rifling but don’t know what form it takes. Some answers to your questions and related to target shooting only.

1. What distance are you seeking to shoot at? Some use these rifles with light loads of FFFg and get good accuracy at 100m. If I was starting load development with this rifle I would be looking at FFg or 1.5FG (Swiss No. 3 or 4 respectively), but my interests are primarily long range.
2. -
3. For best accuracy these rifles are usually cleaned between shots. You can try with the bullet seated directly on the powder, but will need to clean to the breech - usually best to cap off again after wiping to ensure flash hole is clear. Alternatively, a snug fitting card wad loaded on top of the powder can be used. You can then wipe the bore and seat the bullet (the wad stops moisture getting to the powder). That’s how I fired my Volunteer. A lubed felt wad could be tried to manage fouling. Wads can help protect the bullet base.
4. 460 grain is quite light, but should be good for short range. Getting out further I would be looking for around 530 grains.
5. I set an MLAGB record score at 600 yards with my P-H Volunteer that remained in place for several years. They can reach out to 1000 yards but aren’t often seen in matches, generally being outclassed by the half-stocked match rifles (eg. Pedersoli Gibbs) that have a faster rate of twist for their rifling.
6. To get the best out of them, consider in due course fitting aperture sights. Contemporary sights have elevation on the rearsight and windage on the foresight. Beware of ‘Soule’ type sights; with their windage adjustment they are mounted quite high and you may not be able to use them at short range - if ‘spirit of the original’ is a factor, Soule sights are from the breech loading era and post date the muzzle loading military target rifle by two decades or more. Nipples on these rifles can burn out very quickly - the solution today, as in the 19thC was a platinum lined nipple. As the flash hole erodes blow back can cause the hammer to lift, even fractionally you will get pressure loss and accuracy will suffer, in extreme cases the hammer can be blown right back.
Browse the Long Range Muzzle Loading section on my web site for more general guidance.

David

Thank you as always for your excellent advice.