Pedersoli Missouri River Hawken

[Welldone]

I am new to ML. I have a MRH ordered and I need to start acquiring all of my shooting supplies. It's a 50 cal with the 24 twist barrel. Where do I start? Powder, bullets,balls, caps,extra ramrod,cleaning supplies? Has anybody got any tips on how to load and clean this rifle?
My primary focus will be deer hunting and fun target shooting.

 

[hrchotaw]

Congrats on the new rifle :thumbsup: If its a 1 in 24 twist,I don't know how well it will do with patched round ball. It will probably handle a conical type bullet better :grin:

 

[Grenadier1758]

I would start with the Pedersoli support page. Pedersoli - Support

This page has links to their Owner's Manual, suggested loads and a video on how to load the muzzle loader. Its interesting that the parts list for your rifle lists a 32" 50 caliber barrel with a twist of 1 in 47 while the finished rifles are only offered with a 30" barrel with a twist of 1 in 24. I'd have preferred the slower twist barrel. The fast twist barrel will perform better for hunting with a conical bullet than with round balls. You may be able to find a reasonably accurate reduced powder load with patched round ball.

Be sure to get the sturdy working rod either brass or stainless steel. You will need a brass cleaning jag with steel threads.

I prefer the performance of real black powder. You may live where real black powder is difficult if not impossible to find. In the case that you must use a synthetic powder, get the 777. You will need #11 caps. I'd get the magnum version if you have to use synthetic powder. You will need an adjustable powder measure to load the gun. I like to use a funnel top to my powder container to get powder into the measure.

Patch lube can be as easy as spit. The bullet patch is pillow ticking of 0.015". The ball is 0.490 or 0.495" in diameter.

Cleaning is easy since black powder fouling and most of the synthetic fouling is soluble in water. A small amount of dish washing soap will take care of any oils from patch lubricant. Cleaning patches can be most any cloth square. You don't need any exotic solutions other than a good rust inhibiting oil such as Birchwood Casey's Barricade for storing. You will need rubbing alcohol to clean the packing grease from the bore before shooting. That grease needs to be removed from the breech before you take the rifle to the range. In that case a 30 caliber wire brush wrapped in a cleaning patch and dampened with alcohol will get most of it out. A pipe cleaner will get the grease from the nipple seat through the flash channel to the breech.

Welcome to muzzle loading and welcome to the Forum. Ask any questions that come to mind.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Hi,
Not to rain on your parade, BUT I would hold back on that 1:24 twist, a slower twist is much more suited to round ball, and round ball hunting.
You can shoot lower charged loads with that twist for target shooting, but the drop is tremendous.
Bullets are much more expensive also.
I hope this helps.
Fred

 

[Spikebuck]

Where do I start? Powder, bullets,balls, caps,extra ramrod,cleaning supplies?

Weldon. The Missouri River Hawken is designed to be a bullet (not round ball) shooting gun. It is pretty similar to Pedersoli's Rocky Mountain Hawken, which is designed more to be a patched round ball shooting gun, but that one can shoot conicals out of it too (I know, because I have one and it shoots both great).

Assuming you wanted to shoot conicals, you ordered the right version. If you wanted to shoot PRB (Patched Round Balls), you should change your order.

Powder is your choice. Real Black or the substitutes will work. My favorite sub is 777. Still loose powder only, you cannot use pellets.

For bullets (vs round ball) I like the Hornady Great Plains. But your gun may or may not like those and you'll need to experiment. At 1-24 twist, your gun would also shoot those things we don't discuss here.

Caps: #11 in the brand of your choice.

Invest in a nice range rod. I like brass. October Country sells a good one. You'll need to buy a 50 cal jag for the end of it. Be sure to know which thread it has (8-32 or 10-32) so you can match the jag threads to the rod.

Cleaning is easy..water and a little dish soap. You can remove the barrel on that one easily since it has a hooked breech. Put it breech down in a bucket of water and run a patch up and down sucking water in and out. Dry patch. WD-40 patch to remove the moisture. A rust preventer (Barricade, other light oils like 3-1...your choice.) Be aware that gun will have a Patent Breech...a smaller-than-bore-sized chamber at the breech. You need to be sure you get into that to dry and lube. Your normal jag will not go down in there. I like to use a very small bore mop for that area.

Pedersoli ships a video and instruction book with each rifle, though it's generic and covers all their guns. I don't know where you ordered it, but I know Cabela's also ships along their version of a user's manual. The Pedersoli book has load recommendations, including max load.

HAVE FUN!

 

[mooman76]

You probably can get PRBs to shoot ok, but not great. Like others stated, it's designed for conicals. If that is what you want, then fine go with it. You might want to go with paper patched bullets with a tight twist like that. Do a search of Idahoron. He does paper patched bullets and does it very well.

 

[Spikebuck]

You might want to go with paper patched bullets with a tight twist like that.

Slipped my mind, but that's an excellent suggestion for that gun! :thumbsup:

 

[Welldone]

Thanks for all the helpful comments. I've already learned a lot from you guys and I don't even have my rifle yet( any day now). Looks like I may have to camp on the other side of the river from the PRB boys😉. It never occurred to me that when I mentioned 24 twist barrel, I was tiptoeing around on eggshells.
Never mind, I am committed to this rifle and all of its glory AND shortcomings.
Again, thanks for the help .

 

[Idaho Ron]

Thanks for all the helpful comments. I've already learned a lot from you guys and I don't even have my rifle yet( any day now). Looks like I may have to camp on the other side of the river from the PRB boys😉. It never occurred to me that when I mentioned 24 twist barrel, I was tiptoeing around on eggshells.
Never mind, I am committed to this rifle and all of its glory AND shortcomings.
Again, thanks for the help .

I have a friend that has one. The MRH will amaze you with a paper patched Lee 500 S&W bullet with an over powder was and 80 gr of Pyrodex P.
I size the bullets after I wrap the paper to .501 but for that rifle I am going to recommend .498 Then go buy a new freezer so you have room to put the game you shoot.

 

[azmntman]

Thanks for all the helpful comments. I've already learned a lot from you guys and I don't even have my rifle yet( any day now). Looks like I may have to camp on the other side of the river from the PRB boys😉. It never occurred to me that when I mentioned 24 twist barrel, I was tiptoeing around on eggshells.
Never mind, I am committed to this rifle and all of its glory AND shortcomings.
Again, thanks for the help .

I have had excellent results with Hornady Great Plains conicals in ALL my rifles. As good accuracy as with PRB. You will simply pay more to shoot but it should group VERY well once ya find its favorite load. Good luck!

 

[Welldone]

My rifle showed up yesterday! Wow, it is awesome. Pedersoli has hit one out of the park. I am looking at installing a rear peep sight. Pedersoli offers a ghost creedmoor but I was wondering if anybody had installed another mfg rear peep. Hole spacing is 1 3/4".

 

[Grenadier1758]

That looks like a good tang mounted rear sight. I have found it easier to get a good sight picture if a peep sight is paired with a tunnel front sight such as Pedersoli's USA 424. Other have used the Lyman SML57 peep sight with good success. That too is best paired with the Lyman globe front sight although many have had good accuracy with the original front blade sight.

The Johnson peep sight as offered by Muzzle Loaders Builders Supply is a more traditional offering that provides peep sight precision.

You have a good rifle in your hands that will do well with conical bullets for hunting and for shooting the fun targets with light loads.

Be sure to shoot your rifle a lot to smooth out the lands before making sight adjustments. You will probably need to shoot the rifle about 100 to 200 times before you really begin to work on shooting for group.

Enjoy your new rifle.

 

[Historian]

Hello Weldon, welcome to the fun! I too have a MRH. The Hornady Great Plains bullet in 385 gr weight is the way to go. You can find them on sale right now at Midway. Less then $7 per 20. I just bought 5 boxes of them. As for as powder goes I use Alliant Black MZ as my first choice in powder and then 777 which is the second choice. Black MZ in my opinion is superior to Hodgdon's 777 when it comes using #11 caps. Try both though. As for as the PRB goes you can shoot them for plinking fun. 45-60 grains is about max though for the fast twist. Conical bullets come in many sizes. Buffalo bullets makes some, Hornady and both Lee and Lyman make molds. I am still experimentng and that's where the fun comes in. PM if you want.

Rob