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Pedersoli whitworth rifle
- Thread starter sheba
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Hi,
I have had a Parker Hale Whitworth for many years. They are muzzleloaders, but totally different than most common muzzle loading rifles.
The loading procedures are different.
If you don't have a good nipple, you will not have good accuracy.
You need a platinum lined nipple, stainless nipple, or titanium nipple to keep shooting.
Most muzzle loaders are out of business at one hundred yards......Whitworth rifles stay right on course to four hundred yards +
Pedersoli makes one of the best barrels in the business, so you can't go wrong with one of these.
Fred
I have had a Parker Hale Whitworth for many years. They are muzzleloaders, but totally different than most common muzzle loading rifles.
The loading procedures are different.
If you don't have a good nipple, you will not have good accuracy.
You need a platinum lined nipple, stainless nipple, or titanium nipple to keep shooting.
Most muzzle loaders are out of business at one hundred yards......Whitworth rifles stay right on course to four hundred yards +
Pedersoli makes one of the best barrels in the business, so you can't go wrong with one of these.
Fred
oldreb1343
Pilgrim
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During the ACW whitworths were he most accurate rifles of the field. Usually given to the best shot in the regiment and they were known to hit targets over 950 yards.
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Four hundred yards, eh?
You are selling it short, Sir. The rest of the world shoots them 'as is' out to 900 yards, and, with decent tang sights, 1200 yards.
I've been shooting mine since 1986, latterly with the Polisar's beautiful swaged 500 and 600gr bullets. The Lyman 535 cylindro-conoidal works well at short ranges though.
tac
You are selling it short, Sir. The rest of the world shoots them 'as is' out to 900 yards, and, with decent tang sights, 1200 yards.
I've been shooting mine since 1986, latterly with the Polisar's beautiful swaged 500 and 600gr bullets. The Lyman 535 cylindro-conoidal works well at short ranges though.
tac
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Couple and a half thousand dollars says that they'll be quite rare anywhere. Read capandball's shooting review on Youtube. He is Mr Pedersoli in Hungary, as well as being Hungary's #1 BP shooter.
tac
tac
Old Ford said:
The Whitworth is capable a far greater ranges than 400 yards,
I mention four hundred yards as a very conservative bench mark for accurate shooting, and it's capacity to out shoot most other muzzle loaders.
I can reliably hit a speeding barn at 450 yds. :wink:
Fred
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The late General Sedgwick would agree with you [and me].
He took a Whitworth bullet to the head at something around 800 yards at the Spottsylvania Courthouse Battle in early May of 1865.
RIP, Uncle John.
tac
He took a Whitworth bullet to the head at something around 800 yards at the Spottsylvania Courthouse Battle in early May of 1865.
RIP, Uncle John.
tac
I managed to find one after much waiting and anticipation . This is what they look like :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8kVcROeBB4.
The rifle has a hammer forged barrel , which is a new method for Pedersoli . I haven't had much time to shoot it yet [ farming has kept me too busy ] ,but what little I have done, has led me to conclude that it has a very nice trigger pull and is a very well balanced piece . Shooting at short ranges with the sights supplied may be difficult for some people due to the high comb. [It always was my intention to fit a Creedmoor type rear and a globe front] .
They aren't cheap , but nothing in the Pedersoli catalogue is and living on the edge of civilisation as I do , I have had to grab the chance of ownership as it presented itself .
No regrets so far !
Regards to all and happy shooting .
The rifle has a hammer forged barrel , which is a new method for Pedersoli . I haven't had much time to shoot it yet [ farming has kept me too busy ] ,but what little I have done, has led me to conclude that it has a very nice trigger pull and is a very well balanced piece . Shooting at short ranges with the sights supplied may be difficult for some people due to the high comb. [It always was my intention to fit a Creedmoor type rear and a globe front] .
They aren't cheap , but nothing in the Pedersoli catalogue is and living on the edge of civilisation as I do , I have had to grab the chance of ownership as it presented itself .
No regrets so far !
Regards to all and happy shooting .
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Treat yourself to a platinum-lined nipple - around $120 or so from Peter Dyson in UK, unless you can find one stateside.
A combination of big charge and the high-pressure [reduced volume] breech is rapid death to a conventional nipple - the first you'll know is when the hammer comes back on firing - apologies if you knew that already.
Our modern Whitworth replications, no matter who makes 'em, are really military match rifles. The real deal were all two-banders.
tac
A combination of big charge and the high-pressure [reduced volume] breech is rapid death to a conventional nipple - the first you'll know is when the hammer comes back on firing - apologies if you knew that already.
Our modern Whitworth replications, no matter who makes 'em, are really military match rifles. The real deal were all two-banders.
tac
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Here is a video on Youtube from capandball [Balász Németh of Hungary.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3-kXi7lqxs
He is Pedersoli's rep in Hungary and runs a VERY busy gun store selling their products. He is also the #1 BP shooter in Hungary, too.
tac
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3-kXi7lqxs
He is Pedersoli's rep in Hungary and runs a VERY busy gun store selling their products. He is also the #1 BP shooter in Hungary, too.
tac
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Thank you tac . I am a keen follower of Balacz's capandball channel and look forward to his videos .
We ,in the blackpowder community, are lucky to have an enthusiastic young guy like him to "spread the word" .
Yes indeed, you are right about the configuration of the Whitworth replicas , but beggars can't be choosers and until Pedersoli [or another company] brings out a half stocked target version , I will be happy to shoot this gun .
I don't find modern cartridge rifles particularly sporting , so if I can work up a good Whitworth load , I might try an elk hunt with it , they eat at my expense on the farm and it's high time one went into the freezer .
Enjoy your shooting ,
Dodger
We ,in the blackpowder community, are lucky to have an enthusiastic young guy like him to "spread the word" .
Yes indeed, you are right about the configuration of the Whitworth replicas , but beggars can't be choosers and until Pedersoli [or another company] brings out a half stocked target version , I will be happy to shoot this gun .
I don't find modern cartridge rifles particularly sporting , so if I can work up a good Whitworth load , I might try an elk hunt with it , they eat at my expense on the farm and it's high time one went into the freezer .
Enjoy your shooting ,
Dodger
Eager to hear more about your adventures with your new Whitworth, Dodger.
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Elk, eh? In that case, you'll be comforted to know that Joe and Steve Polisar, who swage a beautiful 500gr hex bullet for sale, have both taken buffalo with their Whitworths.
They write in MuzzleBlast magazine, BTW. Tell them I sent you.
Or PM me for their address, OK?
Best
tac
PS - I'm not deaf anymore, it was a glitch in my noise enormousator device. :thumbsup:
They write in MuzzleBlast magazine, BTW. Tell them I sent you.
Or PM me for their address, OK?
Best
tac
PS - I'm not deaf anymore, it was a glitch in my noise enormousator device. :thumbsup:
Dodger, I imagine that you may have a nice bench set up on the front stoop, and a clear field way down into the horse paddock, you will have a fat old time with that new rifle. (I have a first Gen Parker Hale .451 with Rigby rifling) It should make a good hunting rifle. A nice tang sight would be a good idea, for the long range stuff, I am only using a simple Uberti one with limited windage but it works fine. Paper patched bullets might be a good thing to try, good to make during your I would suppose long Winters. Will be most interested to hear how you go with your new rifle.
cheers from down under
cheers from down under
Hi heelerau , with regard to tang sights ;I have a Red River rearsight that lives on a Sharps rifle at the moment and I intend to move it over to the Whitworth and fit a Lyman Anschutz type front sight to it as well .
I like the look of the high mounted Lyman Anschutz that "britishmuzzleloader" has on his PH Volunteer rifle .[ Hopefully , by going this route ,I can leave the original rearsight on my rifle].
Yes winters here are long and are a good time to cast bullets,test loads, etc . I have a steel plinking target at 100 yds and a gong at 275 yds in the paddock , the nearest neighbour is 4 miles away [as the crow flies ]with several hundred acres of forest between us ,it's a very safe place to shoot.
Elk season is over , so it will be next year before I get a chance to hunt , I should have the Whitworth sorted by then as paper and steel are never out of season .
Happy shooting ,
Dodger .
I like the look of the high mounted Lyman Anschutz that "britishmuzzleloader" has on his PH Volunteer rifle .[ Hopefully , by going this route ,I can leave the original rearsight on my rifle].
Yes winters here are long and are a good time to cast bullets,test loads, etc . I have a steel plinking target at 100 yds and a gong at 275 yds in the paddock , the nearest neighbour is 4 miles away [as the crow flies ]with several hundred acres of forest between us ,it's a very safe place to shoot.
Elk season is over , so it will be next year before I get a chance to hunt , I should have the Whitworth sorted by then as paper and steel are never out of season .
Happy shooting ,
Dodger .
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tac said:
Well......... it was long assumed the Confederate Sharpshooters were using Whitworth Rifles there to take down Sedgwick. However and according to historians from the NPS site, additional research has shown the Confederate Units in the area that had been firing on that position the day before and the morning of and at the time Sedgwick was hit - did not have Whitworth's, nor any other kind of period target rifles. They were using standard Enfield Rifles, though, so the Honors still goes to British Rifles.
Gus
Dodger, I have a lyman front sight fitted, came with the rifle, which only had the no 3 rear leaf sight. I use the post for 100m and a ring at the 200m. I may get around to making up the no 1 and 2 rear leaves. for hunting.
I am thinking of eventually going to a paper patched bullet, then I will make paper cartridges for the rifle. You can get platinum lined nipples form Buffaloe Arms, about $50 odd US. Worth while as the ordinary nipples will gas cut after only a few rounds. Currently using the lyman whitworth bullet which is shewing a lot of promise.
Cheers
heelerau
I am thinking of eventually going to a paper patched bullet, then I will make paper cartridges for the rifle. You can get platinum lined nipples form Buffaloe Arms, about $50 odd US. Worth while as the ordinary nipples will gas cut after only a few rounds. Currently using the lyman whitworth bullet which is shewing a lot of promise.
Cheers
heelerau
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Well, darnit, I learn something new every day - thank you for that.
For a Whitworth, it was good shooting, but for an Enfield, it was astonishingly good shooting.
I note, though, in the famous painting of the moribund General lying there, that the bullet hole does not appear to be a large as I might have expected from a .58cal Minié bullet, but then, I guess that might just be to preserve the niceties at the time - you rarely see evidence of the appalling wounds made by a 535gr projectile hitting somebody in the face.
It's either a wondrous shot indeed, or a terble tragedy, depending on your POV.
tac
@Dodger - read your PM.
For a Whitworth, it was good shooting, but for an Enfield, it was astonishingly good shooting.
I note, though, in the famous painting of the moribund General lying there, that the bullet hole does not appear to be a large as I might have expected from a .58cal Minié bullet, but then, I guess that might just be to preserve the niceties at the time - you rarely see evidence of the appalling wounds made by a 535gr projectile hitting somebody in the face.
It's either a wondrous shot indeed, or a terble tragedy, depending on your POV.
tac
@Dodger - read your PM.
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Tac,
It would have been an astonishing shot if it had been a "cold shot" or a "first time shot," but it wasn't. The Confederate Sharpshooters had already established the range the day before and earlier that morning. Also, original accounts state that more than one shot had been fired when Sedgwick was hit.
The Confederates had been doing "counter battery firing," but with rifles instead of artillery, on the Union Artillery emplaced nearby.
This also happened on May 8, 1864 and late enough in the War that the Sharpshooters had a lot more experience at firing at longer ranges, than they had at the beginning of the War.
So it was an important combination of factors that were involved when Sedgwick was killed, rather than a single shot.
Gus
It would have been an astonishing shot if it had been a "cold shot" or a "first time shot," but it wasn't. The Confederate Sharpshooters had already established the range the day before and earlier that morning. Also, original accounts state that more than one shot had been fired when Sedgwick was hit.
The Confederates had been doing "counter battery firing," but with rifles instead of artillery, on the Union Artillery emplaced nearby.
This also happened on May 8, 1864 and late enough in the War that the Sharpshooters had a lot more experience at firing at longer ranges, than they had at the beginning of the War.
So it was an important combination of factors that were involved when Sedgwick was killed, rather than a single shot.
Gus
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These things I know, having been there and paid my respects at the statue of 'Uncle John'.
However, it must have been a chance shot, since here in UK we don't shoot the P53 further than 600 yards with any hope of actually hitting a head-sized target. In the Crimea, less than ten years earlier, the British, armed with their then-new Minié bullet-shooting rifled muskets, played merry hell with Russian gunners at ranges around 700 -800 yards, by shooting volleys at the loaders as they loaded their guns in front of the embrasures, so anti-artillery harassing fire was not a novelty.
If it was not an aimed shot that felled General Sedgwick, then it was bad luck for him and for the Union.
tac
However, it must have been a chance shot, since here in UK we don't shoot the P53 further than 600 yards with any hope of actually hitting a head-sized target. In the Crimea, less than ten years earlier, the British, armed with their then-new Minié bullet-shooting rifled muskets, played merry hell with Russian gunners at ranges around 700 -800 yards, by shooting volleys at the loaders as they loaded their guns in front of the embrasures, so anti-artillery harassing fire was not a novelty.
If it was not an aimed shot that felled General Sedgwick, then it was bad luck for him and for the Union.
tac
