Rice barrel virgin range report

[bronko220002]

I was able to get my new Rice .45 cal 1:18 twist barrel out today for a couple hours just to get an idea what it likes. I still have more work to do but the barrel shows promise. I want to find its pet load before I stretch the range out to 100+ yards.

 

[64Springer]

Type of projectile with that screaming fast twist?

 

[bronko220002]

I had it on the targets. Accurate 340-I bullet and 355 gr paper patched Accurate mold. Next time out I may try some saboted bullets or even full bore jacketed.

 

[necchi]

I had it on the targets.

You supplied us with just a "thumbnail" photo,, we can't read anything

 

[The Crisco Kid]

How about some pictures of the rifle?

 

[bronko220002]

How about some pictures of the rifle?

Soon. I just got done blueing the barrel. I also replaced the .500" front fiber optic sight with a .370" one for more height adjustment for the Williams peep sight once I start shooting further distances.

 

[bronko220002]

Maybe this will help. I enlarged the photo and font. Bottom group is 1.25" not .75". .451" seems to be a good size. I can thumb start the bullet and not too much pressure on the ramrod to get it down. Got to move rear sight a tad to the right.

 

[bronko220002]

How about some pictures of the rifle?

Here you go Crisco. Rice Match Grade .45 cal, 1:18 twist, 32" length. Just finished blueing last night.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

It looks great! It should pack a pretty good wallop for anything you might want to hunt and hopefully accurate out to pretty long range. I have several molds from Accurate and they are excellent. So is the only Rice barrel I have. Good choices I think.

 

[exarcher]

Here you go Crisco. Rice Match Grade .45 cal, 1:18 twist, 32" length. Just finished blueing last night.
View attachment 209155

i've got 2 of em,, one hawken one, renegade,,, & one thing for sure i know,, it's not gonna like loads 80 grains & up (i've gone up over 100gr with bullets of 400, 460, 500, & 540 grains).. none of have impressed me unless softball size groups are good, (not to me).. dropped to 70 & group was smaller, i think 60 is gonna be even better.. these barrels are too tight for hotter loads (.449 bullet as opposed to .457 bullet in most 45 cal rifles).. i'm on verge of thinking 18 is too fast of twist... (Any group shooter that has won will know that the slowest twist to stabililze a given bullet provides best accuracy,, this is the way it is in benchrest centerfire competition) Right now my 50 cal green mtn LRH renegade (flintlock) outgroups em easily & its 24 twist.

 

[TDM]

Very nice. I have 2 Rice barrels, they’re good.

 

[longcruise]

Type of projectile with that screaming fast twist?

Not all that fast. Typical for 45 bullet guns. Handles 300 to 550 grain bullets.

 

[exarcher]

Here you go Crisco. Rice Match Grade .45 cal, 1:18 twist, 32" length. Just finished blueing last night.
View attachment 209155

i've finally got some grouping that i can live with!! I'm using 500 grain swaged paper patch bullets from buffalo arms & 70 grains 2f swiss... These have been best so far,, & dropping down to 70 grains from 80 cut the group in half or more!! Finally,, this was getting worrisome,, now i need some more so i can try em in the renegade barrel.. Hope this helps you,,, i've been testing since march! shot nearly 2lbs of powder & i don't know how many bullets. Good luck with yours.. (the holes look big because thats the 3rd target on top of 2 other damp paper targets this morning.. (70 yds). & going to the flou green target made it much easier to see with the shaver globe sight.. i still wish it were better!

 

[Bad Karma]

My Rice .45’s like the heavier bullets. Pretty much anything over 400 grains will work but Lordy the 520 grain paper patch bullets shoot like a house afire over 90 grains of 1.5f Swiss.

 

[hanshi]

I have two Rice barrels, .32 & .50, and that Rice quality and accuracy is clearly present. But I'm exclusively a prb shooter and no experience with conical bullets. They both are radius groove rifled as is my astonishing .45 Bobby Hoyt barrel.