SQUARE CUT OR ROUND BOTTOM RIFLING?

[Rock Home Isle]

I have a .45 calibre TVM Mississippi Poor Boy. Bought that gun 12 years ago:

It’s the lower gun in the above image. That gun would shoot pie plate sized groups at 25-30 yrds. So frustrating…after 3 years I was beside myself with frustration. I sent it back to TVM 3 times, and 3 times they returned it to me saying nothing wrong…fine shooting gun. It was a truly horrible experience.

This last year, I decided to try yet again to see if I could get it to be a shooter. At the range the guy at the bench next to me offered to look the over…he shot it a few times, and said, “Bring it by my house this week”

He re-crowned the barrel. It’s now a single hole gun at 50 yrds.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Can any of you experienced shooters say what your experience was (if you've shot one) or predict what experience I might have with my barrel I haven't shot yet?

Colerain 0.58 1" straight, round bottom, 66 twist, 0.016 groove depth.

Probably a silly question. But now I'm worried

Run a tight patch done the bore…minimal lubrication. If it glides smoothly…that’s great. If it hangs up or is rough…probably machining burs in the rifling.

Look the crown over…it should have a nice smooth uniform recess. If it’s not uniform, or there is no crown, or a minimal crown…you could have issues

 

[SDSmlf]

Can any of you experienced shooters say what your experience was (if you've shot one) or predict what experience I might have with my barrel I haven't shot yet?

Colerain 0.58 1" straight, round bottom, 66 twist, 0.016 groove depth.

Probably a silly question. But now I'm worried

Curious why you have not shot your new Colerain barrel, what exactly has you worried? I have a number of Hoyt and Rice barrels with radius bottomed rifling, in 58 and 62 caliber and I love them. No more or less accurate than square bottom rifled barrels, but with the thicker required patch I find I can easily ‘customize’ the amount of lube I use so they load easily and I can shoot all day without swabbing or other monkeying around. I have only owned two new Colerain barrels, and both bores required some simple polishing up before they became real shooters. I now polish the bores of all barrels I receive, new or used. Eliminates potential for loading and accuracy issues right out of the gate because of burrs or whatever at the muzzle or in the bore.

 

[HighUintas]

Curious why you have not shot your new Colerain barrel, what exactly has you worried? I have a number of Hoyt and Rice barrels with radius bottomed rifling, in 58 and 62 caliber and I love them. No more or less accurate than square bottom rifled barrels, but with the thicker required patch I find I can easily ‘customize’ the amount of lube I use so they load easily and I can shoot all day without swabbing or other monkeying around. I have only owned two new Colerain barrels, and both bores required some simple polishing up before they became real shooters. I now polish the bores of all barrels I receive, new or used. Eliminates potential for loading and accuracy issues right out of the gate because of burrs or whatever at the muzzle or in the bore.

I haven't shot it because I'm still working on building the gun. I haven't yet scoped or patched the bore, but the crown looks good.

I had planned to use lee shavers method of burnishing/polishing the bore prior to shooting, that way I can do it without the breech plug in.

When people start discussing accuracy of barrels, I get anxiety. I have been a modern bolt action shooter but this is my first ML... So the anxiety is likely completely unjustified!

 

[SDSmlf]

I haven't shot it because I'm still working on building the gun. I haven't yet scoped or patched the bore, but the crown looks good.

I had planned to use lee shavers method of burnishing/polishing the bore prior to shooting, that way I can do it without the breech plug in.

When people start discussing accuracy of barrels, I get anxiety. I have been a modern bolt action shooter but this is my first ML... So the anxiety is likely completely unjustified!

I don’t know what your expectations are, but here is a 100 yard sight-in target (5-1/2” bull) for new sights on the flintlock (already had the load figured out). It was one of those windless good days when I could see the sights and the target. Mr Hoyt’s barrels (this is a 58 caliber, radius bottom rifling, 1-60 twist) are more accurate that me every day. The last 5 shots taken with my elbows on a table for support were right around one inch.

 

[HighUintas]

I don’t know what your expectations are, but here is a 100 yard sight-in target (5-1/2” bull) for new sights on the flintlock (already had the load figured out). It was one of those windless good days when I could see the sights and the target. Mr Hoyt’s barrels (this is a 58 caliber, radius bottom rifling, 1-60 twist) are more accurate that me every day. The last 5 shots taken with my elbows on a table for support were right around one inch.

My only expectation is to have accuracy reliable for 100yard shots on deer sized game.

I HOPE I can manage what you show in your last 5

 

[hanshi]

The best prb rifling, again just my opinion, for an all around rifle (hunting, targets, general shooting) is radius groove rifling. A strict target rifle should have the grooves cut square. But more, much more, important is a bit of muzzle heaviness. I'm talking an offhand rifle and not a bench rifle. A heavy muzzle causes the front sight to move with smooth, glacial slowness and not like a squirrel jumping here and there. That heaviness makes those front sight figure "8s" smaller too. I have three radius and two square cut barrels but any difference accuracy-wise escapes me. I can no longer see or shoot well enough to even settle on a "best" load; but that was not always the case either.

 

[oldwood]

Last November , I finished a .58 , Colerain barrel longrifle for a hunter. .562 cast rb. , Lee mould. 85 gr.FFFG...014 grease patches. peep sight..tang mtd. . w/standard post front sight. Sighted it in off the bench @ 75 yards , 3.5 " group at 100.yds.. Shooting this rifle was almost a sensual experience. To kill a deer at 150 yds. , a top of spine hold would have done it. ... I consider a 100 yd, group like this gun did ,pretty good for a 75.5 yr. old guy , not bad........oldwood

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Last November , I finished a .58 , Colerain barrel longrifle for a hunter. .562 cast rb. , Lee mould. 85 gr.FFFG...014 grease patches. peep sight..tang mtd. . w/standard post front sight. Sighted it in off the bench @ 75 yards , 3.5 " group at 100.yds.. Shooting this rifle was almost a sensual experience. To kill a deer at 150 yds. , a top of spine hold would have done it. ... I consider a 100 yd, group like this gun did ,pretty good for a 75.5 yr. old guy , not bad........oldwood

I like the way you describe…things.

 

[Lookingforiron945]

Hello everyone,
Iv got a Colerain barrel.54 caliber with round bottom rifling.
I love it.
It’s easy to get the balls down the barrel and it doesn’t seem too get fouled up.
I can just keep loading and shooting it and it cleans up quickly and easily.
And I think it plenty accurate for off hand shooting.
I’m using 85 grains of 2f powder up to 125 grain with a .535 RB and a .20 patch.
Its really accurate with the 125 grain load.But it does kick like a mule.
I target practice with the 85 grain.
I plan too shoot a nice buck this season with it.
Cheers.
TH