"Target Barrel" Questions

[Brazos]

Howdy all. I've been shooting a TC "Hawken" 50 for a few years and would like to get a leetle more serious for the Rondys this year. I'm looking at a Green Mountain barrel, curious as to caliber. I figure either a 40 or a 45. I notice that TOTW has a 40 "Target Barrel". Any suggestions? A lot of the Rondy matches out here are fairly long range, sometimes with a fair crosswind.
Thanks

 

[Stumpkiller]

The .40 barrel is going to be a tad heavier, and will be slightly more sensitive to fouling and wind. But there are a lot of guys that swear by the .40 as a target caliber. Less recoil, less powder to get to velocity, less lead.

 

[Brazos]

Thanks Stumpkiller. Any idea what the GM "target barrel" is? I don't see any description of it on the GM website, except as a new 42 inch 40.

 

[roundball]

Howdy all. I've been shooting a TC "Hawken" 50 for a few years and would like to get a leetle more serious for the Rondys this year. I'm looking at a Green Mountain barrel, curious as to caliber. I figure either a 40 or a 45. I notice that TOTW has a 40 "Target Barrel". Any suggestions? A lot of the Rondy matches out here are fairly long range, sometimes with a fair crosswind.
Thanks

First I'll say I haven't shot a lot of long range bullseye targets under windy conditions...but I've shot a fair number of round balls in different calibers now and given strictly the choices you mentioned, I'd personally go with the heavier .45cal ball.

If the choice was wide open, with distances and crosswinds involved as you mentioned, personally I'd actually prefer something even a little heavier that would bore right on in through all that and I'd go with a .50cal round ball barrel.

I love my .45's, but that lighter 128grn ball starts running out of gas at distance and would probably be more affected by crosswinds than a heavier .50cal / 180grn ball.
:m2c:
Another tip to consider...I installed solid brass ramrods in my TC Hawkens...the added weight out front makes the muzzle seem to just hang stationary on the target...noticeably improves accuracy...(won't break either)
:redthumb:

 

[Brazos]

Thanks Roundball. The shoot I'm thinking of is at steel "reactive" targets at ranges from 40 to about 125 yards, with one "long gong" out about 250 yards, so I'm not talking extreme long ranges, just "longish". I kind of had the same thoughts about the wind bucking ability of the 45 vs 40. Do think I want something other than a 50, to try something different.

 

[roundball]

Thanks Roundball. The shoot I'm thinking of is at steel "reactive" targets at ranges from 40 to about 125 yards, with one "long gong" out about 250 yards, so I'm not talking extreme long ranges, just "longish". I kind of had the same thoughts about the wind bucking ability of the 45 vs 40. Do think I want something other than a 50, to try something different.

OK...since it's not bullseye shooting measuring group size with a micrometer, the .45 should be great for those size targets...and I'll wager that you'll really like the .45cal.

Not sure what it is, but in spite of having accumulated several calibers now, I always seem to come back to the .45 as sort of the preferred baseline.


And by the way...you're just in the beginning stages of this sickness...you discovered a bona-fide need for a different caliber like this long range shooting...and in spite of logic that would suggest your existing .50cal would do fine, it has to be a new .45cal...I understand completely...been there, done that.

Then the following year, you'll "discover" a need for another different caliber...maybe a .58cal GM RB barrel in case we're overrun by polar bears on a migration from the Artic to Florida's Disneyworld, etc (I've already used that one but you can borrow it)

And it's a progressive, terminal disease...there's no cure...all you can do is keep it mildly contained by buying a new rifle every year or so...

:: :: ::

 

[Brazos]

I've been afflicted with that "disease" for a long time. You're right, an occasional application of new gun does help. Thanks for your input.

P.S. I've been blissfully ignorant of the polar bear threat. That opens a lot of new "needs"!

 

[Stumpkiller]

Any idea what the GM "target barrel" is?

Nope. No idea. If it was a cartridge barrel it would mean a tighter than standard chamber and possibly a special throat profile, generally a heavy taper and the extereme twist for that bore to accommodate long, boat-tail bulllets.

If there is a muzzleloader "target" barrel, I would be curious why they don't make all their barrels as "accurately." :winking:

It could mean heavy parallel profile, but if it is a drop-in replacement the profile and width is determined by the old barrel.

 

[Brazos]

Thanks for the replies guys. Any of you 40 shooters want to chime in before I order the 45? Any negative thoughts about Green Mountain?

 

[Nightwind]

I have a 40 cal. T/C Cleland match rifle. I can do 1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yds with it off the bench on a calm day. I also have a GM 45 cal. drop-in for my 50 cal T/C Silver Elite. Although not quite as accurate for me at 100 yds, the GM 45 cal. has given me better luck in moderate crosswinds. I've scored alot of 50-3x and 50-4x's at 50 yds with it. If I knew there was a good chance of crosswinds, I'd definately go with the GM45, and do some serious searching for that perfect load.

 

[Brazos]

Thanks Bill. It does sound like 45 is the way to go for me. Glad to hear about your positve GM experience. I do look forward to load development.
Regards,
Bob