Whitworth rifle range report

[ResearchPress]

...and what makes it adhere to the bullet with out unraveling?

The objective is not to have the paper adhere to the bullet - ideally it will fall away from the bullet as it exits the barrel.

David

 

[toot]

thank you sir for the reply. so it only is to mesh into the groves till it exits the bore, then it will fall off?

 

[BP Addict]

Imho your powder charge is to less, for 100m with a 500gn bullet with my Brockway I use 80gn Swiss No.2,

shoot prone with a sling and the gun is much better than me

You have a Brockway? Can you posts some photos of the rifle, please? Any idea when it was made?

Thanks!

Walt

 

[ResearchPress]

thank you sir for the reply. so it only is to mesh into the groves till it exits the bore, then it will fall off?

The paper patch protects the bore from leading - it should then fall away as the bullet exits the barrel.

David

 

[ResearchPress]

You have a Brockway? Can you posts some photos of the rifle, please? Any idea when it was made?

... ideally in a new thread so others that may want to read about it can find it.

David

 

[Flintfan69]

I'm not sure what I'm going to do about my sights, yet.

If it still has it's original sights, your Volunteer rifle has a globe front sight with a post. The post is threaded. To lower your impact point, first drift out the front globe sight. Then, when looking at the bottom of the globe sight you will see a hole where the post is threaded into. The bottom of the post will have a slot for a small screw driver. Simple turn the post to raise it, which will lower your impact point.

It should be pointed out that many times owners of these rifles use Loc-tite or glue, etc. to secure the front post in position once they have the rifle dialed in. DO NOT force the post if it does not turn easily. It can be ease to strip the delicate screw driver slot. In the past I have had to VERY gently heat the base of the sight with a propane torch, before I have been able to turn the post. Go slow and use a light hand if you have to go this route.

 

[TFoley]

The paper patch protects the bore from leading - it should then fall away as the bullet exits the barrel.

David

Yup, exactly as they seem to have done. BTW, Mr Minshall, over on the WW FB page and shooter has posted a pic of his Parker-Hale Whitworth serial #61. Did you catch that one? I've never seen anything that early so far.

 

[TFoley]

As luck would have it, I've recently been in contact with a gentleman Whitworthist on the island of Jersey, in the Channel Islands. He and a friend make a CAD-produced Whitworth mould - hexagonal - to YOUR specifications - for £250 + shipping. A cylindrical mould, also to your spec, for £200 + shipping.

He writes - 'The hex moulds are 3 piece, you can have any across flats diameter and any weight between 530 and 590 g . The cylindrical bullet can also be of any diameter, it’s adjustable for length/weight and can have a deep base.'

 

[SDSmlf]

question, how do you know how many wraps / turns of paper to apply, with out getting too much wrap on the bullet, and it will not load? and what makes it adhere to the bullet with out unraveling ?toot.

As others have noted, I use two wraps cut similar to the pattern @TFoley showed (there are templates available online or make your own), with the end of the paper right at or just short of the paper’s starting edge. May sound difficult, but once you get the paper length correct it is simple to do. Some people end up with a twisted knot of paper on the bottom of the bullet, while I adjust the width of paper so it just covers the bullet bottom. I run my paper patched bullets through an adjustable sizing die to, for lack of a better term, iron the paper tight to the bullet. It stays put. Others wrap with wet paper and let it shrink to fit tight.

 

[ResearchPress]

...WW FB page and shooter has posted a pic of his Parker-Hale Whitworth serial #61. Did you catch that one? I've never seen anything that early so far.

Yes, have had details of that one for a while and of three others of lower serial number. I am admin on the WW FB group.

David

 

[SDSmlf]

thank you sir for the reply. so it only is to mesh into the groves till it exits the bore, then it will fall off?

I find that the paper does not just fall off of the bullet, rather it is shredded in confetti like bits and lands on the ground just in front of the bore provided there is no wind. It least with my set up.

 

[ResearchPress]

I find that the paper does not just fall off of the bullet, rather it is shredded in confetti like bits and lands on the ground just in front of the bore provided there is no wind. It least with my set up.

There are no lands and grooves with a Whitworth rifle. The cross-section of the bore is hexagonal, and the rifle can fire a mechanically fitting hexagonal section bullet (which also matches the 1 in 20 twist of the rifling).

David

 

[SDSmlf]

There are no lands and grooves with a Whitworth rifle. The cross-section of the bore is hexagonal, and the rifle can fire a mechanically fitting hexagonal section bullet (which also matches the 1 in 20 twist of the rifling).

David

Stated in my first post on this thread I do not have a Whitworth and was referencing my experiences shooting paperpatched bullets with rifled barrels in response to a direct question from @toot quoted in my post.

Don’t have a Whitworth, but shoot paperpatched out of a faster twist GM barrel.

 

[ResearchPress]

Stated in my first post on this thread I do not have a Whitworth and was referencing my experiences shooting paperpatched bullets with rifled barrels ...

Added on topic context to the discussion referencing my experience shooting paper patched bullets with Whitworth rifled barrels ...

David

 

[BP Addict]

If it still has it's original sights, your Volunteer rifle has a globe front sight with a post. The post is threaded. To lower your impact point, first drift out the front globe sight. Then, when looking at the bottom of the globe sight you will see a hole where the post is threaded into. The bottom of the post will have a slot for a small screw driver. Simple turn the post to raise it, which will lower your impact point.

It should be pointed out that many times owners of these rifles use Loc-tite or glue, etc. to secure the front post in position once they have the rifle dialed in. DO NOT force the post if it does not turn easily. It can be ease to strip the delicate screw driver slot. In the past I have had to VERY gently heat the base of the sight with a propane torch, before I have been able to turn the post. Go slow and use a light hand if you have to go this route.

Thank you Sir! That sounds relatively easy. I thought I was going to have to swap out the whole front sight. I've read elsewhere that folks have gone with the Lyman.

Walt

 

[cal.43]

You have a Brockway? Can you posts some photos of the rifle, please? Any idea when it was made?

Thanks!

Walt

My Brockway is a replika from Palmetto made in the 90 or 2000,
will made pictures this weekend.

 

[Mad Professor]

With those heavy bullets you might get improvement with coarser powder

 

[GREENSWLDE]

When I shot PP billets I used Typing Copy Paper ( usually known as bank paper ).Its .002"Thick. Cut out a template from thick hard carboard to T.Foley's drawing. Take it with a ream of your paper to the local jobbing printer and beg him/her NICELY to cut up your paper to the template. Don't tell 'em what it's for !! They may be "Anti". You should end up with patches for half a life time.. OLD DOG

 

[Kno-ie]

Kno-ie and Dave

The paper not sheading is very likely. I have zero experience with shooting a rifle with this type of rifling. Was just basing it off my experience with other rifles and most likely I am wrong.


Fleener

Fleener,
My disagreement was not to imply malice nor directed to anyone individual. It is simply based on the results I have found during the past 10 months shooting the Whitworth rifle with a paper patch cylinder bullet.
On a side note. If this Shooters development class is offered again, I would recommend it to anyone wishing to advance their skill in long range shooting. You'll meet some very experienced shooters in this field.

Kno-ie

 

[jimairwin]

I very much appreciate a look at your Volunteer rifle, please. I'm not surprised that your shots went high. You are using the general 60g load, but of finer grade than usual in a rifle designed to start shooting at 300 yards.

The Whitworth has a hexagonal bore. The Volunteer has "normal" rifling, perhaps Alexander Henry style. All are good, but a Volunteer is NOT a Whitworth.