Dixie Tennesse Mountain Rifle

[gumboman]

Those muzzleloader shooters who are concerned about blowing barrels with black powder should try to locate a copy of the destructive barrel testing done by Jerry Cunningham who was a barrel maker. The results of Jerry's efforts to destroy barrels should mollify any concerns about blowing barrels with standard to heavy loads. The load I am using in my Dixie Tennessee rifle is about 10% of the maximum loads Jerry used in his testing and and he never did blow a barrel.

[hudson]

Years ago I had a shallow grove barrel I believe twelve groves 1-66. When fired there was defiant crack! Two later barrels of well known makes similar except for deep more conventional rifling, with the same load just boom. The bullet definitely went down range faster with the first. The few barrels I have rifled are about .010 deep seven grove and quite happy with them.

[Standing Bear]

The "crack" of a rifle is caused by the projectile breaking the sound barrier - +- 1,100 fps depending on mainly elevation. A .32 long rifle will crack w say a 30 gr load when 60 gr in a 28" barrel .54 may not.  Many other variables can affect the MV when on the boarder of super sonic and sub sonic.