I am trying to find the most accurate load for a rifle that I recently built. The barrel on the rifle is a re-used old Ithaca Hawken barrel. When I mic it across the grooves I get .515. Across the lands .495.
Any suggestions are most welcome. I have tried .490 ball with .10 and .18 patching. With mediocre results. It also likes higher powder charges...I have found 90 grn. FFFg to work the best with the above stated combo. Additionally this might sound crazy, but has anyone used denim from old jeans before?
Tizzy- thanks for telling us about your rifle.
A few suggestions if I may.
A .495" bore, would indeed use a .490" ball, but with an .018" to .022" denim patch. If using old blue jeans use only the
backs of the trouser legs and perhaps from the knee down to the ankle all the way around. The Thighs are usually worn
to thin and weakened, anyway.
As others have mentioned, the powder charge might be a bit high, however the proof is in the shooting. I have found 2f to
work best in .50's and above, likely due to the lower pressure generated, being hinder to patch/ball fit in the grooves.
Your experience may differ. Use what works best.
If you search for muzzle crowns, you might see what a muzzle looks like that allows easier loading, using a short starter with
tighter ball and patch combinations.
PM me for e-mail address for videos on loading, if you'd like- I have 3 of them on file, but they will not show here on this site.
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