There was a man shooting a rolling block that said it shot better as a muzzle loader.
Here's how you do it.Cut a dowel that is the length of the brass case being used and
insert it into the breech,best of all is a hard wood dummy cartridge case complete with
the rim.With the wooden case or dowel in place and the breech closed,insert the bullet,
either grease grooved or paper patched into the muzzle and push it down with the rod
until it touches the dowel/case and then remove the dowel and replace it with a case full
powder,take aim and fire.I have done this and it works fine.Harry Pope did this also but
with 32-33 and 38 caliber rifles usually equipped with a false muzzle.
Long bullets are usually sized to about .0005 (1/2 of 1/1000th of an inch)over land diameter
and rely on being upset by the ignition of the powder which can be over 100 grains.
Here is the trick about wiping.The rules in some matches said NO wiping between shots
and here's how to get around that.Load the powder and then place the bullet in the muzzle
and THEN place a moist or lightly greased patch over the muzzle and push the bullet and
patch down.Withdrawing the rod will bring the patch back and from a technical stand point,
you are loading,not cleaning.This is called the John Rigby method of loading the long range
rifle.l have seen this done more than once.
The barrels were probably made by Rigby and the locks were fine Brazier,Stanton or Evans
with 4 screw bridles,fly and a very quick mainspring.There were a large number of fine "lock filers"
working in that period and few were substandard.I have 2 orders from one man for 2 of these
4 screw types with the fishtail bridle for replicating Alex Henry rifles.
There were a large number of "lock filers" working in Wolverhampton according to info I may
still have.I'll put it on the forum if I can find it.
Bob Roller
