load for .40 44"Rice barrel

[Rich]

I'm working on sighting in a .40 44" Rice barrel with round bottom rifling. Since I have a .390 mold, that's the size ball I've been using with patches from .010 through .018. (all stuff I already have). So far, .018 pillowticking with 55 gr. 3f and a .390 ball have given the best results. I'm thinking of buying a box of .395 balls or .020 patches next. What have others found that works in this barrel.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Here's a picture of the Kuntz inspired rifle I built using a Rice 44" x .40 cal barrel, but mine has square bottomed rifling.  And I only have a .395 RB mold.  The rifle likes loads from 45 - 65 grains of FFg or FFFg GOEX and .018" - .023" thick patches and Lehigh Valley Lube.  It loads very easily with the 5/16" hickory rod.
Last June, I won a contest at our annual rendezvous with it shooting raw eggs out to 65 yds offhand.

[Rich]

Beautiful rifle. Thanks for the information. I think I'll try the .395 ball in mine.

[elk killer]

i use a .395 and 60 fff..plus a .010 linen patch,, those rock chucks hate it....!!!!!!!!!

[Frizzen]

Buddy of mine found by a lot of trial and error that a .400 ball and 65 grs Goex FFF and
a .020 Teflon coaded patch was the best for seroius target shooting in his Rice.

[Daryl]

Don't have  Rice, but had a 42" Goodioen barrel with 48" of twist. It liked 65gr. 3F or 75gr. 2F for identical accuracy - both using a .395" with .020" to .0215" both denim or a .400" ball and .019" to .020" denim patch, also with LHV lube.  Last spring, it showed it liked 55gr.2F with the .395" ball and spit patch.  Later, in hot weather, it refused to shoot that load as accurately as I demand.

Rich- with round bottomed rifling, you are going to need more patch to fill the grooves, than anything you've used so far. Do the math - with a .400" bore and normal .016" depth rifling, you have a groove depth of .432".  Shooting a .395" ball will require at least a .0185" patch to get to the bottom of those deep grooves and that's without any compression. I usually find burning of the patch with such a thin combination.  I suggest you use any normal pure 100% cotton ie: denim or ticking, that measures at least .020".  That is 8 pound denim. Some makes are .020" (by my measure) and others run up to .0215".  The tighter the better as far as accuracy goes.  Once into the bore, they all load easy with spit, LHV or Hoppe's Plus. A perfect crown in the muzzle allows easy seating of the ball. A too-sharp crown makes seating difficult.

[Hank*in*WV]

I use 40grs of 3f, 395 ball, and .018 linen patch with LHV lube. Deadly combo.

[Rich]

Thanks for the imput. I've just ordered a .395 mold and .020 cotton patches. I'm looking forward to trying the tighter load.

[smallpatch]

Rich,

Go with the tighter load..... you'll like it.

[Darkhorse]

I have a 38" round bottom .40 Rice is that close enough?
For 25 yds and squirrels I use 25 grains of 3F, a .0125 patch, LHV and .390 balls. This load will  hit a squirrels head with no problem. 2 Weeks ago offhand I put 7 shots inside a 2" circle at 25 yds.

35 gr. at 50 yds. Everything else is the same.

My Turkey load is 40 grs. 3F with a .0175 pillow ticking patch. Same ball and lube. This one was tested off the bench at 100 yds. Didn't measure the group but I've seen scope shooters with larger groups off the bench. It was good enough for me.

[Rich]

The .395 mold and .020 patches arrived. Cast up some balls and headed to the range. The groups were much tighter. The patches however were freyed, occasionally into where they are in the rifling. I went from a spit patch to using a homemade wonderlube type lube. It seemed to work. I'll try again  this week. As far as the 38" barrel goes, I used that barrel on a rifle for my brother. I'll let him know your results. He doesn't get to shoot much and hasn't worked up a load yet.

[Ezra]

Taylor,

With a .395 ball and a .023" patch, don't you need a pile driver to get it down bore?


Ez

[tallbear]

Rich
I think your on the right track,I have a B weight 44".40 cal Rice barrel also.My load is a .403 ball .016 pocket drill patch and Lehigh lube.I shoot 40gr.FFFg Swiss or 45 grainsFFFg Goex.Lehigh seems to be the only lube that works with this tight a comination as its slippery!!!The barrel did cut patches for the first couple of hundred shots,settled down nicely after that

Mitch

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Ezra, it may not be possible to explain my loading technique so that others understand how easy it loads.  I use a short starter with a moose antler crown not quite two inches across and about two inches long.  It has some mass, and when I smack the patch and ball into the muzzle, it goes in without deforming the pure lead ball.  Pure lead is mandatory, or it WILL be tough loading.  The hickory peg then pushes the patched ball down about six inches.  Then the 5/16" hickory rod pushes the ball down firmly onto the powder in ten inch grips.  You see, once the patch and ball are in the bore, it is the same size as the bore, no matter how tight it was outside the barrel.  And it goes down without danger of breaking the rod.  No, it doesn't go down with thumb and forefinger on the stick or by the rod's own weight.  But it loads easily ALL DAY LONG WITHOUT CLEANING!
This feels like deja vue.

[Daryl]

Deja Vue?-  think I know that gal.

[Leatherbelly]

 Ez,
   I've been shooting .395 balls with a .021 patch. My forty loves it! 38"  Rice, square grooves. And she loves 2F Goex,a mere 50 grs.
  That Daryls slipped me some .400's the other day! They were tight with .021! It was cold, and I barked my knuckles. Ask him,he'll tell ya! He'll tell ya, "I told him that would happen....."

[Daryl]

Something about that cone in LB's rifle, made loading the .400's difficult and cut his patches badly.  I have some of the sae patch material and ie measures at .014" to .015" on my mic.   I use the same mic and use a .020" to .0215" denim with the .400's in my own .40 and they load quite easily. Different crown shape, where mine is more of a radius and his is a long cone. This makes a big difference. As well, the grooves are very wide in my bore and lands very narrow, maybe 1/4 groove width.  Easy loading and accurate. 

Good bark on his knuckles, LB - should be healed by now (or close) - good thing it wasn't -20 - really hurts at lower temps and usually takes off more meat too.  I recall telling LB that might happen with the way he was seating the ball the last 1/2" or so -    beren there, done that -  and more than once.

[Leatherbelly]

   hehehe, Tolja!!