General discussion > Black Powder Shooting
Pedersoli Pennsylvania accuracy
cal44walker:
Hey guys.
After shooting blackpowder for the last 9 years I decided to go down the flintlock muzzleloader road. I've had the Pennsylvania 45 cal rifle for a few weeks and so far have not found a load combination that groups better than 16 cm at 50 meters off a rest. Alot of people seem to be using around 60grs swiss 2fg and a 445 ball with a 0.015 patch but my rifle shoots all over the place with that combination. I've started from scratch with a 445 ball and a 0.018 patch at 30gr 2Fg swiss and am going up in 5 grain incriments but so far have been very dissapointed. I am using a radiused short starter and ramrod matched to the radius of the ball so I'm not damaging the nose of the bullet which might have explained the lack of accuracy. I will be wiping between shots untill I find a good load. If anyone has some advice or experience with this rifle let me know. In the meantime I'll be continueing trying to find a good load combo.
Matt
Daryl:
Hi Matt- I've been shooting .45 cal. for many years, and have found all of them respond within a fairly narrow range of loads, depending on the rifling twist. The slower the twist, generally the grater the charge needed. You'll see guys respond with loads from about 45gr. upwards.
The rifles have shot with from 55gr. 3F to 75gr. 3F, .445" pure lead ball and .020" to .022" denim patches. With 2F, I needed to raise the loads to 65gr. to 85gr. using GOEX. Swiss 2F should be about 10 to 15gr. faster than GOEX 2F or almost like GOEX 3F.
The .018" patch should work OK with the .445" ball. I do not wipe toe bore at any time while shooting as I've found more consistant results with shooting 'dirty'. With spit, windshield washer fluid & soap mix or a commercial black powder solvents like LeHighValley lube, or Hoppe's 9-PLUS - when you load the next shot, you are wiping the last one's fouling away. The fouling never builds up shot to shot. There is never more than one shot's fouling in the bore and it is easily wiped down when loading the next one.
A bit of emery cloth underneath your thumb, rotating, turning the barrel often, will smooth the crown and allow even tighter loading like I use. They shoot exceptionally well for me. 1/2" to 3/4" at 50 yards off the rest. What's that, about 1.2 to 1.5 cm? Just a guess.
Hope this helps.
Scott Bumpus:
According to their web site, that gun has a 1-47" twist. It will probable need loads on the lighter side to shoot well. There are no absolutes here but I would try between 40 and 55 grains. I had a Thompson Center with 1-48" that shot those charges very well. I used .445 ball and .018" pillow ticking , spit lube.
T*O*F:
What you are experiencing is common for percussion shooters who convert to flintlock. Even shooting it off a rest, you will suffer from flintlock flinch until you get used to the gun. Once you conquer that, then you can start shooting for groups.
1. Put a wooden flint in the gun and practice offhand holding at a spot on the wall. Cock and fire the gun repeatedly until you or the barrel don't move when the hammer drops.
2. Next, move to the range. Let a friend load the prime the gun without you watching. Have him leave the prime out of the pan every so many shots to see if your flinch is really conquered.
3. Shoot a 25 yards first for group and load. Then move out to farther distances.
A flint gun doesn't shoot like a percussion, but shooting a flint will make you a better percussion shooter as you will learn how to hold on target longer.
Almost forgot. Thin the frizzen sping on the lock. Some are so thick they won't flip open. Those locks are notoriously badly designed in that department.
B Shipman:
TOF is right on. When I did a lot of shooting in the 80's and early 90's this is exactly what we did even after shooting for years, just as a check. You'd be surprised.
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