New Pedersoli Volunteer Rifle, load advice.

chasep255 · December 5, 2017, 04:13 PM

I just got the pedersoli 451 cal volunteer rifle last week. On my first attempt shooting it I was able to get 3 to 4 inch 5 round groups. I used the Lyman volunteer bullet mold with pure lead. The bullets were sized to 450 and lubed with SPG. My loading procedure is as follows. Powder is poured down the tube (I do not yet have a drop tube.) Next I place a vegetable fiber wad 0.03" thick over the powder and swab with a damp patch followed by a dry patch. After this I seat the bullet and fire. I have tried loads of 60 70 and 80 grains of goex 2F. The 60 and 70 seemed to work well but my group opened up a lot once I got to 80. It may have just been me getting tired or I wonder if the pure lead bullet was skipping the rifling. I have some 20-1 alloy I might try. Does anyone have any advice? Also is there anyone who has one of these rifles and wants to share their best load?

Also does anyone know what type of rifling this gun has? The original Parker hale volunteers had Henry rifling but my rifling does not look like Henry rifling.

Hawg · December 5, 2017, 06:17 PM

The twist is 1:21. I would think it would be Pedersoli's standard rifling, whatever that is. This is a little above my pay grade but why would a British rifle have Henry Rifling?

Pahoo · December 5, 2017, 08:23 PM

Quote:

It may have just been me getting tired or I wonder if the pure lead bullet was skipping the rifling.

Not too many folks are aware of "skipping" but your max load is not that high. For now I suspect that it is not skipping. You optimum target load will likely be in the 70's range but your optimum hunting load can be higher

I have run tests to check for skipping and although not all that conclusive, it can happen .....

Be Safe !!!

mehavey · December 5, 2017, 08:31 PM

At those charges you are effectively running a 45-70/90.
Treat it as such.

See http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...=1#post1932846
and kick the alloy up a tad (1:20.... even #2)
https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...9&postcount=17

.

Hawg · December 5, 2017, 11:05 PM

I was running 80 grains of powder in my paper cutter Sharps and it skipped with pure lead. I started using clip on wheel weights and stopped it but it was a breech loader. Unless I'm mistaken original Volunteer rifles used a 530 grain bullet with 70 grains of powder. I wouldn't go much over that. I have very good accuracy with a reproduction P 53 Enfield with a 510 grain minie and 70 grains.

December 5, 2017, 04:13 PM	#1
chasep255 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 727	New Pedersoli Volunteer Rifle, load advice. I just got the pedersoli 451 cal volunteer rifle last week. On my first attempt shooting it I was able to get 3 to 4 inch 5 round groups. I used the Lyman volunteer bullet mold with pure lead. The bullets were sized to 450 and lubed with SPG. My loading procedure is as follows. Powder is poured down the tube (I do not yet have a drop tube.) Next I place a vegetable fiber wad 0.03" thick over the powder and swab with a damp patch followed by a dry patch. After this I seat the bullet and fire. I have tried loads of 60 70 and 80 grains of goex 2F. The 60 and 70 seemed to work well but my group opened up a lot once I got to 80. It may have just been me getting tired or I wonder if the pure lead bullet was skipping the rifling. I have some 20-1 alloy I might try. Does anyone have any advice? Also is there anyone who has one of these rifles and wants to share their best load? Also does anyone know what type of rifling this gun has? The original Parker hale volunteers had Henry rifling but my rifling does not look like Henry rifling. Last edited by chasep255; December 5, 2017 at 04:25 PM.

December 5, 2017, 08:31 PM	#4
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,894	At those charges you are effectively running a 45-70/90. Treat it as such. See http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...=1#post1932846 and kick the alloy up a tad (1:20.... even #2) https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...9&postcount=17 . Last edited by mehavey; December 5, 2017 at 08:37 PM.

December 5, 2017, 06:17 PM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	The twist is 1:21. I would think it would be Pedersoli's standard rifling, whatever that is. This is a little above my pay grade but why would a British rifle have Henry Rifling?

December 5, 2017, 11:05 PM	#5
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	I was running 80 grains of powder in my paper cutter Sharps and it skipped with pure lead. I started using clip on wheel weights and stopped it but it was a breech loader. Unless I'm mistaken original Volunteer rifles used a 530 grain bullet with 70 grains of powder. I wouldn't go much over that. I have very good accuracy with a reproduction P 53 Enfield with a 510 grain minie and 70 grains.