Best expected accuracy from a BP rifle?

ELMOUSMC · July 23, 2008, 11:29 PM

With a conventional factory produced side lock percussion BP rifle what is the expected accuracy of a .490 round ball patched with a.015 pillow ticking patch over 90 grains of pyrodex RS at 50 and 75yds? the barrel is a 1 in 66 twist 32 ins long.ELMOUSMC

Raider2000 · July 24, 2008, 04:07 AM

Well my CVA Bobcat with a 1:48 26" barrel shoots .495/.010 PRB with 80gr. 777 FFFG a decent Benched group of 1 inch at 50 yards & opens up to 3.5 inches at 100 yards "as long as I do my part."

Now with your rifle you may get better groups or slightly worse than mine depending on if your rifle likes the charge & how you are holding it but with what you describe it should shoot very well at the ranges that you want.

darkgael · July 24, 2008, 04:21 AM

At the moment, I'm involved in a BP postal match being run at the Traditional ML Forum. It's an odd competition since it requires only one shot a month.
The shooter takes a traditional MLer and a clean - unfouled barrel - simulating the first shot when hunting. The shooter fires a single shot at a clean piece of letter sized paper at 50 yds and then measures the distance from the center of the paper to the center of the hole. All shots are taken standing or sitting unsupported. Some of the fellows are routinely getting in the one inch or less area. Not me, as I stay at two inches plus.
Benching the guns at 50 yds - yep, with the right load, you get fine groups.
Pete

Hawg · July 24, 2008, 07:27 AM

With a 1:66 twist you should be able to keep PRB groups down to less than an inch at 75 yds. May have to play around with your loads and patches some to achieve it.

ELMOUSMC · July 24, 2008, 10:57 AM

Raider 2000: I see that you are shooting a .495 RB and a .010 patch isn"t that a little tough loading? I find the load I am using is a little stiff! I am in the process of playing around with my powder charge to see if I can't close up my groups which are right around 2+ ins at 50 yds this is anticipation of a Wisc. black bear hunt this fall ELMOUSMC

Raider2000 · July 24, 2008, 11:02 AM

Yeah she is a touch tight but shoots a bit tighter than my .490/.015 PRB at 100 yards.

ED21 · July 25, 2008, 03:30 PM

Quote:

With a conventional factory produced side lock percussion BP rifle what is the expected accuracy of a .490 round ball patched with a.015 pillow ticking patch over 90 grains of pyrodex RS at 50 and 75yds? the barrel is a 1 in 66 twist 32 ins long.ELMOUSMC

I see a problem here. You have a load which it appears you are not willing to change. Sure, your load may work in Tom's, Dick's, or Harry's gun but it might not work in yours when it comes to true accuracy. Just because they use that load, they may have different barrels, different type of pillow ticking, different starting technique, different standards or different ???? Consequently, each individual must work up the load they use for the best function intended.

I guess I got off on a tangent here

Go up in your powder charge, go down, change patch materials, change patch lube, load with sprue up or down, ensure your pure lead source. Published and recommended loads from others are only the starting point. Play with it and you will eventually develop the load you are looking for. Good luck in your quest. That's part of the fun.

July 23, 2008, 11:29 PM	#1
ELMOUSMC Senior Member Join Date: June 26, 2007 Location: N.E.IOWA Posts: 384	Best expected accuracy from a BP rifle? With a conventional factory produced side lock percussion BP rifle what is the expected accuracy of a .490 round ball patched with a.015 pillow ticking patch over 90 grains of pyrodex RS at 50 and 75yds? the barrel is a 1 in 66 twist 32 ins long.ELMOUSMC __________________ USMC 1965-1992 For God,Country,Corps Last edited by ELMOUSMC; July 23, 2008 at 11:32 PM. Reason: transsposed number

July 24, 2008, 04:21 AM	#3
darkgael Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania. Posts: 5,473	BP accuracy At the moment, I'm involved in a BP postal match being run at the Traditional ML Forum. It's an odd competition since it requires only one shot a month. The shooter takes a traditional MLer and a clean - unfouled barrel - simulating the first shot when hunting. The shooter fires a single shot at a clean piece of letter sized paper at 50 yds and then measures the distance from the center of the paper to the center of the hole. All shots are taken standing or sitting unsupported. Some of the fellows are routinely getting in the one inch or less area. Not me, as I stay at two inches plus. Benching the guns at 50 yds - yep, with the right load, you get fine groups. Pete

July 24, 2008, 10:57 AM	#5
ELMOUSMC Senior Member Join Date: June 26, 2007 Location: N.E.IOWA Posts: 384	Raider 2000: I see that you are shooting a .495 RB and a .010 patch isn"t that a little tough loading? I find the load I am using is a little stiff! I am in the process of playing around with my powder charge to see if I can't close up my groups which are right around 2+ ins at 50 yds this is anticipation of a Wisc. black bear hunt this fall ELMOUSMC __________________ USMC 1965-1992 For God,Country,Corps Last edited by ELMOUSMC; July 24, 2008 at 11:01 AM. Reason: spelling

July 24, 2008, 04:07 AM	#2
Raider2000 Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 719	Well my CVA Bobcat with a 1:48 26" barrel shoots .495/.010 PRB with 80gr. 777 FFFG a decent Benched group of 1 inch at 50 yards & opens up to 3.5 inches at 100 yards "as long as I do my part." Now with your rifle you may get better groups or slightly worse than mine depending on if your rifle likes the charge & how you are holding it but with what you describe it should shoot very well at the ranges that you want.

July 24, 2008, 07:27 AM	#4
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	With a 1:66 twist you should be able to keep PRB groups down to less than an inch at 75 yds. May have to play around with your loads and patches some to achieve it.

July 24, 2008, 11:02 AM	#6
Raider2000 Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 719	Yeah she is a touch tight but shoots a bit tighter than my .490/.015 PRB at 100 yards.