[Strut10]

So as to not hijack another thread...……….

My wife's uncle built a .54 cal flinter a couple years back and used a radiused rifling, Colerain barrel. The man knows flintlocks. He can't get it to shoot well at all. Blows the centers out of patches...…….. I'm not sure what all. He's tried about everything...…..down to using the old timers' hornet nest paper wadding.

What ball/patch/lube combo are you Colerain shooters using with accuracy and success ??

 

[blackpowder]

I have 2, .62 cal and .36 cal. I use ox-yoke pillow ticking in both, .018 thick and my own lube. Both are great shooters.

 

[Steeltrap]

"Blows the centers out of the patches"-----Is he using a lubed patch? Is it enough lube to prevent the patch from burning?

 

[Loggy]

So as to not hijack another thread...……….

My wife's uncle built a .54 cal flinter a couple years back and used a radiused rifling, Colerain barrel. The man knows flintlocks. He can't get it to shoot well at all. Blows the centers out of patches...…….. I'm not sure what all. He's tried about everything...…..down to using the old timers' hornet nest paper wadding.

What ball/patch/lube combo are you Colerain shooters using with accuracy and success ??

In my 54 Cal PA Mountain Rifle(Colerain bbl)I'm using Hornady .530 round ball, .018 pillow ticking patch lubed with mink oil. Only powder I'll use is Swiss 2fg. Cleaner & far more consistent granulation vs Goex. My gun likes 80 grains. Never had a blown patch with that load plus extremely accurate/ with outstanding groups. I started out with .535 round ball & a .015 patch and did have a few patches blow/fraying. The .535 ball was very tight & difficult to load. I discussed with Colerain and they recommended the .530 round ball.

 

[Strut10]

He's tried about every combo...………..

The barrel is a 15/16" straight octagon that started out 42", but ended up 32" to fit the project. Radiused rifling about .016" deep.

He's tried every imaginable combo of patching with, both, .530" and .535" round balls...…..including .018" pillow ticking and the Hornady .530" ball. He lubes his patches by soaking them in melted deer tallow.

He started at 110 grains of Ffg Goex and worked down. Groups tightened up around 50 grains. But that's a little on the wimpy side for shooting deer very far. He's hunting with +/- 85 grains. But at 100 yards, groups run around a foot. It's not the guy behind the gun. I've seen him shoot other rifles...……

Dunno…………...

 

[blackpowder]

who and how was the barrel shortened?

 

[Loggy]

He's tried about every combo...………..

The barrel is a 15/16" straight octagon that started out 42", but ended up 32" to fit the project. Radiused rifling about .016" deep.

He's tried every imaginable combo of patching with, both, .530" and .535" round balls...…..including .018" pillow ticking and the Hornady .530" ball. He lubes his patches by soaking them in melted deer tallow.

He started at 110 grains of Ffg Goex and worked down. Groups tightened up around 50 grains. But that's a little on the wimpy side for shooting deer very far. He's hunting with +/- 85 grains. But at 100 yards, groups run around a foot. It's not the guy behind the gun. I've seen him shoot other rifles...……

Dunno…………...

He apparently is very experienced but he's the very first I ever heard of experiencing this problem and I know quite a few extremely experienced/knowledgeable smokers? I suggest he give Colerain Barrel Company a call. Per my experience they are very good to talk to. Phone: (814) 632-7513

 

[Strut10]

who and how was the barrel shortened?

He cut, squared and crowned the barrel himself.

 

[Strut10]

He apparently is very experienced but he's the very first I ever heard of experiencing this problem and I know quite a few extremely experienced/knowledgeable smokers? I suggest he give Colerain Barrel Company a call. Per my experience they are very good to talk to. Phone: (814) 632-7513

He is EXTREMELY good at this sort of thing.

A call and/or visit to Colerain are on his to do list, I believe.

 

[tdd]

I would look for sharp edges in the rifling/crown. It's entirely possible there's one somewhere that's cutting patches on loading. When EVERY combo blows the patch, it sounds like there's something else afoot. A cut patch would do what you're describing. It'll blow nearly every time.

 

[blackpowder]

Yep, I would load one and pull it and check the patch to see what it looks like.

 

[Loggy]

The patch blow very well may occur on shot when patch/ball tightly engages rifling from charge pressure if a barrel deformity.

 

[410-er]

Crown 1st and easiest to check.
Also lap the bore.
Then I would say patch thickness of .20-.022 and a good lube but not to much as that can hurt accuracy also.

 

[blackpowder]

The patch blow very well may occur on shot when patch/ball tightly engages rifling from charge pressure if a barrel deformity.

Very true, but it could also be cutting/tearing going in and is a very simple/quick check.

 

[Strut10]

Thanks, fellers.

I'll pass along the suggestions to re-check for bore irregularities.

 

[blackpowder]

Let us know what you find out.

 

[Strut10]

Let us know what you find out.

I will do that

 

[brewyak]

I also have a 54cal colerain bbl. I bought my rifle from the same place as loggy. I actually use the exact same load down to the powder and lube, except I pour my own round balls. Anyway mine is a rack driver. I suggest what others have said. There maybe a burr in the bbl from cutting it down or something

 

[Loggy]

Let us know what you find out.

Yep...im curious what he finds out.

 

[bldtrailer]

Cut rifling might be ruff and need to be deburred (as suggested to me by Mr Dixon- oooo steal wool or scotch bright pad) oil the wool/pad and 100 strokes try to feel if there are any tight/ruff spots( I rap it on a brass brush). then get a thicker patch like 10-12oz Denim after washing and drying .020 (10oz) .022 (12oz) some like cotton canvass/duck try a heaver grease type lube (mutton tallow mink oil....)