Traditional rifle with a twist

[cayugad]

Semisane kind of got me excited about shooting this rifle again. A week or more ago, he'd posted some pictures of his outing with a .50 caliber GMB with a fast twist. In that range session he was shooting 3f Goex and some 250 grain Gold Dots I believe. Since I have the same rifle, powder, and projectiles, I wanted to see what mine would do.

I started off at 30 yards just to make sure I was on target. I was having a ball shooting with the scoped rifle at that distance.



I was swabbing with spit at first every other shot (forgot the cleaner) and it was laying them in there pretty good. I finally went and got some cleaner and swabbed the barrel clean.

I then moved the target back to 75 yards and since I had shot off all the 250 grain Gold Dot projectiels I changed over to the 300 grain 454 Casull Gold Dot. I was using the short black sabots and still kept shooting 90 grains of Goex 3f.



The first four shots kind of surprised me. I was swabbing with Rusty Duck Black Off solvent. Then I realized I had change a few things in the manner I had addressed the rifle and the bench rest. I had lowered the chair, and was leaning into the rifle a lot more. So before I changed any scope settings, I cleaned the rifle again, and went back to the old style of the bench rest and the old seat height.

Well it sure made a difference on the target. Something that simple. That might explain why at 30 yards they were high and right also. It also tightened up the group and put it where it should be. I knew this rifle was sighted in at 75 yards as that is standard for me.

Does this load have power? I believe it does. Muzzle loaders are powerful rifles. If you need a reminder, here is a 1/2 inch steel plate I used to shoot into.



Those holes and dents were not caused by birds. Because I could shoot through that plate I went to some 3/4 in thick plate. That has been stopping the bullets I shoot, real well.



A 1-28 fast twist barrel on a Traditional muzzle loader, with a scope mounted. That is kind of a twist. But it is a good shooter.

[Semisane]

Good report Cayugad, and good shooting. I've had my groups affected by shooting position also. Good form really makes a difference. If I had discovered fast twist sidelock barrels a few years ago I probably would not own any in-lines today (although my little Omega X7 sure is a lot nicer to carry than any of the Renegades ).

I do like that stainless barrel. Bet that gun would look fantastic if you refinished the stock with a dark mahogany stain.

[josh...just josh]

I seriously considered doing the same thing to my hawken. I dont know what it is, but a rifle has to have a wood stock to feel right to me. My knight has just about the nicest synthetic that I have ever seen, but it's still not wood. Is that the TC scope base or is it something else?

[cayugad]

That is a T/C off set base. I got it through T/C. Easy to install and works great.

[hunting junkie]

Good report and a great lookiung gun.