ORIGINAL: keyshunter
I have an old T/C Hawken flintlock (pre QLA),that I use for hunting. It has the standard T/C .50 cal barrel. It will pile round balls one on top of another at 25 yards, but at 50 yds. the groups open up to about 6 inches, andbeyond that really open up.Since I try never totake a shot over 50 yards, I have not worried about it. Could I expect better groups with a slower twist barrel?
keyshunter-
I think you should expect better then six inches at 50 yards. The first thing I would do is get some
BOILING HOT SOAP AND WATER and clean that barrel of all gunk and crude that might be in it. Over all the years it could be the rifling is just filled with gunk. After that I would take some strong solvent and with a brass brush scrub that bore spotless. After swabbing any and all crud out of the barrel with solvent patches, then run a couple alcohol patches down it followed by three or four dry patches. Now immediately swab that bore with a quality gun oil that will soak into the pores of the metal in the bore.
After you have the rifle nice and clean, swab the oil out of the barrel before you shoot next time with an alcohol patch. Then start all over working up a patch and roundball load.
Good luck with the rifle.