I went to the range today, put 6/6 on 6" at 100 with the old CVA 1:66 and came home with a new gun. An old (1992?) never fired Cabela Hawken 54 cal.
I started by shooting 3- 300 gr. Sabertooth, 90 gr Purodex Select, at 50 yds. and held low, like I might while hunting (zeroed for 100yds). I did not swab.
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Then moved to 100yds, same load, unswabbed, 3 shots. Those three are the 3 farthest apart. I then swabbed, went to my "go to" 270 Sabertooth, same 90 Pyrodex Select, and swabbed between each shot. Those 6 all broke the 6" circle. I'm very happy to have a load 100 grains heavier than a roundball pushed by 90 grs. powder that can do this from a 1:66 barrel.
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Then, I went inside and dismantled the Cabela's Hawken. Pulled the barrel, nipple, clean out screw; dropped a bore light down each way and it is clear, this gun has never been fired. The shop owner said the guy selling the gun said he'd never fired it and I think I know why. The patch box plate is engraved "Doc Ken Scholarship Fund, Denver 1992". I'd guess the gun was won in a fundraiser raffle by someone who didn't ML. My luck! I paid the $150, lock, stock and barrel and got out of there. The plan is to buy the GM drop-in in 50 cal 1:28 from Cabela's and, possibly, sell this 54 cal 1:48 barrel. Here are pictures of her at her new home.
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Looking forward to going for 6/6 on 6" at 150, maybe 200.... someday.