Subject: Free Advice?

Hi Doc,

I'm a member of several muzzleloding forums and see many reports on the quality of your rifles and how well they shoot slip fit heavy lead conicals. I'm playing around with a project and wonder if you would be willing to provide some free advice.

I have an old abused caplock that I built as a very young fellow in 1963. It has a 13/16" x 36" barrel. Unfortunately and to my shame, I let it go to rust many years ago. I want to restore it and would like to change it from a round ball shooter to a slip fit conical shooter.

Here's my thought. Hornady makes a .429/240 grain swaged lead and lubed conical that I really like the looks of. I'm thinking of getting a .40 caliber barrel from Green Mountain and having it bored and rifled specifically for that bullet. I wouldn't want to go with a heavier bullet in the little gun.

The questions are:
- Is that practical? And if so;
-What rate of twist would be recommended?
- How deep the rifling?
- How many grooves?
- The bullets are .429 - should the land to land be .429, or smaller?
- Is there anyone you would recommend to do the boring & rifling?

Any suggestions you could offer would sure be appreciated.

LAND TO LAND SHOULD BE .430, GROOVES .035 DEEP, NO DEEPER THAN .040,

TWIST FOR THE 250 GR BULLET 1-32, NO FASTER THAN 1-28 FOR A 300 GR BULLET,

HOWARD KELLY IS YOUR BEST BET, AT WEBERTOWN RIFLEWORKS, ON THE NET.

Doc