Well what I don't go through to shoot a rifle and smell black powder. 82º here on my range, me sweating like a pig tied to the back door of a butcher's shop, and then wanting to get kicked around by a big bore .58 caliber rifle. I will tell you, that gun actually kicked a little today. Wearing only a T shirt (for the upper part of me ... all you evil minds smiling) and 110 grains of Goex 2f with a .58 caliber ball. It let me know I was having fun. And I was.

The rifle used was a T/C Renegade with a 32 inch Green Mountain Barrel. This is a .58 caliber with a 1-70 twist. Iron sights, and blued. Just a real nice barrel if you ask me and one to hunt with too.

All right.. all joking aside. Down to business. Semisane was kind enough to send me some of his .58 caliber .575 roundball to try on the range. I set a target up at 50 yards and wanted to compare Semisane's home cast round balls to Speer swagged round balls.

To be fair to both loads, I shot a fouling shot first. I then shot a three shot group using Semisane's home cast ball. I want to add, this man is truly gifted in the art of casting a round ball. I would have sworn he went out and purchased them and then sent me some. But we all know he is a man of his word. He also tumbled these I believe as they are almost perfect in conformity.

Here is 50 yards and a three shot group...



I just plain could not argue the way those round balls of Semisanes shot. They are a little harder to load then the Speer balls. And I did not swab the bore at all. But them boys there would hunt. I would go up against anything with them. Especially with that kind of powder charge. I would have tried them at a longer distance but it was just to HOT to be walking around out there.

Then I swabbed the bore clean with moose milk. I popped a could caps to make sure that the bore was clean and clear. This last picture is an over all of the day, but I am sure you can see where the two groups lie.

50 yards Speer swagged .570 ball



That one that got away from me was with a Semisane ball. And it was 100% my fault. I had the gun in the rest, the set trigger on, was getting into the stock, was just about to shoot, and a deer fly took a chunk out of the top of my shoulder. I knew when it went off it was not a good shot.

In the corner of this target is pictures of different things. One being a deer. So since my Speer were shooting so well, and I did not want to waste anymore of the Semisane ball as I have more testing to do... I shot twice at the picture of the Whitetail deer head at 50 yards.



And since I had two Speer balls left in that box I took three soda pop cans, filled them with water, and lined them up on a block of firewood. I just wish I could have shot a video of that. You would have thought it was raining at the 50 yards line. Those cans just exploded. The last speer ball I aimed at the metal target trap 100 yards away. There was one part that was not in alignment with the other pieces. So I set that nice and straight.

It was just a great day of shooting. The gun was dead on, and everything was just how you want it to be. It sure beat splitting fire wood today...

That is some fine shooting.

Wa-HOO! That's some mighty fine iron sight shooting Cayugad. I'm glad they worked for you. They take a harder whack on the short starter than do the .570's, but they shoot straight out of my GM barrel too. You're right about those 1:70 twist GM barrels. I don't know how they could shoot any better (heavy though). I sure hope I get a chance to put one of those balls through a deer this fall.

To be honest, when I used to shoot competition I got better groups with home cast balls...Folks talk about one being a little out of round but by the time you ram it down the barrel and then pull the trigger it's going to conform to the barrel anyway...I felt the cast balls were just a tad softer so they conformed easier...

dangifino if it's so, but it seemed that way to me...

Yes them barrels are heavy. But if your only walking to a stand that is not a big deal. Now if I were out walking marsh all day the story would be different. And when you figure you already have over a half in hole going in, any expansion is pure extra.

nchawkeye.. you might be on to something. I have friends that will not shoot a cast ball, yet I shoot against them from time to time with my home made and there really is not a lot of difference down range. Although these things Semisane made are works of art. I am going to build me a tumbler also and start to tumble mine. They sure shoot good.

Cayugad, I just read your original post again.

Quit your whining!

It's midnight here in the deep South and the thermometer on my patio reads 84.6º. I may have to start shooting my range sessions at 2 a.m. so I can shoot in the low 80's.

Well at least it cools down in the low 60º and sometimes in the 50ºs at night so I can cool the house down and sleep. This morning I got the house down to 61ºs using a couple window fans. Had to throw a blanket on last night but slept like a log. It is them day time high temps that get me. I think next time it gets that hot I am headed to the lake next to the house and do some walleye fishing. At least I can take a dip if I need to cool off.

I slept in the cool last night also. Thank God and Willis Haviland Carrier for air conditioning.

I remember the day back when I was around ten years old when my dad got our first window air conditioner. What an amazing and wonderful thing that was. I also remember nights, before AC, that I got out of bed and slept on the linoleum floor in the draft from the window fan because it was too hot in bed.

Awesome shooting Dave. I just can't seem to get out and shoot. Was down in FL for 17 days visiting my daughter and son-in-law and doing a ton of work at their house. Then next week I have to head up to Groton, CT for work for a week. I want to tune up the 32 for fall squirrels and turkey.
I'm just thinking I bet that 58 has the trajectory of a rainbow. But I bet it sure would leave a big hole.

It does have a lot of drop at further distances.. But as for the hole.. .570 just for starters without expansion. Yes, that is going to knock something down.

You work too much. But then I used to be like that. Now I avoid work like it was a the end of me. I split wood today and stacked firewood. I tell you, it just wears me out. Thank goodness it finally started to rain.