Well guys, I got to shoot the .32 Pedersoli Frontier for the first time Sunday morning.



I set a target out at 25 yards and dumped 20 grains of GOEX FFFg down the bore, then started to seat a ball with a .018 pillow tick patch lubed with olive oil. Dumb Azz! I should have realized it ahead of time. My regular short starter is not going to fit in this little bore.

I ended up finding a four inch long 1/4" hex head bolt in the camp that would do in an emergency. After wrapping it with masking tape to protect the bore, I was able to seat the ball. It worked, but I had to tap the bolt head with a piece of wood because I could not push the ball in by hand with my hand on the head of the bolt.

Here are my first five shots out of this nice little gun.



Gotta` like that!

The set trigger on this gun is excellent (better than any of my TC's or the Great Plains). It's very light when set. That one hole below and to the right of the others was shot number three, and entirely the result of my touching that trigger before I had a sight picture.

I was grinning ear to ear as I adjusted the sight for a second round of shots. Took five more shots at 25 yards after the sight adjustment, using the same load - and got this.



After the first group, that was kind of disappointing. It very well could have been my failure to get as good a sight picture as I did for the first group. That one-inch dot is a little on the blurry side for me at 25 yards.

Remember the paper patched Hornady Lead Semi-Wadcutters?



I just had to give them a try. I loaded them over the same 20 grain charge the the powder measure was set on and took two shots. Here's what I got.



Those bullets are obviously tumbling. Thinking a a stiffer charge may stabilize them, I loaded one over 30 grains and shot it into a fresh target. Here's that one.



Well, those paper patched bullets were what my dad used to call "an interesting waste of time". Using the twist rate formula Sabotloader thoughtfully provided here http://huntingnet.com/forum/black-po...wist-rate.html , it would seem that the optimum rate of twist for this bullet is around 1:25". The Frontier's 1:47 twist rate is not going to get it done.

After shooting that last target using a three-inch bull, I realized I could get a better sight picture with that target and decided to keep using them. I left the the powder measure set on 30 grains and returned to shooting balls.

Took five shots with thirty grains under a patched ball and got this.



That one's a puzzler, with shots 1, 3 and 4 stacked right together like that and looking real good. I just can't explain #2 & 5. I don't believed I could have made that much of a sighting error. I was getting a little hot and sweaty though and may have held the gun differently for those shots.

Well, let's try a different load. Changed the measure to 25 grains and loaded the ball in a .016 patch instead of the .018's I'd been using. Here are five shots with that load.



Not great, but shows promise. I pre-cut those .016 patches in haste at home just before I left for the camp, and cut them a little too small. They really didn't wrap around the ball very well.

By now it was really warming up and my sweat was flowing freely. But I couldn't quit until I fired at least one target at fifty yards. I left the powder measure set on 25 grains and loaded up with the .018 pillow tick patch. Here's the target.



Gotta` do better than that. But not today. I've had enough, so I packed up and went home.

Last night I found the load recommendations for this gun on the Pedersoli web sight. They list a bottom load of 28 grains and a top load of 40 grains. So I've got lots of room for more experimenting with the Frontier. It shows real promise and I think I will find its sweet load sooner or later. This is one gun that will stay in my arsenal.

Were you swabbing the bore between shots? I was told with them small caliber rifles you really need to swab between shots.

Looks like a lot of fun.

Yes I was. One side of a fairly wet 91% alcohol patch - one long stroke down and up. It came out pretty nasty. I do believe it fouled more than my 45 or 50's, but wouldn't swear to that yet.

It will be a lot more fun after the next cold front hits down here.

Semi - I'm wondering if you are getting different POIs as a result of setting the rifle on the bags at different locations. That long stock may be flexing and changing the pressure points. I'm not sure how much the barrel harmonics are affected in a ML but it could be one theory. My Cherokee is punching little cloverleafs with that 20 gr charge. Next time out try being conscious about stock placement and downward pressure on the bags.

Could be Bronko. I was really paying attention to technique for the first target. But got a little sloppy after that, what with having to wipe my face and glasses between shots.

How far out can you keep that Cherokee to one-inch groups?

Next time out with this gun I'm going to shoot it over the chronograph with 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 grain charges just for giggles.

Looks to me that the 25 grains is getting close.Pay close attention to the amount of lube that you use on your patches. Dry patches will go low and really greasy patches will go high.

I have a .32 and .36 cal. I use Virgin Olive Oil for a lube.I grease several strips(I cut my patching at the muzzle) and squeeze the excess out and then roll them up in a paper towel.

Looks like you're on the right track.

That's pretty much what I do also Problem Child. Except I can't afford that "virgin" oil. This is what I use.

Semi - Haven't shot her past 50 yds. And I haven't gotten real serious with her yet either. Only out 2 or 3 times. You think 20 gr generates enough energy to take a turkey?

I just don't know Bronko, but I would sure think so.

I think you need to buy a 20 lb. Butterball for penetration tests.

(At least I didn't suggest you test it on Spotted Owls or Bald Eagles.)

That is my favorite olive oil Semisane...

And be nice to the bald eagles. I have a pair of them around the house that I watch all the time. Fascinating birds to watch. Although the proud bald eagle is a real scavenger as I have observed. They love road kill.