I purchased a nice muzzleloading Scheutzen rifle with a Goodoien barrel with a false muzzle with a bullet starter. The bore has a 1 in 17 twist and measures .375 groove to groove.  What should I shoot for a bullet?

Mr. Flintlock

What's the difference between paper patch and bullet rifiling?

Mr Flintlock wrote on Nov 19^th, 2011 at 3:31pm:


I shoot a Hepburn with a J Goodoein barrel, Mr Flinlock.

The twist is 19 and the groove diameter is .376. Has a false muzzle.  Chamber is 38/55. I have several molds for this barrel. Will have to think a while to remember which bullet worked best.  Below is a picture of the bore. 
It is the most accurate BP target rifle I own.   

               Joe. 

I found bullet diameter and temper more important than bullet length or weight Mr Flintlock. My barrel has narrow lands so used grease groove bullets only. 
 
When muzzle loading I found groove to just under groove diameter, gave me the best accuracy.  .001 over groove diameter bullets gave poor accuracy with all bullets tested. All bullets were tapered. Lead / tin from 20-1 through 60-1 was tried. 40-1 being the best.

Seems no two rifles shoot exactly the same. Try lots of different bullets and alloys. 

Will you post pictures of the rifle? 

              Joe. 

Harry Pope wrote in his pamphlet that he wanted to see a tiny amount of light come around the greased bullet (in the bottem of the grooves).  That was for muzzleloading 32 and 33-40's, if that helps.

Wow is about all I can say that rifle is gorgeous and it is my hopes it shoots as well as it looks.

Thanks for sharing!

J.Louis

Mr. Flintlock,

I built a muzzle loading schuetzen rifle around a 1 1/8" green mountain .38 cal barrel.  I think it is .368 land - .375 groove (basically a .38-55 barrel) 1-14 twist.  I do not have a false muzzle and figured out pretty quick that you can't stuff a breach loader .38 bullet down the barrel without destroying it.  It does shoot .360" balls surprisingly well.

I ended up getting a mold from Hoch that has worked well.  The base and bottom lands are .368 and the last land is .375.  I cast pure lead and can easily start the bullet by hand and once the final land is pushed into the rifling it loads easy.  Standard grease grooves with black powder lube.  I'm just now finishing the rifle and only shot it a little unfinished.  I think it will shoot well, hope to get 2" groups at 200 yds.   

Hoch (and others) can make a mold to what ever size you want.  I went with Hoch because he has made muzzle loading bullets before and had a lot of good advice.  Just needs to know land and groove dia and twist and should be able to get set you up.  Not cheap, but I bet he could make a bullet that would work in that beautiful rifle.

- JRSCOTT