So I have this heavy barreled target rifle and, well, OK, it's a muzzle loading caplock. My gunsmith was finally able to remove the breech plug - long story involving a lot of rust and the possibility that it was apparently loaded. Anyway, I have been working on cleaning up the bore and I may not be too far from actually trying to shoot it. At one time it had a false muzzle and the barrel is a bit odd. It has 5 lands and grooves, right hand twist with very wide lands (~.175) and very narrow and shallow grooves (~.075) and the groove diameter is about .392. The twist is about 1 in 22 so it sounds like it could be a paper patch rifle. Without the false muzzle to load a paper patch bullet I think I will just try a grooved bullet at first so I'm looking for suggestions for the weight and diameter for such a bullet.

If only Richard Hicks were still with us. He was a Master at getting these old round ball/picket/slug gun rifles up and running. He is missed.