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Great pics!

It is a very good looking rifle close up as well. I was interested to notice that when the paper patched bullet it lifted out of the case there was a paper plug inside presumably to keep the powder captive and it makes me wonder how consistently the OAL is maintained. I need to know more about these things

ovenpaa wrote:It is a very good looking rifle close up as well. I was interested to notice that when the paper patched bullet it lifted out of the case there was a paper plug inside presumably to keep the powder captive and it makes me wonder how consistently the OAL is maintained. I need to know more about these things

If you are going to be fussy about COL, the paper patch is not really the right ammo for you as they will invariably differ by thousandths of an inch or more if not careful. Despite that, my rifle and other BPCR can and will shoot MOA groups, though not every day, every time. That kind of accuracy is better left for the F class rifles.

That paper on top of the powder is called a wad. In my case it’s cut off juice cartons with a punch and is 0.022in thick. After filling the case with powder, I press the wad on top with a dowel and then compress the entire charge with a compression plug. For me, 0.230in compression is ideal and allows just enough depth to hand seat my bullets on top.

My bullets are 1.45in long and measure 0.440in diameter as cast. After wrapping them with the paper, they measure to .449 approx. This is just under the bore diameter of .450 on my Sharps. My COL averages 3.4in. Hence, all my bullets are pretty much breech seated in that, they go quite a way into the leade and barrel. Obviously, my style of loading is my own preferred way and you will find others who do it differently. Suffice to say, mine works for me.

And I guess they'll work on buffaloes too :mrgreen: Now, where's my horse!?

Dave, a good book to read on this subject is Mike Venturino's ' Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the old West'.

kri5h wrote:Dave, a good book to read on this subject is Mike Venturino's ' Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the old West'.

Thanks Krish, I will look out for a copy over the next few days.

Just had a look on Amazon, no luck...

christel wrote:Just had a look on Amazon, no luck...

There you go
Available from Prospect Books. Its item NB110,way at the bottom.
http://www.gunbooks.co.uk/cat-rifles.cfm

In hindsight, there were several copies of this book on the book stand in the Pavillion last weekend.

Hi Kri5h, not had any dealings with BPCR before so finding this very interesting.

Thanks Krish,

Of course, Prospect Books. Bought a few from him in the past, Mike is it? always good and fast service.
Had I googled the book I am sure it would have come up.