The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Just picked up a lovely PH volunteer so I thought I would share it and ask a question or two. It's in .451 and has Henry rifling, Birmingham proof marks for 1982, first tests at 50m look promising, load was a home cast lyman 457121av in roofing lead sized to .451 with 50/50 beeswax/salt free dripping lube, beer mat wad over 67gn Swiss no4. The first five rounds went into about 1.5" which with no testing or load development I thought was ok! First question, there is a screw on the side of the bolster below the nipple, what is this for and does it need to be removed for cleaning? Second, the nipple has seen better days, can anyone recommend a supplier as Kranks website has the dreaded "call to order" (I.e we haven't got any) for both the steel and beryllium ones.

Try http://www.roaring-forties.co.uk/home

Do not attempt to remove the bolster screw, you will just chew it up.

Get a platinum lined nipple from Jeff Tanner. These guns are hard on nipples and need good nipples to perform at their best with consistent chamber pressure.

They are fine rifles and one of my favourites, so much so that I currently have two, two bands, a three band and a Whitworth.

My preferred bullet is the Lyman 451114.

dromia wrote:Do not attempt to remove the bolster screw, you will just chew it up.

Get a platinum lined nipple from Jeff Tanner. These guns are hard on nipples and need good nipples to perform at their best with consistent chamber pressure.

They are fine rifles and one of my favourites, so much so that I currently have two, two bands, a three band and a Whitworth.

My preferred bullet is the Lyman 451114.

Ok I won't touch the screw, but what is it for? My PH 577 doesn't have one. I used the mould I had, I also tried the paper patched bullets I use in my Gibbs but they didn't group as well and just didn't feel as nice when loading.

Thanks for the link glevum, I'll check it out.

Function of the manufacturing process I suspect. Drilling the flash channel straight through then filling the hole with a screw.

They are called clean out screws but I have yet to see one removed under normal conditions and doubt that is their intended function but I have seen many a fine PH ruined by people trying to get them out and failing at the expense of the screw.

Be sure and get a platinum lined nipple they are cheaper in long run than even the beryllium/ampco ones.

My .451 Volunteer has consumed 3 BC nipples in (about) 550 rounds in 15 years.

Mostly using 85 gn of Krank's medium and a bog standard musket cap from the same source,