Snidely70431
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Excerpted from “The Cap Lock Muzzle-loading Rifle”, by Ned H. Roberts:
The record of the rifle matches during the years from 1880 to about 1900 show that Horace Wagner, Morgan James, H. V. Perry, Wm V. Lowe, N. S. Brokway and H. M. Pope were the winners in the majority of these matches shot at 40 rods and 200 yards rest. That is, some one of this group of experts made the smallest groups, or the group having the smallest “string measure” that wee made by anyone during these two decades. Also during this time one or more of these experts made groups at 40 rods, or 200 yards, rest shooting, that are still “world records” today and have never been equaled or surpassed by any of the modern high power rifles using smokeless powder and metal cased bullets. That is, some of the 10, 11, and 50 shot groups, illustrated in Chapter VI that were shot by some of these men at 200 yards, or 40 rods, are among the very smallest – if not the smallest – groups that have ever been made with any rifle, obsolete or modern.
The rifles used by all these men were either “choke bored” or “taper bored|” barrels, which is one of the chief secrets of their superfine accuracy. No one knows who designed the choke bore for the rifle barrel, but Horace Warner was an acknowledged master workman in this matter. Therefore, his method of making the choke bore rifle barrel, as copied from the records of Wm. V. Lowe, is given herewith.
“The barrel after being smooth reamed and rifled is a true cylinder from breech to muzzle, then, with the leading bolt and leading rod, the bore is carefully enlarged about .001 inch from the breech to a point about three inches from the muzzle. Thus the bore from the beginning of the choke – about three inches from the muzzle – to the breech is made a true cylinder about .001 or.0015 inch larger diameter than the three inches at the muzzle. Then lead out this part from the beginning of the choke for a distance of about 1 ½ inches with a straight taper, leaving the last 1, or 1 ½ inches of the bore and that of the false muzzle a true cylinder as rifled.
Stating this another way, a 38 calibre barrel that is, for instance, 30 inches long, with a grove diameter of .37s inch, will after being properly and choked, have 27 inches of the barrel from the breech with a diameter of .001 to.002 inch larger than the 3 inches at the muzzle, the last three inches will be a straight taper from the muzzle, and from this point to the end of the false muzzle will be a true cylinder .375 inch groove diameter. When the barrel has been correctly choked, a naked bullet – that is a proper fit for the rifle – should drop freely of its own weight as soon as it is pushed past the lower end of the choke. Then take off the false muzzle and work out the front end of the choke, working from the breech end, with the leading bolt until you have made the choke in the barel enough larger than the diameter of he false muzzle so you can blow a naked bullet out the end of the barrel with your breath by blowing as hard a puff as possible. The bore of the rifle must be wiped perfectly clean of all oil and dry before applying this test.
“When this test is done right, the naked bullet should drop freely from the end of the choke to the breech if the rifle is for use with linen patch. If the paper patch is used, a naked bullet put through the false muzzle at the end of the choke, then it should drop slowly down the bore without stopping to the breech. When it works this way you have the right choke. You should not be able to blow the bullet in the linen or paper patch out through the choke as there is too much friction, but you should be able to blow a naked bullet through it when the choke is right. A rifle using a paper patch requires a little less choke than one using a linen patch.”
There are many theories as to why a choked bored barrel increases the accuracy o the rifle, but Warner's theory was that the choke increased the resistance to the bullet, or acted ss a restraining force on the bullet just as it left the barrel, thus bringing the axis of the bullet into exact line with the bore of the rifle.
Paragraph removed. Discussion of taper and choke bored rifles.
However, all the old makers of muzzle-loading rifles always leaded their barrels and regarded it as absolutely necessary in order to obtain the best accuracy.
Paragraph removed.
The first step in leading the bore was to turn a core of soft wood some four inches long with one end of the cylinder an inch long the same diameter as the bore of the rifle and the rest considerably smaller in diameter. Then all oil and dirt was carefully wiped from the muzzle and the wooden core inserted into the bore leaving about ¼ inch extending beyond the muzzle. The muzzle was then warmed carefully until it was too hot to hold comfortably in the hand, the barrel was fastened upright in the vise and melted soft lead was poured in until the bore was filled even with the muzzle. After the lead had cooled, this bolt was carefully pushed out, the ends squared and a recess about ¼ inch wide by 1/8 inch deep turned about ¾ inch from the end. The smaller diameter part of the wood core when withdrawn from the lead bolt left a hole about ¼ inch diameter which fitted the end of the leading rod – which was made of tool steel that would straighten itself if sprung out of true – with the tapering thread cut on the front end and screwed into the leading bolt. After the leading bolt was prepared as above described, it was lightly oiled, a little very fine emery powder was sprinkled on a steel plate and the longer end of the leading bolt was rolled between a file and the steel plate to embed the emery in the bolt. The bore was then lightly oiled, the leading bolt carefull inserted into the bore fitting the lands and grooves, and very carefully pushed back and forth with the leading rod from the breech nearly to the muzzle.
This was repeated until the bore had been given a straight taper, or enlarged, from a point about three inches from the muzzle to the beech which was about .0015 inch larger than the muzzle. In use as the leading bolt wore away, the leading rod was screwed farther into the shorter part to take up the wear and keep the bolt tight in the bore, while the recess between the two parts prevented expanding the longer part which did the lapping.
A copy of this book can be found online here:
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015060544213&view=1up&seq=31
If you are a serious student of the muzzle-loading rifle, it would be worth your while to purchase a paper copy.
The record of the rifle matches during the years from 1880 to about 1900 show that Horace Wagner, Morgan James, H. V. Perry, Wm V. Lowe, N. S. Brokway and H. M. Pope were the winners in the majority of these matches shot at 40 rods and 200 yards rest. That is, some one of this group of experts made the smallest groups, or the group having the smallest “string measure” that wee made by anyone during these two decades. Also during this time one or more of these experts made groups at 40 rods, or 200 yards, rest shooting, that are still “world records” today and have never been equaled or surpassed by any of the modern high power rifles using smokeless powder and metal cased bullets. That is, some of the 10, 11, and 50 shot groups, illustrated in Chapter VI that were shot by some of these men at 200 yards, or 40 rods, are among the very smallest – if not the smallest – groups that have ever been made with any rifle, obsolete or modern.
The rifles used by all these men were either “choke bored” or “taper bored|” barrels, which is one of the chief secrets of their superfine accuracy. No one knows who designed the choke bore for the rifle barrel, but Horace Warner was an acknowledged master workman in this matter. Therefore, his method of making the choke bore rifle barrel, as copied from the records of Wm. V. Lowe, is given herewith.
“The barrel after being smooth reamed and rifled is a true cylinder from breech to muzzle, then, with the leading bolt and leading rod, the bore is carefully enlarged about .001 inch from the breech to a point about three inches from the muzzle. Thus the bore from the beginning of the choke – about three inches from the muzzle – to the breech is made a true cylinder about .001 or.0015 inch larger diameter than the three inches at the muzzle. Then lead out this part from the beginning of the choke for a distance of about 1 ½ inches with a straight taper, leaving the last 1, or 1 ½ inches of the bore and that of the false muzzle a true cylinder as rifled.
Stating this another way, a 38 calibre barrel that is, for instance, 30 inches long, with a grove diameter of .37s inch, will after being properly and choked, have 27 inches of the barrel from the breech with a diameter of .001 to.002 inch larger than the 3 inches at the muzzle, the last three inches will be a straight taper from the muzzle, and from this point to the end of the false muzzle will be a true cylinder .375 inch groove diameter. When the barrel has been correctly choked, a naked bullet – that is a proper fit for the rifle – should drop freely of its own weight as soon as it is pushed past the lower end of the choke. Then take off the false muzzle and work out the front end of the choke, working from the breech end, with the leading bolt until you have made the choke in the barel enough larger than the diameter of he false muzzle so you can blow a naked bullet out the end of the barrel with your breath by blowing as hard a puff as possible. The bore of the rifle must be wiped perfectly clean of all oil and dry before applying this test.
“When this test is done right, the naked bullet should drop freely from the end of the choke to the breech if the rifle is for use with linen patch. If the paper patch is used, a naked bullet put through the false muzzle at the end of the choke, then it should drop slowly down the bore without stopping to the breech. When it works this way you have the right choke. You should not be able to blow the bullet in the linen or paper patch out through the choke as there is too much friction, but you should be able to blow a naked bullet through it when the choke is right. A rifle using a paper patch requires a little less choke than one using a linen patch.”
There are many theories as to why a choked bored barrel increases the accuracy o the rifle, but Warner's theory was that the choke increased the resistance to the bullet, or acted ss a restraining force on the bullet just as it left the barrel, thus bringing the axis of the bullet into exact line with the bore of the rifle.
Paragraph removed. Discussion of taper and choke bored rifles.
However, all the old makers of muzzle-loading rifles always leaded their barrels and regarded it as absolutely necessary in order to obtain the best accuracy.
Paragraph removed.
The first step in leading the bore was to turn a core of soft wood some four inches long with one end of the cylinder an inch long the same diameter as the bore of the rifle and the rest considerably smaller in diameter. Then all oil and dirt was carefully wiped from the muzzle and the wooden core inserted into the bore leaving about ¼ inch extending beyond the muzzle. The muzzle was then warmed carefully until it was too hot to hold comfortably in the hand, the barrel was fastened upright in the vise and melted soft lead was poured in until the bore was filled even with the muzzle. After the lead had cooled, this bolt was carefully pushed out, the ends squared and a recess about ¼ inch wide by 1/8 inch deep turned about ¾ inch from the end. The smaller diameter part of the wood core when withdrawn from the lead bolt left a hole about ¼ inch diameter which fitted the end of the leading rod – which was made of tool steel that would straighten itself if sprung out of true – with the tapering thread cut on the front end and screwed into the leading bolt. After the leading bolt was prepared as above described, it was lightly oiled, a little very fine emery powder was sprinkled on a steel plate and the longer end of the leading bolt was rolled between a file and the steel plate to embed the emery in the bolt. The bore was then lightly oiled, the leading bolt carefull inserted into the bore fitting the lands and grooves, and very carefully pushed back and forth with the leading rod from the breech nearly to the muzzle.
This was repeated until the bore had been given a straight taper, or enlarged, from a point about three inches from the muzzle to the beech which was about .0015 inch larger than the muzzle. In use as the leading bolt wore away, the leading rod was screwed farther into the shorter part to take up the wear and keep the bolt tight in the bore, while the recess between the two parts prevented expanding the longer part which did the lapping.
A copy of this book can be found online here:
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015060544213&view=1up&seq=31
If you are a serious student of the muzzle-loading rifle, it would be worth your while to purchase a paper copy.
