Best charge/bullet for a Whitacre barrel?

[Maillemaker]

I've replaced my Euroarms barrel with a custom one from Whitacre.

I have found that I am getting my best group so far with the 500 grain Lee Original Minie using 49 grains of FF.

I plan to experiment with other bullet types soon.

What are your best bullet/charge combinations for the Whitacre barrel?

Thanks,

Steve

[ms3635v]

Steve,

I re-barreled my Zoli Zouave last year with a Whitacre barrel in .577. I tested various minies and found the RCBS 500M sized to .576" with 45 grains of 3f to be extremely accurate. From the bench it will shoot five rounds in an average group size of 2", basically one ragged hole.

[David Disher 12143]

Has anyone shot a Hodgdon bullet out of a Whitacre .577 barrel? Results? Charge size?

Ddisher

[pastore]

Has anyone shot a Hodgdon bullet out of a Whitacre .577 barrel? Results? Charge size?

Ddisher

I shoot the Hodgdon bullet in my Whitacre barreled Springfield. Sized to .576 with 45grs FFF Schutzen. 100 yard 5 shot group 2.12 inches offhand.

[John Bly]

My son shoots a '61 artillary model with a Whitacre barrel and the Hodgdon style bullet. The charge is 42 grains of FFF Swiss. 50 yd. groups run around 2", sometimes less. We don't do much bench shooting with it, just skirmishing.

[David Disher 12143]

Thanks for the replies!!!

David Disher

[bulletmoulds]

I've shot whitacre barrels for years. They will shoot almost any bullet.
If you want a light bullet a 315 gr. minie wadcutter will shoot one hole
groups at 50 yrds from bench or 1.5 to 2'' groups depending on the shooter. With 40 grs 3 F. Also shoots good at 100 yrds same load Be sure its a thin skirt.
Preferably a RAPINE mould. It will also handle a heavy bullet if you
prefer,remember heaver= more kick
Least amount of lead and power to do the job=money in the pocket and
bullets in the black. Remember Breathe and squeeze.



E.B.Rapine

[bulletmoulds]

I've shot whitacre barrels for years. They will shoot almost any bullet.If you want a light bullet a 315 gr. minie wadcutter will shoot one hole groups at 50 yrds from bench or 1.5 to 2'' group depending on the shooter. With 40 grs 3 F. Also shoots good at 100 yrds same load Be sure its a thin skirt. Preferably a RAPINE mould. It will also handle a heavy bullet if you prefer,remember heaver= more kick Least amount of lead and power to do the job=money in the pocket and bullets in the black. Remember Breathe and squeeze. E.B.Rapine

[dnathansmith]

I've shot whitacre barrels for years. They will shoot almost any bullet.
If you want a light bullet a 315 gr. minie wadcutter will shoot one hole
groups at 50 yrds from bench or 1.5 to 2'' groups depending on the shooter. With 40 grs 3 F. Also shoots good at 100 yrds same load Be sure its a thin skirt.
Preferably a RAPINE mould. It will also handle a heavy bullet if you
prefer,remember heaver= more kick
Least amount of lead and power to do the job=money in the pocket and
bullets in the black. Remember Breathe and squeeze.



E.B.Rapine

this is the advice I follow for my guns.

[Jim Mulligan 7288V]

Is Rapine still making moulds and sizers? I have a Rapine 20lb electric pot, used it for years and still going strong!

[ms3635v]

Today, my son-in-law and I took his LG&Y musket to the range. When he acquired the musket it still had the Chattahoochie barrel on it. The barrel that came with the musket from the factory was very erratic. So, we had Dan Whitacre re-barrel the breech with one of his barrels in .580. After shooting it for two years with a Hodgdon bullet, we decided to try the Rapine .580460 old style minie. I always liked the Rapine minie bullet because the mold consistently casts quality bullets and the base expands nicely, filling out the rifling. Having said that, we loaded the musket with the Rapine bullet sized to .579 and 45 grains of 3f GOEX and went back to the range. After some minor sight adjustments we got the musket zeroed and were soon producing 1.5" to 2" groups consistently at 50 yards. I doubt there will be anymore changes to the musket!

[Heath Silcott 7804]

I have two Whitacre barrels, both in .577, and both will shoot a 5 shot group of about an inch at 50 yds. The 3-band Richmond shoots the 577-510 Rapine sized to .576 over 41 grains of Goex FFFg. The Richmond carbine shoots a Hodgdon sized to .576 over 40 grains of Goex FFFg. I did make a larger plug for the Hodgdon mold so the skirt wasnt so thick. I think my bullet weighs around 365 grains. If I had to do it over, I would've made the plug poined, instead of flat, so I wouldn't get so many voids in the bullet.

[Scott Kurki, 12475]

My Whitacre .577 barrel is a little tighter than most for some reason. I size a Lyman 575213 down to .57496 (I know...). Believe it or not a .575 just requires too much effort to get it down there. I am using 38 gr of FFF GOEX for the best groups which are one ragged hole (too bad I can't shoot that well). For me, lube matters as this barrel tends to foul out quickly if I am not using the lube it likes. So far my best luck has been with MCM lube.