- Joined
- Oct 7, 2021
- Messages
- 6
- Reaction score
- 11
I have read Ned Robert's "The Muzzlleloading Caplock Rifle" a few times. When I found a target rifle built in the style of Brockway/Pope/Schalck I pounced on it. I will post some photos below.
The action is marked K R Bresien, Warsaw, NY and came with 2 barrels. One is a 36" Green Mountain 50cal that I found to have a 1:72 twist, and takes a .490 ball with patch very nicely.
The 1.25" round barrel is marked E B Meanley, Effingham, NH. I don't know if he built the barrel or was the original owner. It came with Anschutz and Redfield sights, a false muzzle, has a closed ignition system using a percussion cap, and also has a 1:72 twist. With this barrel on the action the rifle weighs 14 pounds. I thought it would also be 50cal, but a patched .490 ball will fall into the bore, so I slugged the false muzzle. It slugs as .5215/.5420, 52Cal. I have seen a listing of one other Bresien rifle as 52Cal , so I would tend to think that he also built this barrel and EB Meanley may have been the original owner. I found that Mr Bresien passed away in 2014, so I cannot ask him.
I need to determine where to start in terms of bullet mold design I was really surprised at the 1:72 twist (one half turn on a tight patched rod over the length of the 36" bbl), and it does not appear to be a gain twist. The grooves are 0.02" deep. I really don't think that the intent was to shoot patched round ball in this barrel. I could have a tapered bullet mold made up, with the taper running from .52 - .54 and put a 32ga (.530") overpowder card under it to minimize blow-by. I am concerned that there would be pounding involved with seating components. I don't think the early shooters with this style rifle did that. I only see statements of short starting bullets with a hand slap before lightly pushing the bullets home. The depth of the groove is probably telling me what it needs. I'm just not quiet sure if this is where to start.
The action is marked K R Bresien, Warsaw, NY and came with 2 barrels. One is a 36" Green Mountain 50cal that I found to have a 1:72 twist, and takes a .490 ball with patch very nicely.
The 1.25" round barrel is marked E B Meanley, Effingham, NH. I don't know if he built the barrel or was the original owner. It came with Anschutz and Redfield sights, a false muzzle, has a closed ignition system using a percussion cap, and also has a 1:72 twist. With this barrel on the action the rifle weighs 14 pounds. I thought it would also be 50cal, but a patched .490 ball will fall into the bore, so I slugged the false muzzle. It slugs as .5215/.5420, 52Cal. I have seen a listing of one other Bresien rifle as 52Cal , so I would tend to think that he also built this barrel and EB Meanley may have been the original owner. I found that Mr Bresien passed away in 2014, so I cannot ask him.
I need to determine where to start in terms of bullet mold design I was really surprised at the 1:72 twist (one half turn on a tight patched rod over the length of the 36" bbl), and it does not appear to be a gain twist. The grooves are 0.02" deep. I really don't think that the intent was to shoot patched round ball in this barrel. I could have a tapered bullet mold made up, with the taper running from .52 - .54 and put a 32ga (.530") overpowder card under it to minimize blow-by. I am concerned that there would be pounding involved with seating components. I don't think the early shooters with this style rifle did that. I only see statements of short starting bullets with a hand slap before lightly pushing the bullets home. The depth of the groove is probably telling me what it needs. I'm just not quiet sure if this is where to start.