Palmetto inline

[ShawnT]

Hey Guys, I had to make an unexpected run to Ohio and just got back. Yup his is longer and I think Busta was right. They trimmed mine down at bit, actually about .130". I really do believe that the big difference is that they set my custom barrel back a little deeper into the action. I would bet that a new replacement plug would work just fine tin those 2 new .54s.

I did get a response back from Numrich about the odd Knight Plug they listed.

""The plug in question is 1.04" Long, 0.615" Dia on the threads and has about 20 tpi"

My guess is that it really is 18tpi though. This is the only other possibility to match mine. Though I doubt that I would ever need to replace it.

 

[ShawnT]

Try Grafs or MidwayUSA for bullets. I would get the Speer 50-325gr JHP. Its a excellent bullet and sorta cheap. The Rainier 50-335gr is really cheap too.

Completely agree with these 2 bullets. Gm recommended them to me and I have shot both. Both shoot to the same POI in my MK-85 and MK-95. I got a Bulk box of those Rainier's once and have yet to crack that box open Since I have a Mold now too of similar design.

 

[toytruck]

My new .54 caliber brushes arrived today an finally got all the packing grease out of the barrel/action. I put a neoprene pad on the stock. There is still small amount of flash rust on the finish, still working on getting that solved....
I have a new Bold trigger for my Whites, which is very much like the trigger in the RidgeRunner. I installed the Bold to see an sure enough it fit an works like it was made for the RidgeRunner. Now I have a backup for this gun too.
I'm probably gonna bed the action before it goes to the range, not in a hurry, but it's killing me not to try her out!!
I was gonna put sling studs in the stock, but the ramrod channel is shallow like the T/C Renegade stocks, so there isn't much wood to hold a stud in the forearm, so not a good idea after all.

 

[phalanx]

Welcome back Shawn, thought you ran off after talking me into buying one!

Busta, I don't have access to a lathe and have a few MK/BK/LK plugs around I screwed one into the Palmetto with a nipple on it vice a 209 adapter and it screwed all the way into the barrel just shy of the shoulder. It looks to me like it sits in the same spot as the shorter plug. I didn't have my camera with me or calipers out to measure but it appears a normal plug will work when using a nipple, not sure about a 209 adapter. I'll get pics and try to get some meaurements. Could they have cut it to support the use of a 209 primer?
John

 

[ShawnT]

Hey John,

No did not run off, well guess I did for a bit. Had a Death in the family so had to drive to Ohio, then Dad got sick so it sort of snowballed on me.

I saw the one toytruck had and it is a tad shorter then the New Knight, Longer then mine though, but looks like it would work fine. It is probably just an older manufacture, but who knows. If the New LK you have will let you pop caps then that's all that matters. I am quite sure now that the reason mine is so short is that they just set my custom 32 cal barrel deeper into the action and cut the end off just a bit so that a 32cal Jag with patch would not go down into the little flared powder cavity in the plug. If it did the jag and or patch would hang up a bit. My Plug was blued so they probably touched it up and you just could not tell.

Have you decided on what Bullet/Sabot or conical your going to try?

 

[phalanx]

Shawn very sorry to hear about your family, I've started losing some the last few years and it can be very stressful. My mom and dad are still here but they are having serious health issues. I wish you the best.

I have recieved the 325 Speer bullets GM suggested and I also have some 350 Speer 50 S&W and 275 gr all copper Midsouth branded bullets to try in the 50 cal sabot. In the 45 cal sabot, I haven't given it a thought yet! Hoping one of the 50cal bullets will work. To just send down range, I also have some 348/295 gr Powerbelts. Figure on starting at 90 grs vol of 777 and adjusting from there. At some point I intend to try conicals which is what I truly want to work but hoping Steve gets to shoot them first so I can copy his load!
John

 

[toytruck]

John, I hope to get out as soon as I can after May 1st. I sure hope this crazy weather decides its Spring!! We had big time snow showers today. I wasn't out that way but the Blue Ridge Mtns. had over 6" of snow. VDOT shut down Rt.33E over the mountain due to vehicles getting stuck. Afton was the same, but I-64 was open. Weather people didn't call for it either....

 

[phalanx]

We have over 2 in of rain here along I95 and tons of roads flooding, wind starts tomorrow and I suspect trees will start falling then.

I am hoping to get out and shoot during turkey season (starts April 13th), hunt in the morning, sleep some and shoot in the afternoon.

 

[ShawnT]

Thanks John, Yea its tough even though this one has been coming for a while.

I myself have actually never shot a conical, don't really have a reason for that either just never did. The mold I mentioned is for a bullet I had LBT make for me. I sort of took a few things I liked about 3 bullets and sent them to Veral and he made it up. Its a .500 dia and they drop around 335-336gn with pure lead. I have a good supply of the Speer 325 and the Rainier, as mentioned they both are great shooting bullets. I shoot them all in the MMP Purple 50x54 sabots. There is a guy on GunBroker that got a Huge supply of them somewhere and sells them in bulk. I last got 500 from him.

This is from my mold.

 

[phalanx]

They are nice looking bullets Shawn, i haven't cast in at least 15 years, used to for my pistols and my 45/70 along with fishing weights, lures, jigs, etc. After I moved from Chesapeake, VA to northern VA, I just haven't found the time. Perhaps when i retire in a few years I'll be able to get back into it.

I bought 200 from that same guy, on gunbroker, might have to get some more, his prices are pretty good.

 

[ShawnT]

I got the mold back when we had a very hard time getting bullets and Speer stopped selling to the reloaders. Did not want to get caught without any. I did hoard some for a while but sold a lot of my excess. Sent you a Pm did you see it?

This was my last casting session on a nasty weekend last year. Amazing how quick it can go when your on a roll. Think I'm set for a while.

 

[phalanx]

By my count you have 322 bullets there! I woukd say you are set for awhile! If you shoot 20 bullets per session, you've got 16 trips to the range, probably more. Just saw your PM, thank you. I recently gave away about a 1000 once fired (by me) Lake City 7.62 brass since I haven't reloaded in so long I got tired of moving them out of my way.looking forward to having the time when I retire in about 4 years.

John

 

[ShawnT]

Yup, that sounds about right. Just kept casting till the pot was almost empty.

 

[1874sharpsshooter]

Yup the barrel is threaded on. The Action is threaded for the BP as well. The BP just butts up to the barrel. Mine was the first conversion they did. I had emailed about doing it on an Allen action. Joe emailed back and said to call him to discuss it as he had another idea. This was it. I talked to him when it was done and he told me that when they finished it, him and his barrel maker, they too liked it and were going to build 2 more but in 40 caliber for themselves. Never heard if they did it or not. I think it was Lewis that said the barrel maker got sick. I'm thinking of calling Joe if I ever get a chance to ask about the Breech plug.

I talked to him also. I was going to get one made into a 40 cal with a 1:16 twist. Sorry to say that his gunsmith ( barrel maker ) suffered a stroke last year and so he doesn’t have anyone to do the barrel .

 

[ShawnT]

Yea that is what he told me too when I called to check on the BP. Shame, that will definitely hurt his barrel business. They said the swap was pretty easy for them since he said the barrel screws onto the action. Joe said they did build one of the 2 .40 cals they had planned but they never got around to having time to shoot it.

 

[toytruck]

Just an update: I finally got the .54 Palmetto back from the gunsmith last night. It's bedded, which is a good idea with the one screw holding the barrel to stock (not much wood for the recoil lug) My gunsmith says the wood is a European birchwood. I loctited the scope bases on today and will install the scope within a week as time allows. Hope to shoot it finally in couple of weeks when the warden is out of town...

 

[phalanx]

Good deal, I've had mine with me to shoot during turkey season but neither time nor weather cooperated. Did you get it bedded locally?

Johj

 

[toytruck]

Yes, local gunsmith . He's getting up in age, but does great work still.

 

[toytruck]

Well....long story short I had the RidgeRunner bedded and finally got to the range today. What a big disappointment!! I knew it wasn't even close to a White, but was hoping for better results. I couldn't get it to group either the 300 XTP/.54/45 sabot or the Bullshop 380gr. 54 cal. conical. There is a tight spot about half way down the bore I never noticed when cleaning it, but sure did when trying to load today, once passed that spot it loaded okay, but was spraying both loads, never came close to a group. I used 80gr. T72Fg with a #11 nipple, which took usually twice to get to the cap to fire. (The hammer does have a "tit" protrusion for a 209 primer) I didn't try the 209 primer adapter. It was very hard to load even after swabbing (I hate swabbing). This gun isn't gonna hunt with me, its gonna go to a local auction on June 8th, just hope to recover some of my $$ back.

 

[Lbtresident]

Hi all. Just got mine, shot it a few times but have not actually put it to target, but I’m gonna.