Pedersoli target rifles any good?

[Bad Karma]

My very first Muzzleloader, was a T/C Renegade .54 Flintlock. I bought it in the summer/fall of 1983 and never looked back. I was told by several people, a Renegade is an MOA rifle "out of the box." Over the years, I ended up with and still own, a combination of 6 Renegades in .54 & .50 calibers. Four of them have Williams FP Hawken rear sights and Lyman 17 globe front sights. I already own 2 Lee Shaver front globe sights and want to place 2 Williams Soule rear sights to match them, but these are going to be after Christmas presents to me. Maybe even birthday... I believe I even own a 1" across the flats T/C Hawken. I bought it in mid 1980s.

I gathered 2 Green Mountain barrels for the renegade stocks. Both are PRB shooters. One has a more recent 1:70 twist and the one I bought in the mid-90s, is 1:66?

As far as eye cups, I only have the few which came with the FP Hawken and a one Williams large eye cup. I haven't learned enough about eye cups and target sizes to buy them. I need the large disk - small aperture eye cups. As I stated, I don't know what Aperture size to purchase.

Right now, my goal is to become proficient at bench rest shooting. Once I'm comfortable with it, I'll work on moving on to competitions. Competition stances may be an issue. I have nerve damage in my legs due to vertebrae problems, 4 back surgeries and fusions Fortunately, I'm retired (not medically) and this is my retirement hobby. "I love the smell of gunpowder in the morning." ;-)

Swiss GP is scarce to non-existent here where I live. I will have to buy it online and pay the exorbitant explosives fee. If I buy 5 cans of Swiss, with shipping, the cost will be about $41 a can. That is a hefty price. That is why I currently shoot Triple 7. It's $31 a can and it's everywhere. Pyrodex is spotty.

I have not used the Triple 7 in my Gibbs or Rigby rifles. I have used 1-1/2, 2, and 3f in the Rigby and two separate Gibbs rifles. Velocity is of course highest with finer powders but not so much it will make you toss the courser grains… SD and extreme spread are tighter with 1-1/2 than the other powder. Swiss powder is already better than anything I have shot through side lock rifles and I feel it may contribute to Swiss’ reputation for accuracy. Fouling is about the same but I’m swabbing between shots anyway so it’s not a concern.

(I fired twenty shots through a Sharon slow twist .54 this afternoon. Didn’t swab even once and shot so fast the process almost felt like automatic fires. ;-)

WRT aperture sizes, I have a box full of them too. I also have Hadley discs on my favorite rifles so I don’t have to worry about having the proper size in the sight.

 

[drpatton]

I have not used the Triple 7 in my Gibbs or Rigby rifles. I have used 1-1/2, 2, and 3f in the Rigby and two separate Gibbs rifles. Velocity is of course highest with finer powders but not so much it will make you toss the courser grains… SD and extreme spread are tighter with 1-1/2 than the other powder. Swiss powder is already better than anything I have shot through side lock rifles and I feel it may contribute to Swiss’ reputation for accuracy. Fouling is about the same but I’m swabbing between shots anyway so it’s not a concern.

(I fired twenty shots through a Sharon slow twist .54 this afternoon. Didn’t swab even once and shot so fast the process almost felt like automatic fires. ;-)

WRT aperture sizes, I have a box full of them too. I also have Hadley discs on my favorite rifles so I don’t have to worry about having the proper size in the sight.

I will try Swiss 3Fg, 2Fg and T7 3Fg in the Gibbs. I really want to make T7 work. Mainly due to the scarcity of Swiss, but also because it's a lot less corrosive.
For consistency sake, I'll swab after each shot; No matter what powder I use.

 

[45-70]

I will try Swiss 3Fg, 2Fg and T7 3Fg in the Gibbs. I really want to make T7 work. Mainly due to the scarcity of Swiss, but also because it's a lot less corrosive.
For consistency sake, I'll swab after each shot; No matter what powder I use.

I don't think T 777 is less corrosive than swiss

 

[X-ring]

I will try Swiss 3Fg, 2Fg and T7 3Fg in the Gibbs. I really want to make T7 work. Mainly due to the scarcity of Swiss, but also because it's a lot less corrosive.
For consistency sake, I'll swab after each shot; No matter what powder I use.

Get some 1 1/2 Swiss too!

 

[drpatton]

Get some 1 1/2 Swiss too!

I bought one can of 1 1/2Fg, Four cans of 2Fg and one can of 3Fg

 

[drpatton]

I don't think T 777 is less corrosive than swiss

According to Hodgdon, the Triple 7 is less corrosive than their Pyrodex. Pyrodex is marketed as less corrosive than any BP.

 

[45-70]

According to Hodgdon, the Triple 7 is less corrosive than their Pyrodex. Pyrodex is marketed as less corrosive than any BP.

might be there but not more than black powder

 

[drpatton]

That is the rifle I would be looking at for a target gun. I might even use it for hunting if I was in a blind or set up on a high ridge in a improvised ground blind set up.

My Pedersoli "Gibbs" .451 with a 1:18 arrived today. It will be a couple weeks before I can check it our & shoot it. I have some No-Excuse .451 bullets to try in it. I don't have a clue what paper patch bullet size to try. I don't have a press, so sizing it with paper isn't an option... Yet...

 

[idahoron]

My Pedersoli "Gibbs" .451 with a 1:18 arrived today. It will be a couple weeks before I can check it our & shoot it. I have some No-Excuse .541 bullets bto try in it. I don't have a clue what paper patch bullet size to try. I don't have a press, so sizing it with paper isn't an option... Yet...

I have the Pedersoli mould for that rifle. I might be talked into letting it go.

 

[drpatton]

I have the Pedersoli mould for that rifle. I might be talked into letting it go.

How did you end up with that? And, How much? I would have to start pouring lead again.

 

[45-70]

My Pedersoli "Gibbs" .451 with a 1:18 arrived today. It will be a couple weeks before I can check it our & shoot it. I have some No-Excuse .541 bullets bto try in it. I don't have a clue what paper patch bullet size to try. I don't have a press, so sizing it with paper isn't an option... Yet...

.442 or .441 Baco sells them and they are swaged

 

[idahoron]

How did you end up with that? And, How much? I would have to start pouring lead again.

On the Pedersoli site it shows this bullet as an accessory. Probably 100 plus shipping. Mine is the .447.

 

[drpatton]

On the Pedersoli site it shows this bullet as an accessory. Probably 100 plus shipping. Mine is the .447.

Probably 100 plus shipping. Mine is the .447.

The answer is, yes, I'll buy it. Do you size it with the paper patch to .447, .448 or .449?

 

[idahoron]

The answer is, yes, I'll buy it. Do you size it with the paper patch to .447, .448 or .449?

After wrapping I size to .446 I think that Pedersoli expected them to be shot greased.

 

[drpatton]

I will try both greased and paper patched. I do believe Paper patching is a superior method.
I used to have a propane furnace to melt lead. That is now long gone. I will purchase a new electric one. Any recommendations? Is the Lyman Big Dipper kit any good?

 

[drpatton]

After wrapping I size to .446 I think that Pedersoli expected them to be shot greased.

I read several artilcles which stated the Pedersoli Gibbs is sized to .449 with a groove depth of .003" I wonder if that is a mistake. I can't see a Muzzleloader shooting lead with such shallow grooves. If I can, I'll check the groove depth tomorrow with my micrometer.

 

[451whitworth]

Pyrodex is marketed as less corrosive than any BP.

And that's an outright load of BS by the way.

 

[drpatton]

And that's an outright load of BS by the way.

OK. That's Hodgdon's marketing

 

[Bad Karma]

I read several artilcles which stated the Pedersoli Gibbs is sized to .449 with a groove depth of .003" I wonder if that is a mistake. I can't see a Muzzleloader shooting lead with such shallow grooves. If I can, I'll check the groove depth tomorrow with my micrometer.

I haven’t even really looked or checked. Mine like .451” bullets whether paper or greased. And 30:1 or even 20:1 alloy. Usually the former.

 

[Bad Karma]

I will try both greased and paper patched. I do believe Paper patching is a superior method.
I used to have a propane furnace to melt lead. That is now long gone. I will purchase a new electric one. Any recommendations? Is the Lyman Big Dipper kit any good?

I’ve patched and run grease grooved bullets. 75% of my shooting is done with grooved bullets. I can recommend the Lee Pro 420 pot. I have them set up with different alloys so I don’t need to drain and refill. They hold 20 pounds, hold temperature very well and aren’t terribly expensive. I also use a lead thermometer. I believe lyman makes it.