Hi Folks,
I am new here.
I have a problem with the accuracy of my antique Hilliard underhammer. Bore is fine no roughness, some slight unevennes near the breach. Rifling intact from top to bottom.
The bore diameter is .358. Diameter in groves is .370.
I have shot it with loads of Swiss no2 (fff) from 15 to 25 grains, with a ball of .350 and .010 and .015 (good) patches. It will not group. I collected some shot patches. They are thorn or have holes in them. I tried a double patch .010 +.015. Still no groups.
I always read and see others hammering the ball in the muzzle and than raming the ball+patch down the barrel with a heavy ramrod. I can not imagine this was done the same way in the old days (in the field). I think the ball plus patch combination was a less thight fit then. They had to carry a lot of those wooden ramrods with them I suppose.
I have reamed out my mould a little now and have to hammer the ball/patch in now. Had no time to test it on the range.
Does anyone have some suggestions?
Thanks
Hilliard
I am new here.
I have a problem with the accuracy of my antique Hilliard underhammer. Bore is fine no roughness, some slight unevennes near the breach. Rifling intact from top to bottom.
The bore diameter is .358. Diameter in groves is .370.
I have shot it with loads of Swiss no2 (fff) from 15 to 25 grains, with a ball of .350 and .010 and .015 (good) patches. It will not group. I collected some shot patches. They are thorn or have holes in them. I tried a double patch .010 +.015. Still no groups.
I always read and see others hammering the ball in the muzzle and than raming the ball+patch down the barrel with a heavy ramrod. I can not imagine this was done the same way in the old days (in the field). I think the ball plus patch combination was a less thight fit then. They had to carry a lot of those wooden ramrods with them I suppose.
I have reamed out my mould a little now and have to hammer the ball/patch in now. Had no time to test it on the range.
Does anyone have some suggestions?
Thanks
Hilliard