Good news...but I'm greedy for more

[Shootist43]

No offence ment gentlemen. I may have misunderstood the post written by Pro Hunting Safaris

What amazes me is the fact that they produced a rifle over a 100 years ago that shoots that well. I take my hat off to Westley Richards.

I took that to mean any and all rifle manufacturers doing business 100 years ago. But thanks to rookhawk's explanation I am going to have to look up "Medford Rifling," Given that rifled barrels had been around for more than 100 years before this rifle was produced, I was thinking that Medford Rifling was the latest and greatest rifling going at the time. As a result of this thread I'm going to learn something. Thanks

 

[rookhawk]

Number four is the one at hand:

 

[Shootist43]

Just finished a google search of Metford Rifling. It turns out that it is a rose by another name. Today, it is called Polygonal Rifling. Quite common in pistols, less so in rifles. H & K still makes some Polygonal Rifled barrels for their Sniper Rifles via a process called hammer forging. Back in the day Metford Rifling was used in many custom and high end rifles.

 

[rookhawk]

Countless best guns have been rebarreled by idiots thinking the barrels were shot out. You don't see many survivors. People just assumed the cut grooves were ruined and that's why they are round.

 

[BobT]

What would you do?

View attachment 177090

I would have a blast shooting it with the great load you already have. Congrats!

 

[Ridgewalker]

Time to go hunting!

X1 what CAustin said. If it's repeatable, time to get some blood on the old girl!

 

[cem rona ergin]

First rule of Engineering.. if it is working DO NOT TOUCH IT

 

[ArmyGrunt]

From something a bit newer. What, I cannot say, as I got this photo from the web a long time ago...

 

[rookhawk]

From something a bit newer. What, I cannot say, as I got this photo from the web a long time ago...View attachment 178067

That looks like artillary. @Red Leg would probably tell you which one and it's individual serial number by memory based by his nom de plume.

 

[dchamp]

I curious what is your C.O.A.L. and what is your barrel length? It looks like IMR 4350 is doing well. If it is as stated previously, repeatable. 2200fps should be good out to 160 yds with the Woodleigh SN doing 1904fps. RL19 is a little faster than H4831sc but slower than IMR4350. I don't know if they will do any better but they will fill the case a little more as you will need more powder to equal the 4350. If things don't work out with the powders I would try Alliants 4000MR it's between RL19 and RL22. It works well for me with heavy bullets in 6mm Remington and 8X68s

 

[rookhawk]

I curious what is your C.O.A.L. and what is your barrel length? It looks like IMR 4350 is doing well. If it is as stated previously, repeatable. 2200fps should be good out to 160 yds with the Woodleigh SN doing 1904fps. RL19 is a little faster than H4831sc but slower than IMR4350. I don't know if they will do any better but they will fill the case a little more as you will need more powder to equal the 4350. If things don't work out with the powders I would try Alliants 4000MR it's between RL19 and RL22. It works well for me with heavy bullets in 6mm Remington and 8X68s

I'm not sure about COAL as it didn't matter / wasn't alterable in this rifle. The two woodleigh bullets (soft and solid) have a crimp canaleur so the seat depth is fixed. The brass is under max OAL New from Bertram. I inserted tab A into slot B and called it a day.

The barrel is around 24" I think. A few things to keep in mind about .318wr.

1.) the published data is from two sources. Woodleigh manual and Graeme Wright's book.

2.) both sources are redundant and retreads of one another

3.) the data is wrought with errors and rounding...can't trust it.

4.) the original data from 1921 in Britain (Kynoch) is dubious. They lied as to original speed. They also used 26" and 28" barrels.

So, as to speed. The published 2400fps was never anything but fiction and then they used a long barrel to further the fiction.

A imr4350 load at 53gr at 2200fps regulates to the sights on the gun. Conclusion: FPS of the original load was in the same velocity neighborhood, not 200fps faster.

Not sure about the out to 160yds comment. Can you elaborate on your thinking? That 1900fps is important for a woodleigh soft? I find they work well down to 1400 in other rifles of different calibers.

At 325 yards it has the requisite 1500ft pounds of energy to bring down elk, Kudu, Eland, waterbuck, zebra, oryx. Inside 100 yards it's literally a laser beam by the drop tables. It appears to have the right stuff out to my maximum shooting range of 325 and it drops 10" at my comfortable shooting distance of 225 yards.

The other recipes I've seen are about 1gr more or less powder for H4350 and RL19. The case holds 69 grams of water so there is more room than pressure will alllow in most powders.

 

[rookhawk]

 

[rookhawk]

 

[Shootist43]

When are you going back to the range to see if the original load you used repeats the group achieved previously? Honestly, if it does, I wouldn't bother looking any further.

 

[rookhawk]

Probably tomorrow or next Sunday. Need to do final sight in, cleaning, lubrication and foul the barrel one or two shots before packing up for Africa.

 

[Shootist43]

Have you ever used KG -12 or Bore Techs CU + 2. If not try either one or the other. Those two products will remove copper fouling better than anything on the market. A couple of fouling shots here and a couple of shots to confirm your zero in Africa should have you ready for hunting.

Of the two copper removers I mentioned I like the Bore Tech CU + 2 the best because it turns patches blue when copper is present, i.e. no blue no copper. The KG - 12 cleans better supposedly, but you don't know when all of the copper has been removed because the patches don't show any discoloration.

 

[rookhawk]

I tried this Hoppes foam and was astounded at the filth and copper that came out!

I used shooters choice and sweets 7.62 previously and as caustic and horrible smelling as they were, they did not clean like hoppes foam.

If it wasn't behaving accurately I'd use more cleaners. At this point I'm afraid I may remove lead and copper that have filled the pits and may lead to poorer accuracy. Crazy thought?

 

[Shootist43]

Not too crazy, but that is what the fouling shots are for. If the bore is bright and shiny to begin with getting the copper fouling out should improve the accuracy. Unless you shoot cast bullets through it, lead should not be an issue. If a bore is dark I have used an oversized bronze/brass brush wrapped in 0000 (read four ought) steel wool and Kroil (a very expensive penetrating oil and rust remover) to clean and polish the bore. It works like a champ. Several of the Swedish Mausers I purchased off Gunbroker required the aforementioned treatment. Especially those purchased from coastal areas.

BTW both products I mentioned are better than the Hoppes Foam.

 

[rookhawk]

Who sells your recommended bore solvent?

 

[Shootist43]

Midway. https://www.midwayusa.com/ The bore needs to be squeaky clean prior to using the copper removers. I generally use Shooters Choice for that.