doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Lancaster 19 bore 2 groove rifle

I just love British percussion sporting rifles and this one is quite interesting to me. I bought it cased, but the only tool included was the original mould. The Lancaster records still exist and they show that this rifle was built in 1849, barrels 2ft 8 inches, "thin patch". Well a cast pure lead bullet drops at .624" and the bore is .632", tight indeed. The thinnest cloth patch material I was able to source was .005" thick, too thick to get the bullet down the bore. What to do? The rifle could have come with a sizer or a cross patch cutter, neither of which I have today. I have been considering my options, I know it was not a paper patched rifle originally but maybe? I ordered some patching paper, made a template for patches and dug out the bottle of Rooster Jacket a friend had sent me. Everything arrived yesterday, I cut some patches, wet them and let them dry. Once they dried I applied a small amount of Rooster Jacket, a lube but also waterproofs paper patches and seems to keep the patches on the bullets nicely.

I took it to the range today and seated a bore diameter lubed felt wad(Wonder Wad) on top of 2&1/2 drams(70 grains) of 1&1/2F Swiss, then seated my paper patched bullet on the top of that. It was hot as could be out there today and I hurried 3 quick shots of the truck at 25 yards, 1.5" group all in the bull. I need to cast more bullets and shoot this one some more but I believe that this rifle is really going to like this load and patched bullets.

I would skip the Rooster Jacket. Never been needed for any paper patches I've used.

That bullet sure looks odd. I don't understand the shape of the lumps. I would have expected them to run all the way to the base and have a flat rear end to them, not oval. All the belted ball rifles I've seen (not many) used a roundball with a belt, not a bullet. There was a guy in England that made beautiful brass moulds for little money for these rifles. I got one for a Thomas Bland rifle I had for a while.

I like the Rooster Jacket because it seems to keep the patch in place on the loose bullets and provides some lube, I do not see any drawbacks from it so far. I was surprised how easily the 2nd and 3rd shots loaded as well.

The lumps on the bullet work just like they do on my belted ball gun, the lumps engage the grooves to impart spin on the bullet. They are big enough to work but not so big that they impact the bullets flight much is my feeling.

Jeff Tanner made the ball mould for my rifle, he has since passed on but his son has taken over the business.



https://www.ballmoulds.com/

Yup, Jeff Tanner was the guy.

Have you measured the twist rate on that gun? I'm guessing in the 50s but just a guess. My 18 bore Lang double was about that fast as I recall.

You should bring that gun and a few others to the Creedmoor 150 in October.

Very nice..
Love the long barrel - the length looks like my 36” A.Henry S/T.
I only have 1 Lancaster and I love it. 12b percussion SxS.
Keep shooting this one as it seems you’re on the right track.
Good luck.