New to me Parker-Hale .451 whitworth.

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mckutzy

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Hey guys.. recently acquired a Parker-Hale .451 whitworth, a really special and a bit of a holy grail gun for me..
Doing my research there's the hexagonal bullet route also the cylindrical grooved bullets..
A friend most likely has the cylindrical mold from his volunteer rifle he used to have... so im sure I'll go that route..
But more importantly is using wads cards a must... or an added benefit???

Im not new to muzzle loading but new to the whole precision rifle in the ML world.. so any info tips advice would greatly appreciated.

Here it is next to the bess musket I got a little while ago aswell....
 

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If you don’t t have them already you need to get some platinum lined nipples for the whitworth as the standard nipples will burn out fast ruining accuracy.I believe Peter Dyson in England sells them.Also I believe Pedersoli makes a hex mold and wadcutter

I myself currently have a Pedersoli Baker Rifle on order that should be arriving hopefully soon
 
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I have both the Whitworth and Volunteer, and have yet to shoot them.
It might be time to start a sub-forum for these classy ladies.
Also, the Gibbs, and a few others.
 
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Nice.. I recently handeled the larger caliber. 58volunteer rifle..
Also a pretty ol gun.. a friend at the club has one...

I would also like to have a separate section for a few common types for the BP section... say a muskets , a rifles(like the Hawkins and pennsylvania types ec), a precision ml rifles... just to narrow down on some of the common more truncated questions and threads.



I've heard that the Pt nipples are the must... with that being said what is the tread for this... mine being English made, by Parker-Hale??...
 
Does anyone know of a Canadian source....A guy ...ect that might have one of those PT lined versions???........
 
Lyman 457121 PH for the Whitworth and Lyman 451114 for the Volunteer I have owned and shot both rifles and they are very accurate ,however you are limited with stock sights. The Parker Hale rifles have no tang … to mount a tang sight you have to inlet a steel mounting blank into the wrist ,drill and tap into the wood will not work.Powder charges of 2 fg goex with a over felt wad with the above mentioned cast bullets will give excellent results. When you purchase a new in the box Whitworth they come with a wad punch…? If you did not get one with rifle you will need to find one.
Peter Dyson in the UK used to sell them…. https://www.peterdyson.co.uk/acatalog/WHITWORTH_RIFLE__parts_and_accessories.html
 
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Yeah...I did not get the punch....Im hearing the round .45 dia wads work as theyll just form hex down bore... im looking for a punch none the less... felt too...if I cant find the .45cal buttons.

More or less im really trying to avoid the English connection, as ~$250CAD for a nipple... is just super stupid expensive....
I get it, it has platinum in the base, but the spot price of Pt is starting to make me think, I can make it myself for less...
 
Rusty woods for lubed felt wads
Platinum lined nipples , might try Lee Shaver Gunsmith
Joe Hepsworth had them but he has passed away
Or try Buffalo Arms
 
Through a connection here on the nutz.. guy hooked me up with a Kal tool whitworth mold .440dia. and hex a punch...

What is the dimensions for the patch I should be using? ....

Ive read about 2x the thickness is about right, but obviously the right kinda paper... thin 9# onion skin tracing paper...
but more to the shape dimensions im looking for....
 
barbarossa said:
If you don’t t have them already you need to get some platinum lined nipples for the whitworth as the standard nipples will burn out fast ruining accuracy.I believe Peter Dyson in England sells them.Also I believe Pedersoli makes a hex mold and wadcutter

I myself currently have a Pedersoli Baker Rifle on order that should be arriving hopefully soon
Click to expand...
I've heard you only need platinum nipples if your shooting heavy charges. They certainly didn't have platinum on the originals.
 
See there in lies what im talking about... whats a heavy load....
I know a powder types like 3fg to 2fg means a lot of difference in matter of pressure due to burn rate... but with a lower 3fg amount how does that translate to a higher amount of courser granulation of 2fg, And the necessary usage of a Pt nipple???
 
I used the std nipple , buy a bunch from track of the wolf change them out every 100 shots if you are seeing a change in accuracy. our bullet was the 457121 over a custom cut felt wad that was lubed with beeswax and lanolin. Rick from Kal tool had not developed the mould yet and we were getting 8" groups at 500m with a tang sight mounted to the wrist area of the stock with a stock PH front sight. Myself and a few others sold off our PH volunteers and whitworths a few years ago... I know where mine is ....my shooting buddy Whitworth is out in Alberta it has more holes drilled in it for scope mount and the stock was modified for tang sight... looks like crap but boy did it shoot. I will see Rick at out local shoot on the 15th of May I will ask if he still has a mould or two.
 
cdnrokon said:
I used the std nipple , buy a bunch from track of the wolf change them out every 100 shots if you are seeing a change in accuracy. our bullet was the 457121 over a custom cut felt wad that was lubed with beeswax and lanolin. Rick from Kal tool had not developed the mould yet and we were getting 8" groups at 500m with a tang sight mounted to the wrist area of the stock with a stock PH front sight. Myself and a few others sold off our PH volunteers and whitworths a few years ago... I know where mine is ....my shooting buddy Whitworth is out in Alberta it has more holes drilled in it for scope mount and the stock was modified for tang sight... looks like crap but boy did it shoot. I will see Rick at out local shoot on the 15th of May I will ask if he still has a mould or two.
Click to expand...
I had Rick make me a couple adjustable molds for my 45’s and .500, discussed his Whitworth molds, he sent me a bullet from one of his molds to try in my gun to see if it would work. The issue is that his mold is made for the PH which has a slightly faster twist than mine (1:18 vs 1:20 iirc). Have not tried that bullet yet. I have one of Dyson’s Whitworth molds but it is too small, .42 cal iirc.
 
Cool interesting to hear...

I did in fact get a mould from a member here, a little while ago, and it is a Kal Tool, 540gr .451 whitworth mold.
Im just learing much as I can about the paper patching thing... I did find some paper that mic's out to a shade under .002".
With 3 complete wraps, it mics' to ~.450" and is just snug in the muzzle. that was applied dry, not wetted.
 
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