October Country percussion rifle, .58 caliber, 1/72 twist, 36" length barrel

I purchased a good, used October Country .58 caliber percussion rifle for $800 at Puyallup Valley Muzzleloader Supply a couple weeks back. It will be awhile before I can purchase new accoutrements for it, things like a shooting bag, horn, and whatnot.

I am calling it my Elk Medicine Rifle

Do they do that rifle in flintlock?

Bushfire wrote:Do they do that rifle in flintlock?

I am very sure they do as they build custom rifles to order.

https://www.octobercountry.com/

I have wanted to get one of their english sporting rifles for years but I've held off because I've never seen their work in person. Looks like your rifle is well built. Can't wait to see how it shoots! I should add that I did buy a barrel from them for a .69 Forsythe twist underhammer years ago and it was very nice.

have you got a chance to shoot the rifle yet?

10 hour days at my job and heavy rainfall here in western WA have delayed me on getting out to the range. Next saturday should be sunny with temperatures around 65°F

hopefully you will get to shoot it soon

I really like the .58.  I have a caplock and flinter and they both shoot great. Mine have 1:66 twist.  I'm sure yours will shoot well.
Very nice looking rifle.

George_Kelley wrote:I purchased a good, used October Country .58 caliber percussion rifle for $800 at Puyallup Valley Muzzleloader Supply a couple weeks back. It will be awhile before I can purchase new accoutrements for it, things like a shooting bag, horn, and whatnot.

I am calling it my Elk Medicine Rifle

That’s a dandy all right!

At 100yds I am getting a tight group at 11 o'clock on the 9 ring. I am loading patched ball over 100gr FFG (made in China). I been using pre-lubed pillow ticking and .575 ball, I am going to try 120 grain next time.

That’s great will you be able to elk hunt with it this year

EasternOregon .50cal GPR wrote:That’s great will you be able to elk hunt with it this year

I just need to find a suitable camping area on public land near Mt St Helens where we can hunt elk.

Nice rifle George. It fears no elk.

George_Kelley wrote:

EasternOregon .50cal GPR wrote:That’s great will you be able to elk hunt with it this year

I just need to find a suitable camping area on public land near Mt St Helens where we can hunt elk.

Good fortune to you on your elk hunt George. And keep an eye out for St. Helen, word is she can be pretty mean at times.

In a 1975 edition of the Lyman black powder handbook there is an article by Val Forgett on his trip to Africa to hunt the big five with a muzzleloader. He at the time sold a rifle he called his 58 Hawken magnum an extra robust rifle that he used for the hunt. He stated that it had a 1/60" twist and that he was shooting 180gn of fffg with a 610gn bullet.
Something else to consider is the Enfield pattern 53 percussion rifles in the three band infantry model used a 1/70" twist and shot a bullet much like the Lyman 575213 at about 500 grain . I have one of the three band rifles that has been converted to the 577 Snider and it shoots the Lyman bullet quite well. I have in my possession one of the molds that Val Forgett had made for his African hunt producing the 610 grain hollow base Minie type bullet but have not yet tried it in the Snider rifle with a 1/70" twist I am now very tempted but powder charge will be far less than what Mr. Forgett used on his successful African hunt.

bullshop wrote:In a 1975 edition of the Lyman black powder handbook there is an article by Val Forgett on his trip to Africa to hunt the big five with a muzzleloader.  He at the time sold a rifle he called his 58 Hawken magnum an extra robust rifle that he used for the hunt.  He stated that it had a 1/60" twist and that he was shooting 180gn of fffg with a 610gn bullet.
Something else to consider is the Enfield pattern 53 percussion rifles in the three band infantry model used a 1/70" twist and shot a bullet much like the Lyman 575213 at about 500 grain .  I have one of the three band rifles that has been converted to the 577 Snider and it shoots the Lyman bullet quite well.   I have in my possession one of the molds that Val Forgett had made for his African hunt producing the 610 grain hollow base Minie type bullet but have not yet tried it in the Snider rifle with a 1/70" twist  I am now very tempted but powder charge will be far less than what Mr. Forgett used on his successful African hunt.

WOW!! 180 gr powder + 610gr bullet. Hell, my shoulder would be in the next County over

He stated in the article that they worked up to 200 grain but settled on 180 grain as best for their purpose. Maybe shoulder bump played a roll.

Last saturday I was experimenting with American Pioneer Powder and Shuetzen FFG blackpowder. The former would not flow through the spout of my gunpowder flask.

Are you going to get a chance to hunt with that fine rifle this year

bullshop wrote:He stated in the article that they worked up to 200 grain but settled on 180 grain as best for their purpose. Maybe shoulder bump played a roll.

“Shoulder bump” makes it seem downright user friendly!