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Hopkins and allen 45 cal

trainman115trainman115 Member Posts: 119 ✭✭
edited September 2011 in Black Powder and Cowboy Action Shooting
Hi can anyone help me out I just bought a older but like new Hopkins and Allen 45 cal cap gun today it has the wood that goes all the way up to the end of the barrel it also has HP on the side plate I am not sure when it was made but my question is can any one tell me what size round ball to use and how much powder I should use I look on the internet for the manual but couldnt find one I really like to shoot it I am not even sure how the barrel comes off for cleaning there is no wedges just 2 little pins I am not sure if they hold it on or not any help will be greatly appreciated Thanks Ed
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    andrewsw16andrewsw16 Member Posts: 10,728 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You need to take a micrometer to the muzzle to get an idea of the size ball you will need. Take a reading and then subtract about 1/100 from the measurement. For example, if the muzzle diameter is .45 consider starting with a .44 ball and cloth patch with about 35 grains of blackpowder or pyrodex. Before loading it, drop a rod down the barrel to confirm it is not ALREADY loaded. One of the previous owners may have loaded it and then not fired. Surprise surprise. [:)]
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    trainman115trainman115 Member Posts: 119 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hi Thank you for the info I did check if the gun was loaded and its not I belive the gun was never shot I have 44 cal balls for my pistol I guess they may work I just thought they had a 45 cal ball Thanks again for the info Ed
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    firstharmonicfirstharmonic Member Posts: 1,061 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've got a rifle that is similar but it has three barrel pins not two. It's called a "Minuteman", fullstocked, with a 39 inch barrel. And calibers varied on these. Mine claims to be a .45 but is in fact a .44. It shoots well with a .433 round ball and a twelve-thousandths patch; nice snug fit.

    Some were .45, some were .44. You're going to have to measure it to find out. That's just the way it is. Oh, and for target shooting I use 57 grains of 3F Goex black. Never hunted with it so no hunting load info. Have fun.
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    andrewsw16andrewsw16 Member Posts: 10,728 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    This one of the fun things about muzzle stuffers. You can experiment on your loads quite easily. The exact diameter of the ball is NOT critical for casual plinking. You want a ball that is just loose enough to roll down the barrel. You then make up the difference with your patch to get a good snug fit. Smaller ball? Thicker patch. Vice versa. Powder loads are also not cast in concrete. The common rule of thumb over muzzle loaders is that you can use approximately the same number of grains of blackpowder as the caliber as a starting point and be safe. From there, move up or down a few grains at a time as you experiment for the best load. Muzzle loaders are one of the funnest types of guns you can shoot. Have fun. [:)]
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