Old Hawkeye
50 Cal.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2020
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- 1,074
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Just acquired an unfired Investarm built (1979) 50 cal. Hawken style rifle imported by Armsport. Most of my ML shooting has been with shotguns & smoothies, so I'm not all that knowledgeable about the different kinds & types of ML rifling. Twist is 1:48. This rifle has a barrel unlike any I've ever seen on a ML. It looks similar to Marlin's "Micro-Groove" rifling, very, very shallow with 12, yes TWELVE lands. It also seems to have a "tight" bore as well. I tried a PA conical & the narrower skirt end could barely be started in the muzzle & a .501" diameter conical with a flat base wouldn't even start by hand. Does anybody have a rifle with this type barrel &, if so, what is your preferred bullet? The rifling is so shallow that I doubt a patched ball would even engage the lands, but I'm not a PRB shooter so don't know for sure. They lands are so shallow that looking down the bore near the muzzle, at first glance, you think it is a smoothie. Only when you drop a bore light in the barrel do they become clear. The PA conical is so tight to start with I am hesitant to push it down the barrel for fear it will get stuck. Was going to get some TC Maxi's to try, but thought I'd ask here for advice & insight first. Thanks in advance!!