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Pedersoli Volunteer rifle

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dodger

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Not a company to "let the grass grow under it's feet", Pedersoli has now brought out a Volunteer model to keep the Enfields and the Whitworth rifles company .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRx_5zeOLTo&spfreload=10

The elevated front sight looks interesting and there is no mention of the type of barrel rifling .
Further investigation is required !
:thumbsup:
 
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As ever, with Pedersoli factory videos, they are about as uninformative as it is possible to be without actually standing there saying nothing.

The .451 two-band match rifle made by P-H had Henry-style rifling, and this new Pedersoli rifle, that looks exactly like the P-H version, is as near to the CSA Whitworth as we are ever likely to get, apart from the rifling, and if I ever get my hands on one, that's what I'm going to make it look like.

tac
 
if they are using the same rifling. 1 in 21 twist, it will only shoot 451 bullets wieghing 475 gr.
 
rj morrison said:
if they are using the same rifling. 1 in 21 twist, it will only shoot 451 bullets wieghing 475 gr.


Let's hope that Pedersoli give it Henry rifling and that shooters can use the Lyman 451114 mould.
These factors will make it very easy for a new owner to get started with this rifle .
Different bullet types and weights are available too from several sources .

So Pedersoli now have 3 models of Enfield ,a Whitworth and a Volunteer .
What's next -- a Snider ?
:thumbsup:
 
rj morrison said:
if they are using the same rifling. 1 in 21 twist, it will only shoot 451 bullets weighing 475 gr.

Navy Arms says that rifle has a 1:20 twist, and if so is identical to the old PH Volunteer. I have one of the PH Volunteers, English-made. Certainly this rifle is not designed for round ball or lighter bullets--but it shoots the 450 grain 451114 and also a 457132 550 grain rn quite accurately--both sized to .451", of course. I would imagine the Pedersoli (NA) Volunteer would do the same.
 
Judging by the prices Pedersoli are asking for a simple muzzleloader, there are very few who could afford their replication of a Snider.

Why should they, after all, when the real thing is so common? Even I have two - both Canadian issue.

It's not the rifle that is expensive, it's how you feed it, and with what. It is, after all, a HUGE cartridge, even though it only takes 85gr of whatever to light it up. However, it is not a muzzleloader, so my input about it is now terminated.

tac
 
Just found this on All4Shooters.com site - 'The story of this percussion rifle is interesting; it’s optimized for shooting at ranges of 100-150 metres and is the replica of a model used by English volunteer rifle corps in the late nineteenth-century...'

The short range will be a mite constricting for most shooters of similar rifles internationally. Most competitions START at 300 yards and go on to 900/1000 yards. At 100 - 150m the bullet likely hasn't even settled down.

tac
 
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tac said:
Just found this on All4Shooters.com site - 'The story of this percussion rifle is interesting; it’s optimized for shooting at ranges of 100-150 metres and is the replica of a model used by English volunteer rifle corps in
The short range will be a mite constricting for most shooters of similar rifles internationally. Most competitions START at 300 yards and go on to 900/1000 yards. At 100 - 150m the bullet likely hasn't even settled down.

tac
Mmn. I think that someone got their wires crossed there , my understanding for a Volunteer is that "short range" should mean 600-800 yards . Unless of course the rifling is of a different kind .
At the moment we don't know because Pedersoli ain't saying !

You are quite right , a Snider conversation would be inaproppriate in this forum so I slap myself on the wrist and wash my mouth out with soap .But Pedersoli do make replicas of other guns that are quite common .
If they think they will sell ,no doubt they will make them.
For chaps such as myself , living in the sticks , hundreds if not thousands of miles from the mainstream gun world , buying a new gun ,unseen, is less risky than buying a very much used or abused old gun and taking a chance on the condition .
A while ago I was excited to find a d/b muzzle
loading English shotgun from a well respected maker and was all set to buy until I noticed from the photos that something wasn't quite right with the hammers . That would have been an expensive mistake .Had the seller ( 3,000 miles away ) also accurately described the bores ? Maybe ,maybe not .
Pedersolis aren't cheap but new guns from other makers are expensive too . For instance a Pedersoli 1886 Winchester replica is about the same price as a Miroku made Winchester branded 1886 . ( Darn it , there I go talking about breechloaders again and repeaters to boot -double heresy !)
Happy shooting guys .
 
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For my purposes I chose a 24" twist and I could have gone slower, but then I'm not planning on pushing over 450 grains of lead out past 600 yards either!
 
I saw the Volunteer rifle at the SHOT show.
It does not have AH rifling.
Looked to be conventional equal land/groove rifling.
 
52Bore said:
I saw the Volunteer rifle at the SHOT show.
It does not have AH rifling.
Looked to be conventional equal land/groove rifling.

Thanks for the info - much appreciated .
 
Hi,
I believe the Volunteer from Parker Hale had Rigby or Henry rifling, I cannot remember which. My brother, John, did some of his most impressive shooting with the Volunteer at ranges of 200-500 yards. You must use platinium-lined nipples because the standard steel ones will be blown out after 10-15 shots because of the high gas pressures. On a guided antelope hunt in Wyoming, John killed his pronghorn with one shot at 400 yards with open sights. The guide said it was the longest kill he had ever witnessed with open sights and/or a muzzleloader. I think there is a story about it in Muzzleblasts 25 or so years ago.

dave
 
When the Parker-Hale Volunteer was originally produced it had Rigby rifling, but they later switched to Henry rifling.

David
 
I emailed Pedersoli and spcifically asked if the Volunteer rifle had Henry or conventional rifling .
Their reply was that the rifling was formed by broaching like their other Match Grade barrels .
Not quite the answer I was looking for and something may have got lost in the translation .
But my conclusion is that the production rifle has conventional rifling and the rifle on display at shot show was not just a conventionally rifled "mock up ".
This may or may not affect your purchasing decision .
Personally I would prefer a Henry or Rigby rifled example if only for the novelty aspect .
 
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