MY 20-.577 DICKSON / HENRY - A RIFLE WITH HISTORY

[captrakshitsharma]

Super work on the history of the rifle and the owner... A treasure and a heirloom ....

[Vikram]

If you are in touch with them, could you please do the favour of enquiring with them if their website is defunct?

Hello Vikram,

The Lewis Drake website has been working just fine. I've never seen a problem.

Here is their link - http://www.drake.net/index.html

Not to take it OT, but for some reason, I have not been able to access their website for over a year now. I wonder why. Anyway, thank you for letting me know that it works.

Best-
Vikram

[brihacharan]

Hi Vikram,
> Thanks for requesting Buckstix for the Lewis Drake website...
> We also stand benefited by it
Briha

[buckstix]

Hello All,

Well I finally received all the accessories that were purchased with the rifle; the brass, and dies, and bullets. I got 101 bullets. They are 650g lead with 2 grooves. I got 103 pieces of 20-.577 brass with the rifle. NICE! Of the 103, 38 were used, and 55 were "brand new". And the dies? WOW!! What a set of dies. They are huge. Pictures below is the 20-.577 sizing die, along side a std 30-06 sizing die. Big difference. These dies are 1-1/4" thread, compared to the std 7/8" thread. Unfortunately, my press won't take dies this size; I'll have to modify the press.



But, not to be deterred I used the dies by "hand-loading" with them similar to the old fashion "Lee" tools. I hammered the cases into the dies with a mallet. It took a while, but I got 10 loaded. I used the lead bullets because I wanted to try 650g bullets as the rifle was originally regulated for that weight, albeit nickel plated bullets, not lead. But I paper-patched them to keep the bore clean. Paper-patching them made them a bit "large" - .588 dia - but I was able to pound them into the cases, and still get the cartridges into the chambers.



Here are the first "comprehensive" field results. 10 shots, fired in groups of 6 and 4.



I'm very pleased with these results. The velocity is a bit higher than expected; 1604 ave. I will cut back the powder by 3 grains and try again tomorrow. Since most of these shots were "crossing" at this velocity, I'm hoping they'll uncross at a lower velocity. I'm very happy with 9 out of 10 going into a 4" group. Recoil was the most of any of my doubles, with recoil energy being about 49-1/2 ft lbs. The highest of my other doubles being the 500 BPE at 35 ft lbs.

After absorbing nearly a quarter ton of energy from this shooting adventure, I was looking for a lion to walk through the range.

[timmy]

Buckstix, no Rockchucker? The Lee Classic Cast is a little over $100 from Midway.

[Sakobav]

Thanks Bucstix for amazing story and congrats

[xl_target]

Buckstix,
So these rifles were normally regulated at 50 yards?
650 grains at 1604 fps=~1304 ft-lb ME! Wow!

[ckkalyan]

Thanks a ton buckstix for taking the time and effort to share - wonderful write up and images of this amazing rifle and work of art - what history!

Congratulations on your acquisition....Phew! Great, (read fabulous) grouping with a new, test, hand loaded ammo and rifle.

Sharp observation and deduction Grumpy - very impressive, love it!

Nice story. Look at who commissioned Teddy`s H&H by the way.

[buckstix]

Buckstix,
So these rifles were normally regulated at 50 yards?
650 grains at 1604 fps=~1304 ft-lb ME! Wow!

Hello xl_target,

Muzzle energy ia actually a bit higher - - - -

Ave Velocity = 1604 fps (15 feet) = Corrected Muzzle Velocity = 1620 fps = 3585 ft-lbs

Some double rifles were regulated at 50 yds, some at 75 yds, some at 100 yds. I prefer 50 yds, with shots being "muzzle-distance" apart at that 50 yd range. Theoretically, shots at 75 and 100 should still be "muzzle-distance" apart, as the trajectory of the bullets should remain "parallel" forever, - "theoretically".

[TwoRivers]

[]

Some double rifles were regulated at 50 yds, some at 75 yds, some at 100 yds. I prefer 50 yds, with shots being "muzzle-distance" apart at that 50 yd range. Theoretically, shots at 75 and 100 should still be "muzzle-distance" apart, as the trajectory of the bullets should remain "parallel" forever, - "theoretically".

If they were parallel to begin with. Which they are not. They converge and then cross.

[buckstix]

Hello TwoRivers,

The science and engineering behind double rifles is not a mystery. Yes, the barrels converge on the gun with bores being spaced farther apart at the breech, than at the muzzle. This is called "static convergence", and all double rifles have it. But the dynamics of "torque" and "recoil" cause the bullets to travel from the muzzle to a point on the target. If the bullets strike, "muzzle-distance" apart on the target, THEORETICALLY, their path will be remain "muzzle-distance" apart - FOREVER. Its really not a hard concept to comprehend.

[TwoRivers]

Hello TwoRivers,

The science and engineering behind double rifles is not a mystery. Yes, the barrels converge on the gun with bores being spaced farther apart at the breech, than at the muzzle. This is called "static convergence", and all double rifles have it. But the dynamics of "torque" and "recoil" cause the bullets to travel from the muzzle to a point on the target. If the bullets strike, "muzzle-distance" apart on the target, THEORETICALLY, their path will be remain "muzzle-distance" apart - FOREVER. Its really not a hard concept to comprehend.

"Torque" and "recoil". Wonderful concept. Unfortunately not a realistic one. Shoot at twice the regulated distance and see which bullet strikes where.

[buckstix]

Hello TwoRivers,

You need to do more shooting, enough said.

[timmy]

Buckstix: Did you make a determination on a press? What sort of powder do you use in these great brass bananas? I would think it would be something somewhat fast, but this is beyond my experience, which would be in the .45-70 range.

[buckstix]

Hello timmy,

My son-in-law tapped my RCBS RS2 press to 1-1/4 - 12 and made a bushing for 1 - 14 threads so I can use my other oversize dies. Its a basic aluminum "O" frame press and it works very well for these big cases. Th big cases don't require a lot of force for sizing. I have several other presses for the std 7/8" dies.

I'm using IMR 4198 powder with F215 primers and 650g woodleigh SN bullets - a 64g charge gives me about 1475 fps. I use a 1-1/8" long piece of 5/8" dia foam backing rod as a filler. My 6 shot groups are all right around 4" at 50 yds. I'm going to try to get to 1500 fps to see if the groups tighten up a bit.