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First Shots of my new .45 Calibre Pedersoli Scout

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Jacko50

32 Cal.
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I bought my Pedersoli Scout Flintlock Muzzle Loader months ago. Last Saturday and Sunday Afternoon was the first time I had been able to get to the Range to Shoot it.





From the first Shot, I was "HOOKED" First Shot felt great, the Rifle Fired very Fast, no hint of Lag. After that though I learned real quick to keep the Touch Hole Clean. I was using Pipe Cleaners - useless ! I picked up a dry Grass Stem the perfect Diameter and it worked. I since made myself a Vent Pick as the Grass was a poor Solution. I learned nearly as quick to wipe the Pan and Frizzen every Shot to keep them Residue free. Another lesson was not to use my Finger and a Rag to wipe them - Crikey those Flints are Sharp :grin: I had a small Paint Brush and it did a good Job. I will be buying a proper Tool Kit next Pay Day.

I started with 50 Grains of FFFg Wano and used Homecast .440 Cast Bullet Engineering Round Balls. 60 Grains Shot a little higher and Fouled far worse than 50. Did not try any stouter Charges they are for the next Trip, both seemed quite mild. I was trying some 10 thou Ox Yoke pre Lubed patches I bought off EBay dirt Cheap, happy with them as Fouling was no great issue especially with the 50 Gr Charge. Next Trip to the Range I will be trying both Olive Oil and Coconut Oil and slightly thicker pure Cotton Patches

I also tried some Lee 200 Grain REAL Conicals Wads punched from Eggs Cartons and a Home Mix Lube of Beeswax and Superfry. I used a 50 Gr Charge and they Shot a bit higher than the Round Ball. Only Fired 6 or 7 of these and the Lube worked great. Again 50 Grains seemed very mild.

Another lesson was "NOT" to Gasbag and get distracted when Loading the Rifle - Stupid Dry Balled it twice ! I removed the Lock and sat patiently poking a little bit of powder down the Touchhole until I could not pack any more into the Breech and Shot the Ball out. I have one of those Brass Screw in type Ball Pullers but could not get it to Start. At least I was Smart enough to have Loaded and Empty Marks on my Ram Rod.

Another little positive was that I had little trouble with Flinching when the Pan Ignited. So long as I stayed focused on the Sights and Target I did not even notice the Pan Flash. Ignition was noticeably slower when I put too much Powder in the Pan. I was using one of those Pan Primers that are supposed to drop 3 Grains of FFFF. I was using FFFg that I shook through a Flour Sifter to get Fine Powder. There's a knack to using them as I often got more Powder than required. I was surprised at how little Priming the Rifle required.

The Rifle Shot 6" to the Right and to Point of Aim at 50 Metre's with the 50 Grain Charge. I tried to drift the Front Sight and it would not Budge. I did Drift the Rear Sight but the Front Sight is noticeably off Centre and needs to be corrected. I have marred the edge of the Sight, no big deal just a bit annoying being first time out.

I'm about to remove the Barrel from the Stock, I have sprayed the Sight with a Penetrating Oil as it seems to be seized. I'll be Clamping it in a Vise with Timber Jaws. The extra support and Penetrating Oil should loosen the Sight and future adjustments should be easier.

The only real negative was this Rifles Lock seems to Chew Flints. I used up a Flint each afternoon, maybe 30 Shots each. I had them mounted in Veg Tanned Leather about a Millimetre from the Frizzen as per my understanding of several Online Articles. The Flints contacted the Frizzen 3/4 of the way up which is probably too far up. The Frizzen has smooth even wear and throws plenty of Sparks. Both Springs are quite heavy, the Cock being the Heaviest so maybe I may have to get the Lock Springs looked at. I will try thinner Leather or a thin Sheet of Lead to hold the Flint.

I loved the Noise, Smell and Smoke when Shooting my Flintlock and even enjoyed the Mess cleaning it - like I said "HOOKED" ! The more I shot it the more comfortable I became - just gotta sort the Sights out so I'm ready for a Hunt during the Week before Easter. With any luck the Fallow Deer Rut will have started. I would love to take the Stag I've had a crack at a while ago with my Bow but I'd be wrapt just to fill the Freezer with a Doe. Either way there is Feral Goats on the Property also

regards Jacko
 
Jacko, best of luck with your new "Scout" flintlock, and welcome to the "light" of shooting these fascinating firearms. You'll not be disappointed, and your enjoyment will only expand.

This is the rifle I bought as a kit from Dixie Gun Works nearly 10 years ago to build for my grandson. I tweaked it a bit to give it a more traditional look. I removed the blueing on the barrel and browned it. I removed the sights, replacing them with fixed iron sights. I filed chevron spirals on the nose piece. Did some simple carving around the front of the comb. And, had Greg Dixon at Dixon's Muzzleloader Shop engrave my grandson's initials on the toe plate.

Like yours, this "Scout" was a real shooter from the very beginning, and if I remember correctly, I had Greg grind the main spring some to relax the tension a bit.

Again, welcome to our world of flintlocks! :hatsoff:
 
Hooked on the first shot sounds about right.

Congratulations and welcome from another new flintlock shooter - it's a blast in every sense of the word!

Jamie
 
:hatsoff: Thanks for posting. It is always fun to hear about a person being drawn to darkside. LOL with rock lock no less. Enjoy your new gun and happy hunting.
 
.

Nice !

YMMV, but I use the K.I.S.S. method of charging my flintlocks - using the same powder to prime the pan as is used for the main powder charge.
(FFFg of Holy Black)


.
 
[insert "Mad Scientist" laugh here]

bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ...


another one turned to the dark side ... to paraphrase the little green star wars guy, "once rocks banged have you, forever will the dominate your range time."

by the way, to wring the very best possible accuracy from your new rifle, check out Dutch Schoultz method. here"s a link
http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/

this guy's method will shrink your group size, guaranteed.


welcome to the rockbashers, and Make good smoke!

:thumbsup:
 
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MSW said:
http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/

this guy's method will shrink your group size, guaranteed.
G'day Jacko, good stuff mate.
What MSW wrote above, do that. I did & wow.
Before that I tried coconut oil, wonder 2000, eye of newt, the gall bladder of a frog, wombat urine, then Dutches method. The best result by far. All else to me is now a witches brew. The man just makes too much sense.

Where in Qld do you shoot. I would like to go to some range where ML's are shot to compare notes & shoot other guns. I am a bit out in the sticks & a long way from Millmeran, or Bris for that matter.
O.
 
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Thanks for the reply's and advice Fella's, all appreciated. I will sit down through the Week and read Dutch's link MSW and if I can apply some before the upcoming Hunt and most certainly before the Black Powder Shoot I'm attending over Easter. There's one thing noticed that Muzzle Loading shares with Archery, you gotta learn to sort the Wheat from the Chaff.

19 16 6 I live near Caboolture, the is a new local Range opening soon thats tied up in Red Tape at present. I have a 120 Kilometer Round Trip across Brisbane to SSAA Belmont or 230 K round Trip to SSAA Ipswich to have a Shot at present. I've never been to the Millmeran Club but for Easter am going to the Australian Primitive Rendezvous Association Shoot at Biggenden. I'm not a member of that organisation but will be Joining soon. I went to this Shoot last Easter, great Mob of Fella's. A great Mate of Mine is a Founding Memeber. I'm sure they'd welcome you if you wanted to come across for a Shoot over Easter. They share the Range with the Biggenden Rifle Club.

I took a few more spare hours and made the Trip to the Range again today. If I point it in the right direction and do my Bit it is plenty Accurate. It was exceedingly Humid and Raining so I had some trouble with Moisture affecting the Priming Charge. Chewed through 1 1/2 Flints today and only fired 23 Shots. I gotta get this Lock looked at! I'll ask the Lads up at the APRA Shoot which Gunsmith they recommend.

In the mean while I gotta get some more Flints. The Pan Primer fell apart also, have not had a chance to look at it yet, should be an easy Fix.

The Coconut Oil Lube wise worked as well as the OX Yoke Lubed Patches. I used 15 thou Patches with the Coconut Oil, I felt it was more accurate with the thicker Patches.

regards Jacko
 
Jacko50 said:
for Easter am going to the Australian Primitive Rendezvous Association Shoot at Biggenden. I'm not a member of that organisation but will be Joining soon. I went to this Shoot last Easter, great Mob of Fella's. A great Mate of Mine is a Founding Memeber. I'm sure they'd welcome you if you wanted to come across for a Shoot over Easter. They share the Range with the Biggenden Rifle Club.

regards Jacko

Wallaby stuft ! :shocked2: The things a bloke does not know. I live 100 kays from Biggenden & know nothing of this shoot.
Now I have to try to find a contact & find out what is what. I can be there on the Saturday.
Now I am excited. :grin:
O.
 
19 16 6 heres a link to a thread I posted last Year on the Shoot
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...288096/post/1388033/hl//fromsearch/1/#1388033

and a Map to get there - https://www.bing.com/maps/default....ty=r&rtop=0~0~0~&mode=D&FORM=FBKPL1&mkt=en-US

I don't have a Contact Number for you as I am Traveling up with my Mate again this Year, he's organised everything again. Message me and I'll get info for you if you need it. Last year they had a real basic Canteen, Tea, Coffee, Softdrinks and not much more so bring a Feed. Look forward to meeting you there

regards Jacko
 
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Thanks for that mate :hatsoff:
I think I will just rock up on the Saturday & see how she blows.
O.
 
Nice work Jacko! Good luck with your rut hunt. Keep your shots broadside and under 60 metres. Don't take a shot that you wouldn't take with a bow and you will be fine. Maybe try and amp that charge up a bit?
 
for whatever it's worth, don't necessarily increase the charge ... remember that the 'object of the exercise' is to put lead on target as accurately as possible. cranking up the load might or might not shrink the group - but it absolutely will burn a bunch more powder, stress the equipment, and beat up on the shooter.

not trying to tell you what to do, but I'd start with a charge in grains about one and a third to one and a half times the caliber (thus, for a .50 cal rifle, about 65 to 75 grains) and shoot five round groups with each charge, increasing by five grain increments ... this will provide you with plenty of shooting, and plenty of data, and use a new target for each charge, and remember to write this stuff down on the target (don't ask me how I know)
:redface: :redface: :redface: :cursing:

if the rifle behaves as most others, you will see the groups open and shrink and then open again. Ta DA! you've found the 'sweet spot,' and you can go from there ... remember to change only one variable at a time: only change the charge weight - tinker with different patch lubes or thicknesses or whatever at some other time. (well, patch lube is easy - use Dutch's recipe)

good luck, and make good smoke!
 
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