A Lefty Caywood / Roby Northwest Gun

My new-to-me lefty Caywood Northwest Trade Gun. I bought it from AZ muzzleloaders via Gunbroker. Mike Roby of AZ got the stock in trade and then installed a new barrel and lock that he bought from Caywood Guns. Mike also installed a Chambers White Lightnin' vent liner. It's 20 gauge, smoothbore, with a 36" barrel. Should be really fun to shoot and if I'm able to work up a good load in time, nice to carry during the late flintlock season here in PA. I also plan to try it in a woods walk or two after load development.

AZ Muzzleloaders (Dave) and Mike were great to buy from.

Mike fitted the barrel with a Chambers White Lighnin' vent liner. I under Danny Caywood is against the use of vent liners. I disagree, so I'm happy with it.

I snapped it a couple of times, the lock sparks well. The trigger is good, probably about 5 lbs., fine for a hunting gun.

OAL is about 51" with a 13-1/8" length of pull. I'm short so it fits me very well.

I might install a rear sight but I'll shoot it first. If it groups well without one I'll leave it as-is. I had a Euroarms Magnum Cape Gun that I was able to shoot well with PRB and no back sight, so hopefully this will perform similarly.

It might not get to shoot it for a week but I'll post a follow up after I do.

Don't let Caywood hear about that vent liner!

I have several of the Caywood locks on different guns. Great sparkers an fast as any lock out there. The one an only negative thing I can see about Caywood locks is he is a one man operation an springs should you ever need one might be hard to get one day. If your gonna keep the gun I would order a spare mainspring an frizzen spring. You will probably never need them but you never know. Nice gun by the way

Dave Markowitz said:

My new-to-me lefty Caywood Northwest Trade Gun. I bought it from AZ muzzleloaders via Gunbroker. Mike Roby of AZ got the stock in trade and then installed a new barrel and lock that he bought from Caywood Guns. Mike also installed a Chambers White Lightnin' vent liner. It's 20 gauge, smoothbore, with a 36" barrel. Should be really fun to shoot and if I'm able to work up a good load in time, nice to carry during the late flintlock season here in PA. I also plan to try it in a woods walk or two after load development.

AZ Muzzleloaders (Dave) and Mike were great to buy from.

Mike fitted the barrel with a Chambers White Lighnin' vent liner. I under Danny Caywood is against the use of vent liners. I disagree, so I'm happy with it.

I snapped it a couple of times, the lock sparks well. The trigger is good, probably about 5 lbs., fine for a hunting gun.

OAL is about 51" with a 13-1/8" length of pull. I'm short so it fits me very well.

I might install a rear sight but I'll shoot it first. If it groups well without one I'll leave it as-is. I had a Euroarms Magnum Cape Gun that I was able to shoot well with PRB and no back sight, so hopefully this will perform similarly.

It might not get to shoot it for a week but I'll post a follow up after I do.

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A beauty !! Your gonna love that trade gun.. . Such a Versatile firearm.....Enjoy

I wouln;t even have looked it twernt a lefty. Very nice and the locks on the correct side

Yesterday I finally got to shoot the trade gun. I put around 20 rounds through it, all on top of 70 grains of 3Fg black powder.

A few loads were a .610 ball in a .010" patch, lubed with Bore Butter (I'd bought the patches pre-lubed, otherwise I would've used something else.)

A few were a .600 bare ball with a ball of hemp tow over the powder and another ball of tow over the lead ball to keep it in place. The tow wasn't lubed. Sometimes this can lead to it smoldering but not yesterday, and anyway, the ground was still damp from some rain we got last week.

At least half my shots were a .610 bare ball with an over-powder wad of hornet's nest, the ball, and another wad of hornet's nest to keep it in place.

Recoil of all these loads was mild. The wide buttplate distributes the recoil and the comb has enough drop that I do not get smacked in my cheek.

I did all shooting at about 30 yards offhand. Everything grouped into about 3" but unfortunately, POI is about a foot left and a little low.

To correct the POI I'm looking at desoldering the front sight and moving it to the left (when adjusting a front sight you move it opposite the direction you want POI to shift) along with adding a rear sight, since I plan to primarily use this gun with round balls, not shot. When I bought the gun I got a rear sight from Track of the Wolf that requires a shallow dovetail, which I can cut with my milling machine.

NOTE: NMLRA trade gun match rules require that the guns lack a rear sight. I have no plans to compete in such matches and rear sights actually are historically correct. So, my gun is getting a rear sight.

Ignition was good. I had one flash in the pan which was probably due to me failing to ensure the vent was clear before shooting, and about half way through the session I had one failure to spark because the flint and frizzen had a buildup of soot. After cleaning them the gun went right off. So, both failures to fire were due to operator error.

Overall the gun was a real joy to load and shoot. Once I figured out Kentucky windage I was regularly hitting an 8" gong. Those big hunks of lead really smacked it around!

Sorting out the point of impact shouldn't be too much of a problem. ASSuming I can group them into a paper plate at 50 yards, I'll definitely be using it for deer hunting, and may take it to woods walks.

… bend the barrel .. simple … done … and historically correct!

Flint62Smoothie said:

… bend the barrel .. simple … done … and historically correct!

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I'm aware that it was done but the thought of doing it myself gives me the heebie jeebies.

wattlebuster said:

I have several of the Caywood locks on different guns. Great sparkers an fast as any lock out there. The one an only negative thing I can see about Caywood locks is he is a one man operation an springs should you ever need one might be hard to get one day. If your gonna keep the gun I would order a spare mainspring an frizzen spring. You will probably never need them but you never know. Nice gun by the way

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That is a great idea

I like everything about that gun except the lock on the wrong side. ; )

I’ll second springing the barrel. Tweak it in the direction you want the shot to go. You won’t even consider a rear sight once you get it right.

Before you bend the barrel, try moving the load up to 85 grains in five grain increments. If that doesn't help, try spit patch or a weak water/Dawn mix. If that doesn't change the windage, try 2F powder starting at 70 grains and work up to 90 or 100. I have seen any and all of the above make significant windage changes in my smoothbores.

It would also do to bush a pen light with tape so it slips down the bore centered, put a piece of masking tape over the lens to disperse and dim the light, and read the light rings for a bend. If the barrel happens to be straight, consider resoldering the front sight or make up the windage with rear sight placement when you add one. If the barrel is bent, straighten it with u-notched blocks of wood, a sturdy bar, and a clamp.

If it makes anyone feel better let’s just say you are straighting it instead of bending it to hit POA. I just lay the barrel on the floor with a block of wood at each end and put my boot it the middle.

Kansas Kid said:

If it makes anyone feel better let’s just say you are straighting it instead of bending it to hit POA. I just lay the barrel on the floor with a block of wood at each end and put my boot it the middle.

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DAVE MARKOWITZ: NO NO NO......do as IanH post #12 suggested..until you find the sweet spot your rifle loves! You have great groups...3"! The problem could more than likely also be flinch? Have someone with knowledge shoot your rifle and compare ! After you have experimented to no avail, then mill the dovetail as you suggested for a rear sight to slightly drift.... you can still use shot or ball.

No No No ! lmao.

SMO,
Thanks for posting the test. I was just about to post it, but you beat me to it. It was fun to do. And you get to see part of the equipment it takes to time a vent. I couldn't do this with out my faithful Golden Retriever to advise me.
Regards,
Pletch

Dave Markowitz said:

My new-to-me lefty Caywood Northwest Trade Gun. I bought it from AZ muzzleloaders via Gunbroker. Mike Roby of AZ got the stock in trade and then installed a new barrel and lock that he bought from Caywood Guns. Mike also installed a Chambers White Lightnin' vent liner. It's 20 gauge, smoothbore, with a 36" barrel. Should be really fun to shoot and if I'm able to work up a good load in time, nice to carry during the late flintlock season here in PA. I also plan to try it in a woods walk or two after load development.

AZ Muzzleloaders (Dave) and Mike were great to buy from.

Mike fitted the barrel with a Chambers White Lighnin' vent liner. I under Danny Caywood is against the use of vent liners. I disagree, so I'm happy with it.

I snapped it a couple of times, the lock sparks well. The trigger is good, probably about 5 lbs., fine for a hunting gun.

OAL is about 51" with a 13-1/8" length of pull. I'm short so it fits me very well.

I might install a rear sight but I'll shoot it first. If it groups well without one I'll leave it as-is. I had a Euroarms Magnum Cape Gun that I was able to shoot well with PRB and no back sight, so hopefully this will perform similarly.

It might not get to shoot it for a week but I'll post a follow up after I do.

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Just saw this thread for the first time. Thanks for the kind words. I have another Caywood lefty looking for a new home. Dave

ooops

Play with loads before you do anything else.

If you don’t compete, then I highly recommend a rear sight. It’s night and day difference in terms of accuracy. I have a Caywood Chiefs gun with a 26” barrel with a rear sight. 3” groups at 50 are easy.

Added one to my Bess Carbine. Same thing.

I also full length bedded one of my smoothbores and groups shrank considerably.