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The 40 cal flinter is Dirty Girl as she shoots better dirty than freshly cleaned. The 54 is Carnifex- Latin for meat maker.

I had a new rifle by a respected builder broken through the wrist in shipment. UPS made good on it promptly. Their agent said I was wise to have all the paperwork, and took pictures of the external packaging damage before opening, and then at several intermediate stages. I have come to the...

In my sporting life and in my professional life I have taken in many classes, some because of interest, some because they are required to maintain a license. My view is that if I take away just one good idea I get good value for my time and money. An added plus is time spent among people with...

When hunting, as soon as I am away from lodge, camp, parking area, etc. Deprime when back in an area involving vehicles, buildings, other people, etc. On the shooting range I load well behind firing line, then prime when on the firing line with gun pointed down range. Sometimes I have to...

The few times I have run low on spit at a match I just put a few kernels of powder inside my lower lip. Plenty of spit results. A couple of flakes of snoose works even better! More seriously, I like "saliva lube". Loading starts with a folded section of the patch strip in my mouth, then on to...

Much as Chrizz said, except peanut oil.

In my extended time on this [planet I have had a hand in constructing and operating four shooting ranges. Far and away the best system for holding targets has been what HSmithTX suggests. Heavy steel angle iron with the corner pointing toward the firing line, spaced a bit over ten feet apart...

Check width (side to side) and thickness (up and down). Use caliper to measure opening(s) in stock and wedge loop. Use caliper to measure from top of barrel to center of opening in lug. Also measure from top of barrel to center of opening in side of stock. Are they offset? Use strong light to...

The single most important thing to know and do about cleaning your rifle, pistol or shotgun is: Do it before you go to bed!

When I decided to go turkey hunting with my 62cal/20ga Caywood-kit Wilson Chief's Gun I experimented with many combinations trying to get best combination of pattern and range. Wound up with this combination: 80 grains GOEX FFg, overshot wad, 1.5 oz #6, overshot wad. 12-15 in neck and head at...

I machine sew up my own cases from quilted fabric bought at JoAnn fabric store. Material is available in several colors. Seam binding tape works well to protect open edges and as tie closure.

Those CVA flintlocks were not very good, and the Traditions locks are no better. Sloppy machining and assembly makes the situation worse than it has to be. I recently worked on a Traditions Kentucky. The pan is tiny, but can be improved with a little judicious work to widen and deepen with a...

Following your lead, if average charge is 60 grains, that's enough to prime 48 pounds of powder. Having earned my living in a profession where data is sacred, I once weighed the actual amount of FFFFg dispensed by my brass push primer. Over a course of 50 trials, the average amount dispensed...

Highly variable. I have one rifle that treats flints gently and they spark forever. Another, a big fowler, eats flints, but ignition is reliable. I don't really like sharpening flints on the gun, and avoid it if possible. Prefer to replace the non-sparker with a new or resharpened flint. I keep...

Good advice from Ghost23 and Eric K. Only thing I do different is after letting barrel or other pieces set for two-three weeks is heat with an old hair dryer and rub in beeswax.

Following on with what Nechi said, when doing this job on a Traditions Kentucky I used a slim file to lengthen the holes in the lugs. Downward tension is maintained, but parts can self-adjust as barrel heats and cools. At the front end I secured the cap to the stock with epoxy, then lengthened...

Your thinking is right! Best to see what various chemicals and finishes do on YOUR metal and wood. Thanks for asking this question. I am about finish metal on an older CVA Mountain Rifle I am rebuilding, and want to try something different.

That looks like something Jack would have built for hunting muleys and elk in Pinon-Juniper thickets,

Does it have a name? I recommend "Mongrel".

When faced with the need to try a new material for patching I always buy one-quarter of a yard, prepare it, then mike with the mike screwed down quite firmly. I write notes on the strip with a Sharpie. Only test firing will tell the story if it is a good choice or not. Fabrics that have worked...