Did I screw up ?

[user 52142]

Nice looking rifle.

Thank you long cruise.

 

[Okie Hog]

That's a very nice rifle.

 

[user 52142]

That's a very nice rifle.

Thanks okie hog, it's my first BP rifle build.

 

[hanshi]

That rifle is very "easy on the eye" and I like the way it looks. Time to burn powder!

 

[user 52142]

That rifle is very "easy on the eye" and I like the way it looks. Time to burn powder!

Yes Sir, I agree. Thanks

 

[barracudadave67]

Did you put the inlays in the stock,??.
I have the long version of that rifle in flint, and with a 41 inch barrel, and it is really nose heavy. I am debating getting one of the Pedersoli Scout rifles in .50 cal.

Your rifle looks real nice.

Dave

 

[user 52142]

Did you put the inlays in the stock,??.
I have the long version of that rifle in flint, and with a 41 inch barrel, and it is really nose heavy. I am debating getting one of the Pedersoli Scout rifles in .50 cal.

Your rifle looks real nice.

Dave

Howdy barracudadave67. Yes Sir, I did the diamond and wire inlays that are on the stock. I just finished building, have not had a chance to get to the range with it yet.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Wizzard1962,

Back when some of the earliest rifles were being built, the gunsmiths knew that a spinning ball was more stable than one shot out of a smooth bore. They just didn't know what twist rate was optimal. The theory for the earliest Jaeger rifles with short barrels had one revolution of twist in the barrel length. This meant in a 28" barrel the twist was 1 in 28". Of course, these barrels had deep grooves and patched round balls worked well for on target accuracy. So, with a tight load using a thick patch and soft lead ball, and some experimentation, your rifle will perform to a reasonable hunting accuracy at some distance and powder charge. Its all about load development at this point.

Now, as to answering your question of "Did I screw up?" Yes, you did. You bought and built a muzzleloading rifle kit. You built the kit and it looks pretty good. When you figure out what it takes to make that rifle perform to an acceptable standard, you will be wanting another, then another and another. Flint lock rifles will seem a really good idea. Then as you realize that the eyesight is getting to the point that the only sight in focus is the front sight, a smoothbore fowling gun that can shoot both ball and shot will have to find a home in your gun case. None of us think that we have screwed up, but that is a topic for another long list of comments.

 

[user 52142]

@Wizzard1962,

Back when some of the earliest rifles were being built, the gunsmiths knew that a spinning ball was more stable than one shot out of a smooth bore. They just didn't know what twist rate was optimal. The theory for the earliest Jaeger rifles with short barrels had one revolution of twist in the barrel length. This meant in a 28" barrel the twist was 1 in 28". Of course, these barrels had deep grooves and patched round balls worked well for on target accuracy. So, with a tight load using a thick patch and soft lead ball, and some experimentation, your rifle will perform to a reasonable hunting accuracy at some distance and powder charge. Its all about load development at this point.

Now, as to answering your question of "Did I screw up?" Yes, you did. You bought and built a muzzleloading rifle kit. You built the kit and it looks pretty good. When you figure out what it takes to make that rifle perform to an acceptable standard, you will be wanting another, then another and another. Flint lock rifles will seem a really good idea. Then as you realize that the eyesight is getting to the point that the only sight in focus is the front sight, a smoothbore fowling gun that can shoot both ball and shot will have to find a home in your gun case. None of us think that we have screwed up, but that is a topic for another long list of comments.

Very well said. Especially the second paragraph. I am already thinking I need a 50 cal pistol to go with the rifle. I think I will call it... MAS
MUZZLELOADING ACQUIRING SYNDROME

 

[Surfinator58]

Years ago I had a Browning A-Bolt with a Leupold scope. I paid $800 for that gun and it wouldn't get on paper at 25 yards I also have a Savage bolt gun it is deadly accurate at 200... Just shoot the gun

 

[longcruise]

Very well said. Especially the second paragraph. I am already thinking I need a 50 cal pistol to go with the rifle. I think I will call it... MAS
MUZZLELOADING ACQUIRING SYNDROME

I'm going to go with MAD (muzzleloader acquiring dementia)

 

[user 52142]

I'm going to go with MAD (muzzleloader acquiring dementia)

that would prob be mine also...

 

[FPDoc]

that would prob be mine also...

I once acquired a lovely Hudson Bay fringed blanket case for a rifle I had.. The case was just too long to use with the intended rifle so... I bought a rifle that fit the case... made sense to me, if not to my wife.
It is a contagious affliction.

 

[Jim]

I once acquired a lovely Hudson Bay fringed blanket case for a rifle I had.. The case was just too long to use with the intended rifle so... I bought a rifle that fit the case... made sense to me, if not to my wife.
It is a contagious affliction.

Makes sense to me too . . . .

Many rifles in my safe are there . . . .Only because I had bayonets that needed to be mounted!!

 

[user 34300]

I have made several ML rifles with 45-70 barrel blanks. They have all shot very accurately with patched balls using normal powder charges. The patch ball combs I use tend to be tighter. Based on average accuracy potential I would choose a 45-70 barrel over one of ML barrels featuring deep rounded grooves and a slow twist. You will be fine, in fact you have more options that a slow twist barrel.

 

[user 52142]

Makes sense to me too . . . .

Many rifles in my safe are there . . . .Only because I had bayonets that needed to be mounted!!

That's a good one !

 

[user 52142]

I once acquired a lovely Hudson Bay fringed blanket case for a rifle I had.. The case was just too long to use with the intended rifle so... I bought a rifle that fit the case... made sense to me, if not to my wife.
It is a contagious affliction.

I dont see anything wrong with that. Dont want a good case going to waste

 

[Grenadier1758]

I once acquired a lovely Hudson Bay fringed blanket case for a rifle I had.. The case was just too long to use with the intended rifle so... I bought a rifle that fit the case... made sense to me, if not to my wife.
It is a contagious affliction.

It makes sense when one finds that a $30 shower curtain results in a $10K bathroom remodel.

By the way, @FPDoc, your solution to the long rifle case makes sense to me too.

 

[OhioHawkeye]

.........The magic powder charge range for a .50 is between 80gr. FFFG to 85 gr. FFFG. Hope this is of some value to you....oldwood

Disagree. I have 2 if different lengths which both prefer a 72gr. load. Yes, I use 3f too. Been told I should use 2f only.....guess what? . Reworking the Load, it still came to the same grain charge. i.e. no difference

As for the OP, 3 choices
1 order a different barrel
2 make it as is and play ..work up loads, etc
3 making as is and resell it as new made.

 

[user 52142]

Option #2.......make it as is and play ..work up loads, etc

Is what I will do.

Going to try round ball first and work up a load and accuracy that will work for hunting.

If that proves impossible, I will try minie balls and see if that works better.

I'm confident that there is a combination that will work well for this rifle. No need to get a different barrel or sell. I'm not shooting matches, just need a hunting load for under 100 yards.

Have a great day everyone