I’m getting to the point in my life where I’ve got to many M/ler’s. I know that this is heresy to many forum members but keeping track of 5 or 6 different calibers is getting to be a chore.
At the Western Regional this year I saw a nice little left-hand 54 Lyman Deerstalker in the Mountain Man’s tent. It came up just like a shot gun, not muzzle heavy at all, my old bones could hold it pretty steady. Roger Mortensen and I made a deal for the Lyman and an extra 40 caliber GM barrel that I would retro fit into a drop in for my first love--squirrel hunting. I like the flat rubber butt pad. I know it’s not P.C. but from many years of shooting Trap and Skeet I hold a gun in the pocket not out on the arm like they tell me you’re supposed to do with a curved butt plate. Couple months ago I was shooting some pretty stiff loads in my 54 Cabela’s, I left my slip-on rubber sleeve at home and was sore for a week.
The breech plug is a 5/8 x 18 bolt from the hardware store. That’s what was advised to do 40 or 50 years ago. You filed down the extension and brazed on the tang, that’s what I did on my scratch build flinter in ”˜62. One problem with this barrel is that the factory thread does not reach all the way to the rifling. I don’t have a bottoming tap so what I did was file the bolt-end eyeball flat and then cold-blued the end of the bolt, I could run the bolt in and out, file down the shiny spot, reblue , etc. till I got a nice seat all around completely sealing the bore. I did the same thing with the hook extension. It helps to have a few calipers set to the dimensions of the factory plug. A retro-fit is a lot harder to do than an original build, at least for me.
The muzzle was squared with a small metal square, coned, first with a stone, then with a hardened steel cone and valve grinding compound. Got enough barrel left to make a nice pistol if I can ever get to it.
The touchhole is 5/64 with a slight champher toward the pan. I just glued on a front sight temporarily, there’s still work to do; rib, pipes etc”¦ I had the rifle out Sunday to see how she would shoot, check patches, and such. A light charge of 30 grains 3f, a 395 ball, and pillow ticking about .018 was grouping very nicely until about 15 shots in, I dry-balled. It was getting pretty hot, time to go home anyway.
I lapped the bore on both new barrels as you guys suggested with an oily green scotch pad. There were no cuts in any patches I picked up. A month ago I was able to shoot the 54. I made a few targets as Paul V. suggests a 3 inch post-it with the points at 12 3 6 and 9, use 6 as your POA. After 4 or 5 shots at 25 to get it sighted I moved the target out to 50. Using 50gr. Goex 3f, a 530 ball, and .018 pillow ticking with beeswax and olive oil lube, I cut a five shot group with the 3 and the 9 cut out toward the center and the other 3 clovered dead in middle. Not a bad starting point to work up some hunting loads. Anyway when I get the rifle finished I’ll post a few pics with some targets from both barrels. I’ve got a T/C peep sight on the tang; it will be interesting to see where it prints just by changing barrels.
I found out that I can’t do a lot of metal work anymore. After 4 or 5 hours with a file my fingers start to lock up. I guess I better stick to carving stocks and horns and doing a little wire, that doesn’t seem to bother. If I can get Judy to help me again I’ll post the story of my first build, the original Dixie squirrel rifle kit back in ”˜56.I think that all the new kit builders will be interested in what we faced in those days and they will Thank God for the Muzzleloading Forum. Till then”¦
Sincerely,
Wirewiz.
There is no such thing as ancient history.
At the Western Regional this year I saw a nice little left-hand 54 Lyman Deerstalker in the Mountain Man’s tent. It came up just like a shot gun, not muzzle heavy at all, my old bones could hold it pretty steady. Roger Mortensen and I made a deal for the Lyman and an extra 40 caliber GM barrel that I would retro fit into a drop in for my first love--squirrel hunting. I like the flat rubber butt pad. I know it’s not P.C. but from many years of shooting Trap and Skeet I hold a gun in the pocket not out on the arm like they tell me you’re supposed to do with a curved butt plate. Couple months ago I was shooting some pretty stiff loads in my 54 Cabela’s, I left my slip-on rubber sleeve at home and was sore for a week.
The breech plug is a 5/8 x 18 bolt from the hardware store. That’s what was advised to do 40 or 50 years ago. You filed down the extension and brazed on the tang, that’s what I did on my scratch build flinter in ”˜62. One problem with this barrel is that the factory thread does not reach all the way to the rifling. I don’t have a bottoming tap so what I did was file the bolt-end eyeball flat and then cold-blued the end of the bolt, I could run the bolt in and out, file down the shiny spot, reblue , etc. till I got a nice seat all around completely sealing the bore. I did the same thing with the hook extension. It helps to have a few calipers set to the dimensions of the factory plug. A retro-fit is a lot harder to do than an original build, at least for me.
The muzzle was squared with a small metal square, coned, first with a stone, then with a hardened steel cone and valve grinding compound. Got enough barrel left to make a nice pistol if I can ever get to it.
The touchhole is 5/64 with a slight champher toward the pan. I just glued on a front sight temporarily, there’s still work to do; rib, pipes etc”¦ I had the rifle out Sunday to see how she would shoot, check patches, and such. A light charge of 30 grains 3f, a 395 ball, and pillow ticking about .018 was grouping very nicely until about 15 shots in, I dry-balled. It was getting pretty hot, time to go home anyway.
I lapped the bore on both new barrels as you guys suggested with an oily green scotch pad. There were no cuts in any patches I picked up. A month ago I was able to shoot the 54. I made a few targets as Paul V. suggests a 3 inch post-it with the points at 12 3 6 and 9, use 6 as your POA. After 4 or 5 shots at 25 to get it sighted I moved the target out to 50. Using 50gr. Goex 3f, a 530 ball, and .018 pillow ticking with beeswax and olive oil lube, I cut a five shot group with the 3 and the 9 cut out toward the center and the other 3 clovered dead in middle. Not a bad starting point to work up some hunting loads. Anyway when I get the rifle finished I’ll post a few pics with some targets from both barrels. I’ve got a T/C peep sight on the tang; it will be interesting to see where it prints just by changing barrels.
I found out that I can’t do a lot of metal work anymore. After 4 or 5 hours with a file my fingers start to lock up. I guess I better stick to carving stocks and horns and doing a little wire, that doesn’t seem to bother. If I can get Judy to help me again I’ll post the story of my first build, the original Dixie squirrel rifle kit back in ”˜56.I think that all the new kit builders will be interested in what we faced in those days and they will Thank God for the Muzzleloading Forum. Till then”¦
Sincerely,
Wirewiz.
There is no such thing as ancient history.
