First black powder rifle, headed to the range.

[Stantheman86]

I'm on probably 10 different gun forums for old guns , and once a week S&S is mentioned for some obscure part. A guy is like "need a rear sight for a Remington-Keene 45-70 Naval Rifle" S&S has them

 

[Mooney 78865]

View attachment 86777

View attachment 86778

Looked at my original 1862 Tower P53 today and happened to notice the rear sight was widened over to the left.

It has been bored out to .65 smoothbore and I've never fired it. It was apparently owned by a family in Tennessee who's relative brought it home from the war and had it bored out to fire bird shot. Don't know if the sight was altered at the arsenal, in the field, or after the war. But it hit off Center and someone didn't like it.

I'm hoping yesterday wasn't a fluke and that I have got a handle on my sight picture. Hope to get out somewhere Thursday and shoot up some more of the cartridges I've already made. Need tomorrow and Wednesday to lick the motorhome. The wife and I spent a little over two months this spring traveling the US. Started in Clovis Ca, down to Orlando Florida, Williamsburg, Gettysburg, up to Bar Harbor Maine, then over to Mackinac Island Michigan, over to the Yellowstone area, then visit the kids and home. Cleaned it good when we got home, but it's time for the biannual wax job. Hoping to go to Banff BC in September, if the US opens the border.

 

[Mooney 78865]

I agree about S&S. Bought my 1860 Henry 3 piece cleaning rod from them. Who the hell else would have such a product?!

They have certainly impressed me with their availability of products. I ordered 100 rounds I believe Thursday, and they've already shown up. Have ordered a few other items as well, and they always seem to have what I'm looking for, and ship FAST.

 

[Stantheman86]

I'm hoping yesterday wasn't a fluke and that I have got a handle on my sight picture. Hope to get out somewhere Thursday and shoot up some more of the cartridges I've already made. Need tomorrow and Wednesday to lick the motorhome. The wife and I spent a little over two months this spring traveling the US. Started in Clovis Ca, down to Orlando Florida, Williamsburg, Gettysburg, up to Bar Harbor Maine, then over to Mackinac Island Michigan, over to the Yellowstone area, then visit the kids and home. Cleaned it good when we got home, but it's time for the biannual wax job. Hoping to go to Banff BC in September, if the US opens the border.

Damn that's a lot of traveling

The best way to Iron out a rifle is to pack a cooler full of sandwiches and drinks, and spend an afternoon capping off 50 or so rounds through it.

Trying to get out Wednesday to try out the tang sight. It's like I can't rest until I completely iron out a gun and get a load and projectile down for it.

 

[Mooney 78865]

Damn that's a lot of traveling

The best way to Iron out a rifle is to pack a cooler full of sandwiches and drinks, and spend an afternoon capping off 50 or so rounds through it.

Trying to get out Wednesday to try out the tang sight. It's like I can't rest until I completely iron out a gun and get a load and projectile down for it.

I hear you about not being able to rest until something is sorted out.
Once I find a regular range to shoot at, I plan to do just that, spend a day and shoot.
I do have a question on making the change to "Holy Black". Since I'm shooting 45 grains by volume of Pyrodex FFg, and plan to shoot FFFg Goex, should I just start with 45 grains by volume and see where I'm at? If there is a conversion table, I haven't found one.

As for the trip, we had a blast! 9.400 miles doorstep to doorstep. I had just retired and this was the reason we bought this coach. Actually my wife saw it at an open house event and started peeing on the tires. (our second class A) The intent was a trip to Gettysburg. In actuality, it was WAY more than that. We had reservations in two spots for the whole trip, Gettysburg and Bar Harbor, the rest we just winged it. No time frame, just look and visit. We never considered going to Mackinac Island until we were having coffee in a travel plaza in New York. That turned out to be our second favorite destination of the whole trip. We have a Lincoln MKZ for a "toad" so we always have transportation when we were set up. Travel days were usually the weekends to avoid commute traffic. Travel nights were spent in rest stops, a lot of Cracker Barrels, (they have free overnight for RV's) and the occasional Walmart, or Cabela's. (also free)
If we can't get to Banff this fall, we're heading back to Williamsburg for a month. There is so much to see and do on the east coast we west coast folks just don't have.

 

[dave951]

Generally speaking, for a conversion from one of the subs to the holy black is no change. If going from the holy black to a sub, cut the charge 10% and work from there. If working with 2f and going to 3f, cut the charge 10%. I'm going to open another can of worms here. Most BP shooters measure by volume, competition shooters will nearly always go by weight.

 

[Mooney 78865]

Generally speaking, for a conversion from one of the subs to the holy black is no change. If going from the holy black to a sub, cut the charge 10% and work from there. If working with 2f and going to 3f, cut the charge 10%. I'm going to open another can of worms here. Most BP shooters measure by volume, competition shooters will nearly always go by weight.

Thanks. Sounds easy enough.
Another question, I have been making traditional paper cartridges mostly because they are a lot easier to deal with out shooting. As everyone knows, they are a time consuming endeavor. I saw on the S&S website there are "loading tubes". Seems like they would be an easier alternative for the range. Are they popular?

 

[dave951]

Thanks. Sounds easy enough.
Another question, I have been making traditional paper cartridges mostly because they are a lot easier to deal with out shooting. As everyone knows, they are a time consuming endeavor. I saw on the S&S website there are "loading tubes". Seems like they would be an easier alternative for the range. Are they popular?

Yup, pretty much everybody in the N-SSA uses them. Just put the charge in the tube, put the bullet in nose first like a stopper, dip lube the exposed skirt. Done. Easy and reusable

 

[TFoley]

I'm hoping yesterday wasn't a fluke and that I have got a handle on my sight picture. Hope to get out somewhere Thursday and shoot up some more of the cartridges I've already made. Need tomorrow and Wednesday to lick the motorhome. The wife and I spent a little over two months this spring traveling the US. Started in Clovis Ca, down to Orlando Florida, Williamsburg, Gettysburg, up to Bar Harbor Maine, then over to Mackinac Island Michigan, over to the Yellowstone area, then visit the kids and home. Cleaned it good when we got home, but it's time for the biannual wax job. Hoping to go to Banff BC in September, if the US opens the border.

My cousin tells me that border is open to Americans entering Canada, but not the other way. Yesterday, Canada had 806 new Covid cases.

Mexico had almost 40,000.

Guess who can enter the US of A?

 

[Mooney 78865]

My cousin tells me that border is open to Americans entering Canada, but not the other way. Yesterday, Canada had 806 new Covid cases.

Mexico had almost 40,000.

Guess who can enter the US of A?

When we did our trip this spring a lot of the planning while on the road initially started with COVID restrictions. Even though we were vaccinated. Shouldn't have stressed on it. Nobody checked a damn thing in any state, or park we went to. Only thing closed was federal buildings, like the Smithsonian and what not. Returning to CA wasn't even an issue at the border. Only thing they cared about was if we had firewood from out of state??? Seriously? The whole bloody west coast burns down every summer, and their worried about out of state firewood?
I think Canada reopened last week to non essential travel. But of course the US can't get their act together so we remain closed to those who pose little risk.

 

[Stantheman86]

I hear you about not being able to rest until something is sorted out.
Once I find a regular range to shoot at, I plan to do just that, spend a day and shoot.
I do have a question on making the change to "Holy Black". Since I'm shooting 45 grains by volume of Pyrodex FFg, and plan to shoot FFFg Goex, should I just start with 45 grains by volume and see where I'm at? If there is a conversion table, I haven't found one.

As for the trip, we had a blast! 9.400 miles doorstep to doorstep. I had just retired and this was the reason we bought this coach. Actually my wife saw it at an open house event and started peeing on the tires. (our second class A) The intent was a trip to Gettysburg. In actuality, it was WAY more than that. We had reservations in two spots for the whole trip, Gettysburg and Bar Harbor, the rest we just winged it. No time frame, just look and visit. We never considered going to Mackinac Island until we were having coffee in a travel plaza in New York. That turned out to be our second favorite destination of the whole trip. We have a Lincoln MKZ for a "toad" so we always have transportation when we were set up. Travel days were usually the weekends to avoid commute traffic. Travel nights were spent in rest stops, a lot of Cracker Barrels, (they have free overnight for RV's) and the occasional Walmart, or Cabela's. (also free)
If we can't get to Banff this fall, we're heading back to Williamsburg for a month. There is so much to see and do on the east coast we west coast folks just don't have. View attachment 86829

New York State has a lot of neat places to see, I was stationed at Ft Drum for 3 years and there's so much to do there. My friend rented a Townhouse that was in a War of 1812 era barracks , in a Fort on Sacketts Harbor. You could go hang out at a 200 year old Tavern and watch boats going by. Lots of neat , old stuff there.

 

[Stantheman86]

Thanks. Sounds easy enough.
Another question, I have been making traditional paper cartridges mostly because they are a lot easier to deal with out shooting. As everyone knows, they are a time consuming endeavor. I saw on the S&S website there are "loading tubes". Seems like they would be an easier alternative for the range. Are they popular?

Loading Tubes are nothing more than Wiring Caps that just happen to fit a .58 Minie. I bought a bag of them and never used them.

I only make paper cartridges when I really want to shoot the "right " way but if I'm just popping off a few rounds I'll use a powder flask and a measure, and load loose bullets.

 

[Mooney 78865]

New York State has a lot of neat places to see, I was stationed at Ft Drum for 3 years and there's so much to do there. My friend rented a Townhouse that was in a War of 1812 era barracks , in a Fort on Sacketts Harbor. You could go hang out at a 200 year old Tavern and watch boats going by. Lots of neat , old stuff there.

We really only drove through New York. They were still in the throws of the whole Covid thing. They had opened up for travel, but if you wanted to stay you had to have a Covid test and self isolate for 3 days or until the results came back negative. I will say this, the gas is certainly cheaper than anywhere out west of New Mexico. Of course the $170 toll bill that came in the mail more than made up for the fuel prices.
If I/we could pick a place to live in retirement I think it would be Maine, Pennsylvania, or Ohio, in that order. Except the humidity is outrageous and it snows there, A LOT! We would pick up real estate listings and just shake our heads in disbelief at what we could buy for what we have in our home in CA, We're talking acreage, nice 3-4 bedroom home, large shop, the works. And we aren't living in a mansion.
Guess we'll suffer with constant sunshine, something less than 10% humidity and summer temps in the 100's. And the left wing freak shows....

 

[Stantheman86]

I live in PA and I'm staying here until I die lol

Housing prices are booming and homes are selling in my area before they even list

I got lucky and bought my house during the peak of COVID round 1 when nobody was buying.

 

[Mooney 78865]

Ended up shooting at the flying field again today. 25 rounds, 15 of which were the .575 Parker Hale. No doubt about it, my Enfield likes the .577 Rapine over the .575 PH. First 10 were all in the 8,9, rings, and everyone of the parker Hale were in the white and far right of center. Elevation was good, just scattered and right of center.
I did go out to the local rifle range to look around and ask a bunch of questions, but of course they are closed on Thursday. Headed back there tomorrow...

 

[Mooney 78865]

Well, I made it out to the Rifle/pistol range today. Actually have to say I was impressed. There is a dedicated "frontier" town for Cowboy action shooting. 3 rifle/pistol ranges out to 100 yards, 1 out to 400 yards, 1, rifle only to 1,000 yards, and a Trap range. Nice office/range house, and pretty much every range has it's own permanent restrooms and vending, and have about 15-20 shooters stations. And they don't care about it being black powder. They do ask that you try and take the wind into consideration. There is a Muzzle loader club that shoots once a month so there is that to explore as well.
I've driven by the place 100 times and had no idea how large it was.
Looking forward to going out Monday!

 

[Stantheman86]

That's awesome, it sounds somewhat similar to where I shoot but my club is more "spartan", it's a series of Cowboy Action stations with Barber Shops and Jails, with a 300 yard rifle range off to the side

I like going into the Pistol pits because you'll have the pit all to yourself, there's 6 of them and they allow Muzzleloading rifles in them. The one you can kinda squeeze out 50 yards .

I'd love to find a way to shoot some Muzzleloading matches

 

[dave951]

I'd love to find a way to shoot some Muzzleloading matches

Join the NMLRA, look up Charter Clubs. They have monthly matches, sometimes twice a month. Matches can take several formats from bullseye to whatever.

 

[Mooney 78865]

I'm going to meet with the a member of the muzzle loader group Monday. Apparently he works part time at the range as a range master a couple times a week. Must be retired too....

 

[Stantheman86]

Join the NMLRA, look up Charter Clubs. They have monthly matches, sometimes twice a month. Matches can take several formats from bullseye to whatever.

I'd love to try some of the rifles I have that are specifically for Match Shooting like my Pedersoli Tryon, I'm like, I have rifles used by European Match Champions made by Pedersoli for competition shooting and I haven't ever used them in any competition