First black powder rifle, headed to the range.

[Mooney 78865]

Bingo, tang was inlet too far. Torquing it down will induce a "bow" in the barrel and the more torque the worse the accuracy and repeatability problems. When properly bedded, it should lay flat as the tang screw is torqued. BTW, ALL of my competition muskets are glass bedded, even the smoothbore.

When I answered Britsmoothy's post about the breach being down and not hanging on the tang I was confident that wasn't happening as I had glass bed the barrel/breach then checked it multiple times. What I didn't factor was that the tang was lifted from the inlet bed. I have just finished bedding the tang, and things are drying as I type. NOW, I'm confident that everything is supported as it should be. Again, thanks to you and Britsmoothy for identifying the omission on my part.
There have, and continue to be a number of folks on this thread who've been looking over my shoulder so to speak. Very nice to have the help, without the ridicule. Hopefully, there will come a time when I can reciprocate to a new shooter.
This excursion will pay dividends in spades when I do the next one! I really want to do a Kibler Colonial...

 

[Britsmoothy]

Any news? Did you get to the range?

 

[Mooney 78865]

Not yet.
Took the car in to the dealer for a recall on Wednesday. Supposed to be a two hour ordeal. They still have it.
The wife is out of town so I'm down to the motorcycle.
Hopefully I get the car back Monday and get out to the range Tuesday. I'm really anxious to see where it shoots now that the tang won't be causing a bind.

 

[Mooney 78865]

Don't know about you folks but the wildfires here in California, Oregon, and Washington are reeking havoc here out west. I've seen the news where the smoke is reaching as far east as New York. Here in the Central Valley it's getting as bad as it was last year. Air quality index is well into the triple digits again.

 

[SOLANCO]

Years ago I was a member of an Indoor range, and they let me touch off 6 out of an old Armi San Marco 1860 Army but they said the filtration systems don't like blackpowder smoke . The range was smoked up for hours

The indoor range master went ape when I shot magnums in my S&W 629. But they had never posted any rules about magnums. And no damage was do

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.

I would be the last person in the world to defend CA or suggest that they are sane. China did, however, treat us to many new nasty organisms. Not the least of which is the emerald ash borer. I am seeing too many standing dying and dead trees these days. I expect a lot of them will go to firewood.

 

[Mooney 78865]

The indoor range master went ape when I shot magnums in my S&W 629. But they had never posted any rules about magnums. And no damage was do

I would be the last person in the world to defend CA or suggest that they are sane. China did, however, treat us to many new nasty organisms. Not the least of which is the emerald ash borer. I am seeing too many standing dying and dead trees these days. I expect a lot of them will go to firewood.

Well, they won't make it to fire wood here. At least none that will be sold. After last year I would have thought that we would have expended our forests. Not so, we're burning the state down again.
No rain, wildfires, and the general mess from the high speed rail boondoggle, crap infrastructure, gas at $4.50 a gallon and the handling of the Covid experience really has the wife and I looking to move.

 

[SOLANCO]

Well, they won't make it to fire wood here. At least none that will be sold. After last year I would have thought that we would have expended our forests. Not so, we're burning the state down again.
No rain, wildfires, and the general mess from the high speed rail boondoggle, crap infrastructure, gas at $4.50 a gallon and the handling of the Covid experience really has the wife and I looking to move.

I think I recall you liked it here in PA

 

[Mooney 78865]

I think I recall you liked it here in PA

Yes we did! Beautiful part of the country. Maine as well. Actually we liked all of the eastern portion of the US.

 

[SOLANCO]

Yes we did! Beautiful part of the country. Maine as well. Actually we liked all of the eastern portion of the US.

Well come on down!

 

[TFoley]

Get out there! There seems to be a much larger BP community back east than there is out here on the Left Coast. I've spent more than a couple hours looking for BP events, reenacting and so on , and have only come up with a couple events, and they are 200 miles away. Maybe they are just a bit more obscure and I'll get some more information tomorrow.

I'm sorry I can't offer you any help - my East-coast BP-shooting contacts are mostly in WA. However, I recommend that you call up The Gun Works in Springfield OR and talk to Dave Little there. He might be able to offer you advice on venues in your part of the world. 200 miles, eh? Back home in the upper reaches of North America we travel that far each way to go shopping...

 

[Mooney 78865]

Well come on down!

We may be heading that way this fall. The wife was wanting to see the "fall colors".

 

[Mooney 78865]

I'm sorry I can't offer you any help - my East-coast BP-shooting contacts are mostly in WA. However, I recommend that you call up The Gun Works in Springfield OR and talk to Dave Little there. He might be able to offer you advice on venues in your part of the world. 200 miles, eh? Back home in the upper reaches of North America we travel that far each way to go shopping...

Man I believe it! When we were back east this spring we were amazed at how much was actually rural once you get away from the coast. We were in New York when we decided to go to Mackinac Island. We stayed in St. Ignas for 4-5 days and did the tourist thing. When we left we thought we would do the "Upper Peninsula" and work our way home. Two things really struck us on that drive. First, it's a LONG way to just about anywhere. And second, how the hell do you folks keep the roads so nice?
The difference between the various parts of the country are really brought home when you drive. Flying to major metropolitan areas doesn't really give you an idea how much space there is. Looking through the front windshield of a motorhome really brings it home. We expected once we left CA and headed east through New Mexico then Texas it would be pretty wide open, and it is. (I mean west Texas, my God!) But when we were coming up from mid Florida to Williamsburg, Gettysburg, then up to Bar Harbor it was like a series of "quaint" little towns. We absolutely loved it. Well, except the tolls.
Our number 1 and 2 visited places on that trip were Williamsburg/Gettysburg and Mackinac Island and the UP. We were out for two months and saw a lot of the country, but those two areas were defiantly our favorites.

 

[Stantheman86]

Most gun clubs have informal shoots where you can use whatever you want. I did a Turkey Shoot with my Enfield Musketoon this past Thanksgiving.

My gun club has Buffalo Matches for single shot rifles , you have to be using a "caliber that existed prior to 1890 , single shot period correct rifle " so they said a .58 Rifle-Musket is period appropriate and they'd love to see me shoot the Silhouettes with one , but I'd be scored informally since I won't be doing the Lever Gun portion.

However I just bought an original Trapdoor so I don't know, might have to use that

 

[Mooney 78865]

I just finished watching a very interesting video "Everything a muzzleloader needs to know about black powder" I put the link here: Everything a Muzzleloader Shooter Needs to Know about Black Powder
He explains the differences between the different sizes, formulation, burn, and pretty much everything you should know about black powder. He certainly has a different take on what "F" should be used in rifles. It's a long video, but worth a watch.
I've come across his website but had never watched any of his videos...

 

[Mooney 78865]

FINALLY!
I made it out to the range for the first time since "bedding" the tang. I shot 50 yards with a variety of powder loads and two styles of Minie balls.
First off, it no longer shoots right of center. The POI is now in the center of the target. The POI is also about 4" high at 50 yards opposed to 8" previously.
I shot the Rapine .577 as well as what I had left of the Parker Hale .575s. I shot 5 rounds each at 45, 50, 55, and 60 grains for a total of 40 rounds. Both the Rapine and the Parker Hale shot best at 50 and 55 grains. At 60 grains both started walking right and the groups were twice the size as they were with 50 grains. At 45 grains the groups were even larger. The .577 Rapine rounds were producing the best results across the board and were really good at 50 and 55 grains. I think the sweet spot is going to be somewhere between that with the Rapine's.
No target to show today, only had two with me and it would be tough to explain what all the holes were.
I'll make a run to Wally World before I go again Friday to have a good selection.
Friday I will shoot the Rapine Minie, and work on a final load.
It is nice to not have to adjust left to compensate for the right hand POI.
Really have to thank Britsmoothy and Dave951 again for pointing out the tang issue. What a difference!

 

[Britsmoothy]

FINALLY!
I made it out to the range for the first time since "bedding" the tang. I shot 50 yards with a variety of powder loads and two styles of Minie balls.
First off, it no longer shoots right of center. The POI is now in the center of the target. The POI is also about 4" high at 50 yards opposed to 8" previously.
I shot the Rapine .577 as well as what I had left of the Parker Hale .575s. I shot 5 rounds each at 45, 50, 55, and 60 grains for a total of 40 rounds. Both the Rapine and the Parker Hale shot best at 50 and 55 grains. At 60 grains both started walking right and the groups were twice the size as they were with 50 grains. At 45 grains the groups were even larger. The .577 Rapine rounds were producing the best results across the board and were really good at 50 and 55 grains. I think the sweet spot is going to be somewhere between that with the Rapine's.
No target to show today, only had two with me and it would be tough to explain what all the holes were.
I'll make a run to Wally World before I go again Friday to have a good selection.
Friday I will shoot the Rapine Minie, and work on a final load.
It is nice to not have to adjust left to compensate for the right hand POI.
Really have to thank Britsmoothy and Dave951 again for pointing out the tang issue. What a difference!

Winner winner chicken dinner ( as my daughter often says ).

 

[Mooney 78865]

Winner winner chicken dinner ( as my daughter often says ).

Right?!
I met the muzzle loader club guy as well. First thing out of his mouth was "if you need powder or caps. we have a Sutlery and buy in bulk. Can't help you with the rounds, but I'm sure someone in the club could." Score!
He thought they had 9 or 10 lbs. of Swiss FFg, as well as Schuetzen and RWS musket caps, which would really be slick.
I've heard the "winner winner, chicken diner" too, Ozzyman reviews. The guy is hilarious!

 

[dave951]

Right?!
I met the muzzle loader club guy as well. First thing out of his mouth was "if you need powder or caps. we have a Sutlery and buy in bulk. Can't help you with the rounds, but I'm sure someone in the club could." Score!
He thought they had 9 or 10 lbs. of Swiss FFg, as well as Schuetzen and RWS musket caps, which would really be slick.
I've heard the "winner winner, chicken diner" too, Ozzyman reviews. The guy is hilarious!

Glad to hear it worked. The tang/breech area is where most repops have horrible bedding and just by torquing the tang screw, the groups will wander all over the place and get bigger too.

Now you're into a source of powder, get a plenty and have a ball.

 

[Stantheman86]

Put a Birmingham produced Parker-Hale on your "needs" list, any type, the Musketoons are always for sale on GunBroker.

These are the Rolls-Royce of Rifle-Muskets, they will spoil you. Progressive Rifling like the originals, nice triggers, some people bed them but they usually need nothing. I have 2 Musketoons and a P53, they are all tack drivers.

The Musketoons are really nice handling rifles and they will reach out as far as you would realistically need. They seem like they shoot well with everything.

 

[Mooney 78865]

Nothing major to report, still working through different loads and rounds.
But! I did take "Bubba" (my wife) to the range for the first time to fire the Enfield. She thought it was a blast! She was "pinging" the steel target at 100 yards after about 3-4 rounds and doing her own loading after about 5. Turns out she's a bit of a hog. I had 40 rounds lubed up and she shot probably 30. Still, better (cheaper) then the Kel Tec! She'll do 100 rounds through that in 10 minutes...