Well, after a month of anxious waiting, I finally got my new pistol this past Thursday. I had picked out all the parts, sent them to my buddy, John Pruitt in Tennessee, and he sent me back a one-of-a-kind shootin' iron. I decided on a .62 caliber smoothbore so I could shoot both PRB and shot. With that pesky work thing getting in the way, I wasn't able to shoot it until yesterday.
This morning, Sunday, I was fixing breakfast and watched a gray squirrel run across the patio and up on a mulberry tree just in front of the kitchen. Seeing a prime opportunity to break in my gun, I was torn. He was plenty close enough for a shot but would he still be there by the time I got out all my black powder supplies, measured powder and shot, stuffed everything down the barrel and ran outside to pull the trigger? I pondered the situation for a few minutes and finally decided to "seize the day". I turned off the waffle iron, went through the loading process (Simon Kenton I am not) and ran out the door hoping for the best.
Of course, by the time I got out there, he wasn't anywhere to be found...for a bit. I finally spotted him bouncing around in a small white oak at the north end of the house. Donned in my sweatpants and house slippers, I sneaked to the edge of the porch and waited for a shot opportunity. When I finally saw him again, he way lying flat on a limb trying to hide. The distance was about 15 yards. I put powder in the pan, steadied my aim and pulled the trigger - nothing! There was flash in the pan but no boom. The gun was still dirty from yesterday's shooting! I quickly wiped out the pan with my finger, poured some more powder in and pulled back the hammer. By now, the squirrel was onto my game and had jumped into a nearby persimmon tree. I waited for him to stop and then put my sights on his head. This time when I pulled the trigger, I was rewarded with an explosion, a cloud of smoke and the satisfying "thump" as my prize fell out of the tree and hit the ground. A team of the best plastic surgeons could not remove the smile from my face! The shot distance, again, was about 15 yards.
I used 40 grains of FFF powder, 1 overpowder card, 1/4" lubed wad, 3/4 ounce #6 chilled lead shot and an overshot card. The pistol has a 12" octagon-to-round barrel and a large Siler lock. The stock is walnut with osage trim. The furniture is homemade and it has a brass ramrod and ramrod tube.
Darren
This morning, Sunday, I was fixing breakfast and watched a gray squirrel run across the patio and up on a mulberry tree just in front of the kitchen. Seeing a prime opportunity to break in my gun, I was torn. He was plenty close enough for a shot but would he still be there by the time I got out all my black powder supplies, measured powder and shot, stuffed everything down the barrel and ran outside to pull the trigger? I pondered the situation for a few minutes and finally decided to "seize the day". I turned off the waffle iron, went through the loading process (Simon Kenton I am not) and ran out the door hoping for the best.
Of course, by the time I got out there, he wasn't anywhere to be found...for a bit. I finally spotted him bouncing around in a small white oak at the north end of the house. Donned in my sweatpants and house slippers, I sneaked to the edge of the porch and waited for a shot opportunity. When I finally saw him again, he way lying flat on a limb trying to hide. The distance was about 15 yards. I put powder in the pan, steadied my aim and pulled the trigger - nothing! There was flash in the pan but no boom. The gun was still dirty from yesterday's shooting! I quickly wiped out the pan with my finger, poured some more powder in and pulled back the hammer. By now, the squirrel was onto my game and had jumped into a nearby persimmon tree. I waited for him to stop and then put my sights on his head. This time when I pulled the trigger, I was rewarded with an explosion, a cloud of smoke and the satisfying "thump" as my prize fell out of the tree and hit the ground. A team of the best plastic surgeons could not remove the smile from my face! The shot distance, again, was about 15 yards.
I used 40 grains of FFF powder, 1 overpowder card, 1/4" lubed wad, 3/4 ounce #6 chilled lead shot and an overshot card. The pistol has a 12" octagon-to-round barrel and a large Siler lock. The stock is walnut with osage trim. The furniture is homemade and it has a brass ramrod and ramrod tube.
Darren
