First smoothie is almost ready to go!

[Kentuckywindage]

Have a few things left to do before i take her out for some fun. Have to replace a few worn wood screws and polish the bore. Just needs a little cleaning up.
I posted about this smoothie some months ago and i was told that it is called an African Trade Musket, .54cal smoothbore with a 51 1/4" barrel. Really a fun rifle. It will probably be another month or so before it goes out for target shooting.
Just finished redoing the stock, degreasing, scrubbing all the cruddy finish off the barrel,lock and stock. Got the lock working smoothly, frizzen sparks hot. Now i need some time to finish her up and go shootin!

 

[thewho66]

looks very good I like the new finish makes it look classy. I never did ask but how does the gun point?

 

[Mike Brooks]

looks very good I like the new finish makes it look classy. I never did ask but how does the gun point?

I predict it's going to kick like a mule, right under the cheek bone. :haha:
I'd give that thing a good proof before I shot it too. What caliber is it and what's it measure across the breech of the barrel?

 

[Kentuckywindage]

.54cal

I've shot it a handful of times before and i liked 70 grains 2f goex and a .018 pillow ticking patch and .530 ball. I have not shot any shot out of it yet. Should do fairly well with the long barrel loaded with shot.

4 1/2" groups @ 70 yards and it only uses the small shotgun style front bead sight.

You cheek would take a beating if you had a good stiff load, its not bad with my current round ball load.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

By chance what would be the time frame of this piece? It's another one that will not fit in my vault!! :wink:

 

[Kentuckywindage]

Ok i measured at the breech and its 3/4"

Not sure what year, i was told they were made from the mid/late 1800's and started again in the 1970's.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Ok i measured at the breech and its 3/4"

:shocked2: surely that's a typo....

 

[Kentuckywindage]

Nope, the barrel isn't wide at all. Even measured the same at the muzzle.

 

[Cmabie]

That musket was made in Belgium. They made them for thier African colonies as they did not want the native people to have modern firearms. Stoeger of N. Y. listed them with several other types in the catalogues years ago. A lot of the parts are left overs from 19th cenruy mukets and rifle musketrs.
:thumbsup:

 

[Parzifal]

That musket really cleaned up nice!!

Good job!

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

They were making these guns as late as the 1950s and importing them at that time. They were using up leftover parts from the 19th century and some new parts. They were generally considered to be wallhangers. A 3/4" .54 caliber would make one a wallhanger in my book. A .105 wall thickness at the breech would make me very nervous every time I touched it off.

 

[Mike Brooks]

A .105 wall thickness at the breech would make me very nervous every time I touched it off.

Me too. :shocked2: I wonder how well it's breeched. :hmm: Especially with a 70 gr load.
Modern barrel makers will only go as big as .40 in a 3/4" barrel.
I was over at the flea market at Friendship one year and one of the African bead dealers had a whole bundle of these things leaning against a tree. I was shocked at the thinness of the barrels, they looked like electrical conduit, and they were straight , not tapered. I can't imagine how you would breech something that thin. :shake:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Jonathan--you've done a fine job refinishing that musket. In fact I have never seen one look so good. But please be very careful shooting it. There isn't much safety margin built into that barrel and when it lets go it will be the same as having a grenade go off in your hand. I think you have the patience and talent to build yourself a fine gun from a quality parts set--one that you will be able to use without concern for many years to come. :thumbsup:

 

[robinghewitt]

I was shocked at the thinness of the barrels, they looked like electrical conduit

I forget which country it is only allows you a gun if it's a flintlock. The best barrel is the Landrover steering column, quality steel :thumbsup:

 

[Kentuckywindage]

Actually the best steel in a landrover are the buick nailhead v8's they still use :haha:

I'll be careful with the rifle. I'll possibly even switch to a thinner patch to lower the pressure in the barrel.

 

[tg]

". I can't imagine how you would breech something that thin"

I wonder if it is welded? there cannot be much romm for any threads. good luck with the gun it cleaned up nice as all have mantioned do be carefull, not trying to put the gun down but your safety is a genuine concern for all.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

You know, I'll have to take the barrel off tonight and take a look. It could very well be a welded BP.

 

[shootemup]

You sure did a nice job finishing that gun, shooter or not.

:hatsoff:

Spot

 

[catman]

A very nice stick for sure. Good job..