Got bequeathed a muzzeloader, advice and help iding would be appreciated.

[bbqchef88]

Hello,
I was bequeathed a muzzleloader a while back. A bit of background on the person/people who owned it previously. They were profuse muzzleloader collectors and avid tinkerers/woodworkers. They made all sorts of stuff, turned out their own stocks, etc. They passed away, my friend got it, and gave me one. I checked the barrel for any markings, it looks like they stamped their initials and last name on it, and the caliber .54.

Some of it looks handmade/put together, other parts of it might be kludged together from a kit/various kits; I'm not sure. I was wondering if anyone has seen anything like this so I'd have a reference to go from for load sizes or replacement parts. I also have some concerns about seemingly non factory additions/quirks. Things that look handmade/threw on there is the front post sight, the nipple drum, the trigger/trigger guard. It also looks like a pin is missing from the plate that holds the lock/trigger mechanisms, but I'm not sure, I've never owned a firearm that was held together by pins through wood like this. Any advice on how to get info on shooting this would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[azmntman]

Looks nice, GOOD BUDDY ya got there. More will give there thoughts on what it is/was/could be. You plan on shooting it?

 

[64Springer]

It's certainly different.

Cherry wood I believe.

I like the trigger scallops.

 

[BoomStick]

Looks like a functional no-frills gun. Could be most everything, except the barrel, are home made. I'm not seeing anything that looks like a missing pin in the lock or trigger. The hole in the lock plate is probably the reverse side where the mainspring hooks to the plate on the inside.

 

[BoomStick]

Should also caution that the spare ramrod sticking out could mean there's a load in the barrel.

 

[bbqchef88]

Looks nice, GOOD BUDDY ya got there. More will give there thoughts on what it is/was/could be. You plan on shooting it?

YESSIR. I absolutely do plan on shooting it. Just wanted to get this thrown up here for people to check out incase there is something obvious indicating an issue that I don't see.

Should also caution that the spare ramrod sticking out could mean there's a load in the barrel.

Good callout, I'm going to shine a light down the nipple and take a photo of the bore to see if I can see anything.

 

[BoomStick]

Good callout, I'm going to shine a light down the nipple and take a photo of the bore to see if I can see anything.

You may not see much light through the nipple. Use the ramrod as a measuring stick...drop it all the way in, grab it right at the muzzle and then (keeping your fingers at the same spot on the rod) lay it along the outside of the barrel. The end should land right about the middle of the drum.

 

[bbqchef88]

So, I just did that and it it looks like the rod stops suspiciously far from the breech... which is extremely alarming. Great callout, ty for that.

Also, as a sidenote, why the hell would you keep this loaded

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

So, I just did that and it it looks like the rod stops suspiciously far from the breech... which is extremely alarming. Great callout, ty for that.

Also, as a sidenote, why the hell would you keep this loaded

Looking at the seam of the breach plug in that barrel it may or most likely has a patent breech. The ramrod will stop shy of the drum as it hits the threaded end of the breach plug. How far is "suspicious"?

If you hold the rifle upright and drop the ramrod in it. A load will result in a dull thunk sound, an empty has a shaper almost ringing sound as the ramrod bounces off the steel. Works best with a metal tipped ramrod.

 

[BoomStick]

So, I just did that and it it looks like the rod stops suspiciously far from the breech... which is extremely alarming. Great callout, ty for that.

Also, as a sidenote, why the hell would you keep this loaded

Sometimes you think you'll go back out in the next day or two, so shooting it to unload is extra cleaning. Things come up, people forget or get ill or whatever, so it goes on loaded for years...I would recommend you do not shoot a load that you did not do. Could be whatever in there. Pull the ball, or use compressed air, and clean it all out.

Myself I don't mind the mess (although my wife complains for hours about the smell) so I normally shoot at the end of the day, unless I am 100% certain I will go out the next day or two. I tell my family every gun is unloaded, and that's what I intend to keep.

 

[Kansas Jake]

An interesting gun. The architecture is a little clunky for my taste but I would also keep it if given to me. It has some “full stock Hawkenish” characteristics. It looks like a solid shooter.

 

[bbqchef88]

So I've gotten around to marking how far down the ramrod goes, this is it:

What do you all reckon, does this look loaded?

 

[Gtrubicon]

I would say no

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

I would say no as well. Looks like that's the end of the breach plug threads. Remove the nipple and blow some air through it for a final assesment.

 

[bbqchef88]

Awesome, thank you all for the feedback and the callouts, better be safe than sorry!