Hard Lessons Learned

[kodiakmarine]

Good advice, RedFeather. I remember early Hatfields being known as good shooters. - John

 

[Rifleman1776]

Sounds painful and expensive. It never occurred to me that a builder would trust his reputation to someone of lesser ability. Thanks for sharing. - John

Search the posts about Sitting Fox. :shocked2:

 

[bpd303]

Good advice, RedFeather. I remember early Hatfields being known as good shooters. - John

I have an early .54 percussion Hatfield mountain rifle and a later .45 Hatfield flintlock Kentucky. They are both good shooters.

Another hard lesson learned, always remove the ram rod from the bore before shooting. Never found that one. :grin:

 

[kodiakmarine]

Glad you didn't damage your trigger finger! I started blowing down the barrel my first trip to an ML range, just like Charlton Heston and Brian Keith in "The Mountain Men". The other club members quickly let me know that was a definite uh-uh :nono: . That could have really messed up my mustache! - John

 

[Wes/Tex]

That could have really messed up my mustache! - John

Amen...from the guy who's flashed off everything from his chin to a couple inches into his hairline twice! That's right, twice!! Even if you're not doing the muzzel puff thing, if you hold the gun vertically real close and pour powder without giving the smolderings a chance to burn out...POOF! Not good Kimosabe! Trust me, you look like Al Jolson in "black-face" and smell like a scorched poodle....

Actually, it's more like,

"POOF!"
"*@&#^$%!!!"
"Damn Wes, you alright?"
"Yes, *&@ ^%$# it!"
BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!" :wink: :rotf:

It's one tough thing to be a repeat-offender at! :haha:

 

[LaneC]

These things are great to know, and I appreciate yall sharing them.

 

[Artificer]

In the early 80’s when I first began doing UnCivil War, I did not have a percussion gun at all, just flintlocks. So I used my Brown Bess Carbine at first as a Confederate Marine. Fellow members in the Confederate Marines and 5th Alabama Bn. were downright surprised to find it was almost as sure fire as their Enfields.

However, at our third “Camp of Instruction” when we were doing a tactical, I unconsciously used it to “break my fall” as I had been taught to do with an M14 in the Marine Corps. Well, it broke my fall and not only cracked the wrist, but shattered it in pieces. I actually had to finish breaking the stock through the wrist and repaired it with two threaded brass rods through the wrist and used Accraglas to “glue” it all together. When finished, it was stronger by far than originally and even I could barely see where the “glue lines” were in the sunlight.

That taught me to be EXTREMELY careful when “taking a hit” in reenacting, about what I carried when taking a hit. Grin. Never again harmed a gun when taking a hit or even a reproduction Civil War snare drum I took a hit with once.
Gus

 

[Artificer]

Oh, one other lesson many of us had to learn -

"Shooter, if for better scores you thirst,
for Heaven's sake load the powder first."

Gus

 

[MSW]

my hardest lesson:

Type O positive makes a lousy wood stain...

:redface:

 

[Critter Getter]

I have an early mfg Hatfield 50 caliber percussion that shoots and looks lights out. I wouldn't trade it off for all the tea in China! Greg.

 

[Critter Getter]

Any chance you would want to part with that 45 flinter Hatfield? I would enjoy giving it a wonderful life at my farm!! Greg

 

[Billnpatti]

You are right about almost all bad experiences involving money or blood. However, I have had two experiences that involved neither blood nor money. Both involved unwanted tattoos. When I got my first unwanted tattoo, I managed that by sliding my hand back on the stock of my flintlock rifle so that I could rest my elbow against my side for a steadier hold (Yes, it is legal according to NMLRA regs.) In so doing, I managed to get my left pinky finger directly adjacent to the touch hole. When I fired, the jet of fire from the touch hole filled the tip of my finger with soot and microscopic flint bits. I quickly figured that I needed to turn my hand such that the forestock rested on the heel of my hand and my fingers were on the left side away from the pan. Lesson one learned.

My second unwanted tattoo came into being when I purchased some bulk nipples from a vendor in Friendship. He had all sorts of sizes in open trays and I read the label on one of the trays and picked out several nipples. I put one in an underhammer buggy rifle that I was building. It screwed in nicely and the rifle looked almost good enough to eat.....well, figuratively. I took it out to our club shoot and it was a delight to shoot until......about the 25th shot when the ill fitting nipple blew out. Fortunately, it missed my arm but the burned powder put several pinpoint black tattoos on that arm. I later figured out that the likely cause was that someone had put the wrong nipple in the wrong bin and I ended up with it. Another lesson learned. When buying parts, check to be sure that they are the correct ones.

 

[Patocazador]

I guess I did get a bit long winded. :v

My post was not intended to criticize your post's content or length. It was only to state that we all have so many hard lessons learned that the thread would be never-ending.

 

[bpd303]

Any chance you would want to part with that 45 flinter Hatfield? I would enjoy giving it a wonderful life at my farm!! Greg

Sorry, but it took me around ten years to find one I wanted. Although it had a few problems, which I was able to correct, it is a tack driver and I'm not planning to part with it any time soon.

 

[kodiakmarine]

No problem my friend. I hope you have a great time on the range this summer, and fall too. :thumbsup:

 

[kodiakmarine]

On the bright side, I'd much rather get one of those range tattoos than one you get at one of those parlors! :wink:

 

[kodiakmarine]

bpd303 and Critter Getter, I was a fool to sell that Hatfield . If I had just bought a new barrel for it, it would have been a fine shooter. Add a convertible lock and it would have been the perfect rifle! I'll never have a stock as gorgeous as that one again. - John

 

[Wes/Tex]

Never say never! :wink: :haha:

 

[Col. Batguano]

Never say never! :wink: :haha:

Always!

 

[kodiakmarine]

Did I say never? What I meant to say was it probably won't happen for a very long time, probably not before I'm in an iron lung with six or seven ivs, and the demons in hell are building snowmen, but I should never have said never! :surrender: