I got me a Cap Gun .

[DuncNZ]

A year ago I sold my Uberti Hawken and have sort of regretted it ever since , later on I found 16 tins of Remington no 11 caps which had hidden themselves in my workshop . I was unsure whether to sell them or not . Last week I got a call from a friend who was selling all his black powder rifles , so I had to have a look . He had a custom made .54 Leman Trade rifle for sale at a very reasonable price , so I couldn't resist , My 3 flintlock rifles are all copies based on Lancaster county made rifles , and Leman had his shop in Lancaster county . The Leman was a more common rifle in the RMFT and in Indian hands than the legendary Hawken . So I just had to have it .
It is an Iron mounted .54 , with a proper striped maple stock , no faux stripes but I can't complain . and no cap box which I wouldn't use any way ,the barrel is 31" long and 1" across the flats, it has square cut rifling . So it is a hefty little fellow .
I took it to the range yesterday and after spending an hour getting the hardened protective grease out of the barrel and drum I managed to get a few shots at 50 meters , I shot 3 shots with 50 gr 3f into 2" and 3 with 70 gr 3f into 2½" , then quit as the back sight v is just too small for me to see properly , I will need to open it up quite a lot . The rear sight is a buck horn with really big horns , which I just cant bring myself to like ,so that will have to go some time ,

 

[Stykbow]

That sure is a good lookin’ rifle. Hope you enjoy it.

 

[VA Hawken]

Nice rifle!

 

[Rod Man]

Nice! Now go busta a few caps and make some smoke!!!

RM

 

[Colonial Boy]

Congratulations, that should serve you well, looks real good.

 

[SDSmlf]

The rear sight is a buck horn with really big horns , which I just cant bring myself to like ,so that will have to go some time

I have de-horned more than one buckhorn sight. Make it so it works for you.

 

[Slinginslugs]

That is a good looking rifle!

 

[DuncNZ]

I have de-horned more than one buckhorn sight. Make it so it works for you.

I will certainly do that , I have a collection of sights in a tin in the workshop and they all have bigger bases . I have a Cherry Corners Hawken sight unused and I may just file that one to fit . First thing to do is open up the V and try that , then pick the actual sight I will use .

 

[Pukatea Bay Boy]

Kia Ora Dunc, beaut rifle. Looking to catching up on the range.
That's really great rifle Matua.

 

[UndeadPoet]

She’s a beaut, mate!

 

[hanshi]

Wow! I'd be proud to own that rifle.

 

[Dixie Flinter]

Great looking Leman Trade Rifle. Super nice wood, too!

 

[DuncNZ]

Thanks for the nice comments , I have been sitting in front of the fire , it is winter here in the South Pacific , rubbing the stock down with a very small amount of artists grade linseed oil , I just tip the bottle against my palm and rub that amount of oil into the stock until it is all gone , then keep rubbing for another hour or so , I do this to all my rifles and it gives a nice deep soft shine to the wood , I do this every night for a month or so . I have shot the Leman with a 530 round ball , a 10 thou patch lubed with Dutch Schoultz's dry patch method using a 1/5 Ballistol /water mix and 70gr Schutzen powder .I am getting 50meter 3 shot groups averaging about 1½" , some load tinkering will hopefully get this down a bit .

 

[Pukatea Bay Boy]

Nice Shootin Dunc.
Really good.