New Squirrel rifle

[Cajun72]

Well I acquired a new squirrel rifle.
A build from old parts? Nice bore, with crisp rifling. It's .36 caliber, barrel is 39 inches long. Has weight but not too bad. The lop is at 12 inches wish it was longer. Buttstock looks kind of small. Name on lock Truitt Bros maybe? Letters gone and too worn to read. Thoughts?

 

[TDM]

I'm no authority but it looks nice to me, I like the lines and patchbox. How does the bore look?

 

[Salty Cracker]

I like it.

 

[snakebit]

Load her up and let her talk to ya. If she shoots as good as she looks you're in business.

 

[Banjoman]

 

[Cajun72]

Update, I took the previous owners word on the bore size. Looks like barrel has some run out, bore is decent for its age. I used my bore gauge and it shows about .40 on the lands and .41 in the grooves.
So now I need a bullet mould. Should I try a .390?

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

That looks like it could be an antique original. Congrats!

You can use a ball-end small hole gauge down in the bore a few inches to get a more accurate bore measurement, down to .001". Sometimes the bore/rifling have been worn at the muzzle from years of loading.

Ballmoulds.com offer custom round ball molds, built to the thousandth of an inch. I have bought several from them for different antique pieces of odd sizes. I have always been satisfied with their products.

I hope she shoots as good as she looks!

 

[reddogge]

I'd try a .390 first. Wear a heavy coat to take up the short pull.

 

[M.Cain]

Well I acquired a new squirrel rifle.
A build from old parts? Nice bore, with crisp rifling. It's .36 caliber, barrel is 39 inches long. Has weight but not too bad. The lop is at 12 inches wish it was longer. Buttstock looks kind of small. Name on lock Truitt Bros maybe? Letters gone and too worn to read. Thoughts?

NICE

 

[Mike in FL]

Update, I took the previous owners word on the bore size. Looks like barrel has some run out, bore is decent for its age. I used my bore gauge and it shows about .40 on the lands and .41 in the grooves.
So now I need a bullet mould. Should I try a .390?

Aren't .390 balls available? Just thinking you might want avoid casting.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Get the balls first to be certain of the proper bore size. The ball end gauges shown by @Dusty_Traveler are quite valuable for bore measurements. Being able to measure the bore is one of the most important means to get the best performance from your rifle. For far too many years I carried around an Ed Rayle false muzzled 36 caliber marked barrel. I never felt the need to measure it until I finally built a rifle and when I loaded that 0.350 ball, it was so loose it practically fell to the breech. Now I had to chew myself out for failing to do the measuring that I really knew that I should have done.

Yes, buy some 0.390" balls and some 0.395" balls. I'd try the 0.018" cotton drill cloth. Find out what your rifle likes. There's plenty of time to get the proper sized mold.

 

[ETipp]

Nice looking rifle you got yourself there. Congrats to you.

Personally, I think the LOP might not be much of as factor. Just have to test it and see. Not much you can do about it anyway other than clothing or a makeshift pad, eh?

 

[bassncrap]

Now that is a nice rifle!!!

 

[hanshi]

That's a great looking rifle. This type of rifle is meant to be fired off the upper arm just on the "outside" of the shoulder ball rather than the inside. Any kind of pad, coat for example, or a pad can be worked up for the buttstock. With the butt plate padded out enough it could be made to work firing off the shoulder.

 

[Cajun72]

Well casted some .390 balls was going to try this old gal out. Unfortunately the lock broke. Can anyone recommend someone to repair my lock? Looks like it was hand made.
Thanks

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

Tom at Log Cabin Shop.