ON TARGET

[Zonie]

I accidently posted this in the wrong place so I'll try again:
I stopped by my local gun store the other day and while there I noticed they had a magazine called "ON TARGET" and the price was FREE. Now believe it or not, I don't pick up everything that is free but this issue lists most of the Black Powder Rifles on the market today complete with MSRPs.
The issue I'm refering to is the Oct/Nov 2003 one.
Next time you stop by your friendly Gun Store you might look to see if a copy is there.

Oh, they list the "1803 Lewis & Clark Harpers Ferry" under "Navy Arms" as a .54 cal smoothbore. I was under the assumption that the gun Lewis & Clark carried was a Rifle made at Harpers Ferry and it was the rifleing that gave it the accuracy that impressed the Indians so much. (They were already familure with the French and British smoothbores accuracy)
Comments?

 

[musketman]

First off, their ad...
1803 Harpers Ferry Rifle, .54 Caliber
The first U.S. issue rifle, the model 1803 was carried by Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery on their famous expedition exploring the Western Frontier. This replica features a browned half round, half octagon barrel, color case hardened lock and polished brass furniture.35" barrel, 50.5" overall length, .530 round ball, 8 lb. 8 oz.

This reproduction features a European walnut half-stock with satin finish, 29 1/2" long with 3 3/4" drop and 14" trigger pull. Browned barrel is .54 caliber, 35 1/2" long, octagon 1 1/16" to 15/16" round, button rifled .006" deep, 1-66" twist, 8 lands measure .540" and 8 grooves measure .552".

It might be classified as a rifled musket, nevertheless, it's rifled.

 

[Zonie]

Musketman: I guess that raises credibility issues with ON TARGETs Black Powder Rifle listings as they say under the rifleing column "N/A" for the 1803 rifle. Then again, this magazine articles author admits freely he is in to the In Line guns so maybe he thinks something slower than 1:28 isn't really rifleing

.

Now I wonder how long it will be before Navy Arms recreates the Lewis & Clark Pneumatic Gun that amazed the indians even more than the 1803 rifle did?

 

[Randy]

The Navy Arms 1803 Harpers Ferry is a rifled gun like Musketman said. However it is not likely Lewis and Clark carried one. They were at Harpers Ferry in May and the 1803 didn't go into production until November that year. They did have 1803 locks fitted to their rifles and some replacement parts for these along on their journey. What they probably got at Harpers Ferry was the 1794 contract rifle. It was a fullstock with a 42" barrel of 49 cal. These were fitted with the 1803 lock and patch-box. They were rifled but I don't know the twist offhand. Some of the civilian members of the group brought their own kentucky and Penn. style rifles along.

Horse Dr.