Shooting original Longrifles

[Steve Boyleston]

At 58 years old I haver been around longrifles for 41 years. I have seen and owned many original Kentuckies. Over the years I have shot many of them. I always take the breech plug out clean the threads and wire brush the bore around 2 hours to get it in shooting order. I know many collectors and most all say do not shoot the original rifles. I say if there is no major pitting or loose breech plug then have fun with an old rifle. I have a Peter Smith of Union Co. Pa 1830 percussion. It is as tight as the day it was made, and shoots perfectly. I do not overload any rifle as there is no need. alot of them have really worn almost smooth rifling and shoot great- I will tell you that you don't need all the new lands and grooves to shoot accurate. The Peter Smith is a real fine rifle with 21 Silver inlays, 12 stipe to inch Maple, great all the way around, and I would bet Ole Peter would think its great 170 years later his rifle is doing what he intended, I will tell you this also- when you show up at a Shoot with the real deal people are usually in awe. Now don't ya'll sit there and read this eating Fried chicken add a comment so we know what you think- as always The Great Pinyone has Spoken.

 

[Little Wattsy]

Never touched one and I understand the "collector mentality" of protect at all cost BUT....
I suspect a that both the tool and the tool maker know full joy when that tool is used as it was intended.
Shoot and enjoy! :hatsoff:

 

[varsity07840]

Originals I shoot.

1816 Springfield flint-relined
1841 Mississippi relined .58 cal
1842 Springfield rifled, relined
1863 Springfield
Westley Richards percussion stalking rifle 16 bore 1835 +or-
.69 cal percussion plains rifle

All but the plains rifle have taken whitetails.

Duane

 

[Robby]

It is your rifle, you should be able to do what you want with it.
The even Greater, Robby!

 

Pinyone,
I agree with both mind sets.Some antiques are not suitable to be fired and should be admired for their Historic and artistic value. Others that are deemed to be safe to fire, after proper and considered inspection, should be allowed to speak again. We in the "Association of Ohio Longrifle Collectors" display our firearms, write books about them and use them for educational purposes. We also hold a shoot every August, that includes contemporary arms, that is geared to Ohio made originals. We have found them to be accurate and reliable to say nothing of the fun we enjoy. For the last 3 years we have had an average of 20 original rifles on the line.
Mark :thumbsup:

 

[Dphar]

The problem with shooting flint guns is vent errosion if used much.
And I have trust issues with the barrels.

Dan

 

[Darkgael]

a Peter Smith of Union Co. Pa 1830 percussion.

Got pictures by any chance?
Pete

 

[PreglerD]

Hello from Germany!

I agree full with your opinion. When the rifle is in a good condition why not shooting it. I have a original eastern tennessee longrifle smoothbore which I reconverted to flint and shoot it both with ball and shot.

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[Steve Boyleston]

Hey Papa, I love the Ohio rifles. I had an ole friend who had an amazing Collection of Ohio Rifles-Forest Tilton. He was a funny caractor if ever was one. We has many afternoon and night looking at his rifles. I was lucky to know him, The Great Pintone

 

[Steve Boyleston]

Kirrmeister- where did you get a Tennessee Rifle in Germany, you must have the only one. Cross the Ocean sometime and come on over and get in the hills. Did you do the reconversion yourself? Good to know we have Black Powder shooters in Germany. You should be able to find some good Jeagers over there, the Great Pinyone

 

Pinyone,
You knew one great person. He was a member of our organization for many years and remained active even after he and Mary retired to Florida. After his death hie Mary graciously allowed us to auction off "most" of his collection over a period of several years and I can say I am lucky enough to have a couple of them in my collection now. He was a most gracious gentleman, and a nice guy, and we have named a distinguished service award after him of which I have been privileged to recieve one. I don't know where you hail from but you should try to join us here in central Ohio in August for the shoot.
Mark

 

[JayDee Flohr]

The Peter Smith is a real fine rifle with 21 Silver inlays, 12 stipe to inch Maple, great all the way around,

I'm thinking photos of this and other guns you have talked about are in order. :thumbsup:

And yes, I've shot them and am not afraid of them.

 

Fossil,
I'm just now packing a few of them for our annual gathering in Marietta where we will have between 300-400 on display this weekend. I'd be glad to send some pics, to someone who can post them, after I get home. If someone has a specific maker or county that they'd like to see. let me know. If I don't have one I'm certain that one of the fellows will.
Mark

 

[JayDee Flohr]

My response was to the original poster, but heck ya! Gun pics from anyone are always great to see! :thumbsup:

 

[PreglerD]

Kirrmeister- where did you get a Tennessee Rifle in Germany, you must have the only one. Cross the Ocean sometime and come on over and get in the hills. Did you do the reconversion yourself? Good to know we have Black Powder shooters in Germany. You should be able to find some good Jeagers over there, the Great Pinyone

Hi Great Pinyone!

I found it at a auction house here in munich and bought it. I showed already several pics and a guy told me it must me a eastern tennesse poor boy. It had a percussion lock which didn't fit the mortise completely. I measured the mortise, ordered a L&R early english flintlock from the Log Cabin Shop, Lodi/OH, brought all to my gunmaker and he put the parts in. The gun is a .54/28ga and shots well both with Rb and shot.

If you give me your email-adress I'll send a pic.

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[M Kuhn]

I have shot many originals, Rifles, smoothbores and revolvers.
When I first started shooting black powder back in the 70's it was usually cheaper to fix up a neglected original than it was to buy a new replica. They generally shoot quite well. Some don't and it's a roll of the dice.
I have had originals in odd calibers .33 or .25 and .38 with some surprising twist rates 1-33, 1-40 etc.
I still shoot some originals and the way I see it in 100 more years I will just be another chapter in the guns history and whoever has it in their collection is not going to care one whit whether I shot it or not.

 

I'd be glad to send some pics, to someone who can post them, ..

With all due respect, anyone who can load and shoot a muzzleloader should be able to post some friggin photos. Get a FREE photobucket.com account, upload the photos, then post a link to them. That's all there is to it.

 

[rabjr]

I'd be glad to send some pics, to someone who can post them, ..

With all due respect, anyone who can load and shoot a muzzleloader should be able to post some friggin photos. Get a FREE photobucket.com account, upload the photos, then post a link to them. That's all there is to it.

Knock it off, with all due respect. Some of the older crowd just don't grasp all this space age stuff like a lot of us do and can barely use the key board. Hell I didn't get a cell phone until two years ago and still can't use most of the features. :shake:

 

I'd be glad to send some pics, to someone who can post them, ..

With all due respect, anyone who can load and shoot a muzzleloader should be able to post some friggin photos. Get a FREE photobucket.com account, upload the photos, then post a link to them. That's all there is to it.

Some of the older crowd just don't grasp all this space age stuff like a lot of us do and can barely use the key board.

That's a little condescending and insulting to the "older crowd", don't you think? I give everyone more credit than that. I think they just haven't tried it.

Photobucket is less complicated than setting up an email account, which I'm sure everyone on here has.

 

[rabjr]

I'd be glad to send some pics, to someone who can post them, ..

With all due respect, anyone who can load and shoot a muzzleloader should be able to post some friggin photos. Get a FREE photobucket.com account, upload the photos, then post a link to them. That's all there is to it.

Some of the older crowd just don't grasp all this space age stuff like a lot of us do and can barely use the key board.

That's a little condescending and insulting to the "older crowd", don't you think? I give everyone more credit than that. I think they just haven't tried it.

Photobucket is less complicated than setting up an email account, which I'm sure everyone on here has.

Some people just don't want to do that, so leave him a lone. And no it's not condescending and insulting to the "older crowd", if they are anything like me, they hate the damn things. I'd go back to the 70's in a heart beat which was a much simpler time and I didn't need to hear you try so hard to become a moderator.