Shooting the New Trade Gun

[TDM]

Thread 'Clay Smith Trade Gun Build'
Clay Smith Trade Gun Build

Here it is.

 

[TDM]

It's hard to keep up on your builds !

I agree!

 

[TDM]

Tom any progress in getting it sighted in ?

Yes, by raising up a little and seeing more of the barrel top it’s not hitting nearly as low. But since I have a bunch of old rear sights lying around I’m planning to grind most of one down for just the barest minimum of a rear sight. Hoping that will help consistency.

 

[TDM]

It's hard to keep up on your builds !

Your very correct, I forgot about posting the separate thread on the finished gun. Old age creeping in…

Thread 'The Trade Gun is Finished'
The Trade Gun is Finished

 

[PathfinderNC]

Yes, by raising up a little and seeing more of the barrel top it’s not hitting nearly as low. But since I have a bunch of old rear sights lying around I’m planning to grind most of one down for just the barest minimum of a rear sight. Hoping that will help consistency.

Some of the challenging fun I have with my Fusil is to learn to shoot it with just it's front sight. I'm learning and getting it, albeit slowly. A smoothbore PRB can be very effective at 50 or more yards.
Try doing some flying clays next and you'll see how fun they are!

 

[TDM]

Some of the challenging fun I have with my Fusil is to learn to shoot it with just it's front sight. I'm learning and getting it, albeit slowly. A smoothbore PRB can be very effective at 50 or more yards.
Try doing some flying clays next and you'll see how fun they are!

I agree, I haven’t put the effort into finding out what mine wants yet, but I’m working on it. They are fun to shoot!

 

[WALT53]

Thread 'Clay Smith Trade Gun Build'
Clay Smith Trade Gun Build

Here it is.

Gees TDM that was back in May and you expect us ole farts to remember that far back with all the stuff that we looking at .I forget mine and it was in October lol and keeping up with all Rob’s builds the old top knot ain’t what it use to be sorry .And you didn’t post that many pics of your gun when finished and all together lol just jerking your chain .We gotta keep that Rob guy going he’s thinking of quitting and I don’t like that idea very much at all .He helps keep our interest up and our Witt’s about us and he’s interesting and funny at times .So we have to show an interest so he doesn’t get that idea in his head again .

 

[TDM]

Gees TDM that was back in May and you expect us ole farts to remember that far back with all the stuff that we looking at .I forget mine and it was in October lol and keeping up with all Rob’s builds the old top knot ain’t what it use to be sorry .And you didn’t post that many pics of your gun when finished and all together lol just jerking your chain .We gotta keep that Rob guy going he’s thinking of quitting and I don’t like that idea very much at all .He helps keep our interest up and our Witt’s about us and he’s interesting and funny at times .So we have to show an interest so he doesn’t get that idea in his head again .

I didn't remember most of it either. Was like looking at someone else's build!

 

[Rob M.]

The only shot size I currently have is #6. But that was patterning ok at 25 yards with 60 grs 2F-fiber wad-80 grs shot-nitro card. So there’s still many combinations to try. I just need to get it and try them. Also thinking about making a small, simple V rear sight to install and try out.

Ive loved a rear sight on all my personal trade guns . Ive shot targets at ranges consistently at 75 and 100 yards with a rear sight smoothbore trade gun but NOW ..... I'm.wearing bi focals !! And I can't hardly see that rear sight ! and I doubt its ever going to get better ! LOL ....d@mn ... Gonna have to try the no rear sight thingy soon me thinks .....d@mn .....meh :/

 

[WALT53]

Ive loved a rear sight on all my personal trade guns . Ive shot targets at ranges consistently at 75 and 100 yards with a rear sight smoothbore trade gun but NOW ..... I'm.wearing bi focals !! And I can't hardly see that rear sight ! and I doubt its ever going to get better ! LOL ....d@mn ... Gonna have to try the no rear sight thingy soon me thinks .....d@mn .....meh :/

TDM okay your off the hook for pictures of the gun but you better get over the lazies and get some of you shooting it at least.Wait till Rob finds out there’s gonna be the odd day he can’t see the front sight either .lol
Me thinks he’s not gonna be a happy camper but that should be about 10
years maybe less .Theres to many posts about your build that’s why I forgot it’s not my bad memory lol .I shoot 45 grains in both my smoothbores and shot just over 2 lbs of the good stuff I know some guys hear go through 3 times that .good luck and good shooting .

 

[PghDad]

Nice gun! Make sure you have a consistent cheek weild and site picture before you change the sites or bend the barrel. Looks like you have the horizontal placement on, just play with your site picture a bit to shoot higher. Now, I'm assuming you don't have a rear sight.

 

[Fatboyz]

Ive loved a rear sight on all my personal trade guns . Ive shot targets at ranges consistently at 75 and 100 yards with a rear sight smoothbore trade gun but NOW ..... I'm.wearing bi focals !! And I can't hardly see that rear sight ! and I doubt its ever going to get better ! LOL ....d@mn ... Gonna have to try the no rear sight thingy soon me thinks .....d@mn .....meh :/

I wear bifocal's too and can't see the rear site. I recently got multi focal contact lenses as I need them for martial arts (Thai Boxing) and I can actually shoot real well with open sites now! might be worth looking into?

 

[Rob M.]

I wear bifocal's too and can't see the rear site. I recently got multi focal contact lenses as I need them for martial arts (Thai Boxing) and I can actually shoot real well with open sites now! might be worth looking into?

Ah ! Very cool !/never heard of them .... Thanks , your awesome !

 

[Fatboyz]

Ah ! Very cool !/never heard of them .... Thanks , your awesome !

They're fairly new, I also have bad astigmatism. Mine are called a Multifocal Toric lens.

 

[springfield art]

Neat set-up! I love Trade Guns, and your photos are nice to see.

 

[Rob M.]

They're fairly new, I also have bad astigmatism. Mine are called a Multifocal Toric lens.

Thanks ! I have astigmatism too

 

[WALT53]

Ive loved a rear sight on all my personal trade guns . Ive shot targets at ranges consistently at 75 and 100 yards with a rear sight smoothbore trade gun but NOW ..... I'm.wearing bi focals !! And I can't hardly see that rear sight ! and I doubt its ever going to get better ! LOL ....d@mn ... Gonna have to try the no rear sight thingy soon me thinks .....d@mn .....meh :/

Ever try a peep sight they work pretty good for old blind shooters lol.

 

[Rob M.]

Ever try a peep sight they work pretty good for old blind shooters lol.

Not yet but , may come to that ......meh :/

 

[Hiverano]

GRRW a few of these guns, GRRW Collectors Association built only one NW Trade Gun (an H.E. Leman 1840's style copied from one seen in a museum). This gun was tested by Frontier-Gander (a member here) see video. This was the last gun built by Doc White, finished just a few months before his passing.

​

 

[TDM]

Did a fair amount of shooting today with both RBs and shot. Was extremely pleased with the rear sight I put on yesterday. It didn’t eliminate all of the low POI but came very close. A little filing on the front sight should finish the job. Experimented some, but she was happy with 60 grs of Swiss 3F, a .600 cast ball, and .018 pillow ticking. Used Mink oil for lube and Goex 4F for prime. Once I got the sight picture set it was quite good at 25 yards. I was pleased with my shot patterns, seemed to preform better with the 3F over the 2F I’ve used before. I was going to try the Skychief load but my bag of cushion wads was no where to be found!!! All I have in hand is #6 shot and it patterns consistently at 25 yards with just powder-nitro card-shot-thin card but I got the best results adding about 2 teaspoons of corn meal over the nitro card, then a thin card-shot-thin card. On the turkey targets I was averaging 14 hits with corn meal and 8 or 9 without. The gun performed great with no ignition problems. I’m still going to try the Skychief when I locate my cushion wads and also see how it patterns at 35 yards. Picked up a few of my patches, they could probably be used again.