southern rifle,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[olskool]

this is a new to me flintlock. it is a southern rifle in 54 caliber. it was built by matt avance of TVM muzzle loading. it has a 38in swamped round bottom riffling barrel. it has a curly ash stock. the lock is a bob roller. I got it Thursday, I bought it from a nice member of the American long rifle forum.

and got mold today. I cast up some round balls. I shot it 5 times today off the bench at 50yds. 75gr. of 2f .535 RB with .018 pillow ticking and ballistol lube, and this is the group. I think it done good for starters,,,,,,,,,,

 

[smo]

Great looking rifle and a nice group!Congrats

 

[Ames]

Nice pictures. Dirty powder, but nice pictures. I like the curl on the fore end.

 

[olskool]

well the elephant in the room so the speak is just for looks. the powder I used was goex ole eynsford 2f,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[bldtrailer]

round rifleing use thick patching 10 oz denim .020 might work, you're off to a good start

 

[Ames]

I knew better. You just put a scare into me with that can.

 

[gabedard]

nicely crafted rifle and looks to be a shooter too!

 

[olskool]

round rifleing use thick patching 10 oz denim .020 might work, you're off to a good start

I am using ,018 ticking,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Kozmo]

What a great looking rifle! That Ash stock is beautiful!

 

[olskool]

 

[Notchy Bob]

That looks like a well-made rifle, and a real beauty, too. That Roller lock is like the cherry on top. Thanks for sharing!

I have a couple of cans of Elephant tucked away in storage. That way I'll never be completely out of powder...

Notchy Bob

 

[Ames]

That's putting them to good use. Tucked away.

 

[Notchy Bob]

That's putting them to good use. Tucked away.

Yup... If you never shoot it, you'll always have it, and never be completely out of powder.

Sort of like keeping a can of chopped liver in the cupboard... you're never going to eat it, which insures you'll never be completely out of food.

Now, back to that rifle, which is a real beauty...

Notchy Bob

 

[Yewbender]

Very nice, the curly ash is sweet!

 

[M. De Land]

this is a new to me flintlock. it is a southern rifle in 54 caliber. it was built by matt avance of TVM muzzle loading. it has a 38in swamped round bottom riffling barrel. it has a curly ash stock. the lock is a bob roller. I got it Thursday, I bought it from a nice member of the American long rifle forum. View attachment 30587View attachment 30588View attachment 30590and got mold today. I cast up some round balls. I shot it 5 times today off the bench at 50yds. 75gr. of 2f .535 RB with .018 pillow ticking and ballistol lube, and this is the group. I think it done good for starters,,,,,,,,,,

 

[M. De Land]

I love the color and style of your rifle and would like to make a recommendation to help it stay pristine! The grain run through the wrist is weak and needs to be reinforced with a hickory or even steel rod and glass bedding so it doesn't split out on you with any left side impact pressure. A good blow or even stout lean from the left side could blow out the wrist. The tang and trigger plate will give some reinforcement help but that grain run scares me on such a nice looking rifle.
I'd pull the barrel and bore down through the wrist grain then glass bed or Gorilla glue a 3/8-1/2 in hickory dowel into it. A steel rod could work as well but would have to be drilled to accommodate the tang screw and trigger plate screws. Steel or brass would add weight and might upset the balance so I'd probably defer to straight grain hickory dowel. Done properly it will never be seen and you won't have an expensive repair job in your future.

 

[olskool]

I love the color and style of your rifle and would like to make a recommendation to help it stay pristine! The grain run through the wrist is weak and needs to be reinforced with a hickory or even steel rod and glass bedding so it doesn't split out on you with any left side impact pressure. A good blow or even stout lean from the left side could blow out the wrist. The tang and trigger plate will give some reinforcement help but that grain run scares me on such a nice looking rifle.
I'd pull the barrel and bore down through the wrist grain then glass bed or Gorilla glue a 3/8-1/2 in hickory dowel into it. A steel rod could work as well but would have to be drilled to accommodate the tang screw and trigger plate screws. Steel or brass would add weight and might upset the balance so I'd probably defer to straight grain hickory dowel. Done properly it will never be seen and you won't have an expensive repair job in your future.

is the ash wood that fragile? or is it just because the way the grain is running?

 

[M. De Land]

is the ash wood that fragile? or is it just because the way the grain is running?

Its grain run with any wood even hickory in loading rods. Hickory is about as tough a wood as there is for ax handles and loading rods but the grain has to be straight and not run out to the side. The angular grain is not good any where on a rifle stock but especially so through the wrist as this is the weakest part of the stock. It will be fine though, properly reinforced. A hickory dowel bedded through the wrist works just like a limb growing through a piece of wood your trying to split with an axe. It's just about impossible to make it split with the grain run.

 

[olskool]

I have a model 141 remington with wood (walnut) with the grain running across the top just like this flintlock. it did exactly what you are saying. it popped right in the grain. I epoxied it and refinished the stock, it fit so good back together nobody could ever tell. I know what you are saying and I will strongly consider it. I was wanting to take the barrel out and check everything over anyway, now this could be a good excuse,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[olskool]

I had a hickory ramrod split on the grain one time as I was loading a flintlock, the sharp point came an inch from ramming through my hand.