The new rammer!

[Britsmoothy]

Warning! Contains non historically correct content!

Well lazy loading drill as in not adding grease cookies at regular intervals resulted in the tradition that is Pedersoli and the rammer breaking.
It broke a couple of years ago but my repair stayed good. This time it went else where and it was time for change.

This is where many will cringe....I ordered a meter length of 8mm delrin rod and fitted the original ends.
It's a bit wobbly but it works.

Only two shots today in anger. First shot at a runner and I was behind it. Second was a sitter.
Powder today was 1f, equal volume under 1&1/4oz.

B.

 

[CapnJack]

Britsmoothy,
Just thinking...(Ouch!)
Why couldn't I use my smooth bore matchlock as a shotgun?
The barrel is/was an unfinished 20GA. from Numrich Arms.
What kind of a load would you suggest and how do you load it?

 

[Britsmoothy]

Britsmoothy,
Just thinking...(Ouch!)
Why couldn't I use my smooth bore matchlock as a shotgun?
The barrel is/was an unfinished 20GA. from Numrich Arms.
What kind of a load would you suggest and how do you load it?

Use it friend. I have been tempted often to get a matchlock. I would of got this rabbit today no problem, well apart from the wind maybe blowing the prime away!

Just try a an ounce of shot on an equal volume of powder.
If you have no conventional wadding use paper scrunched up in a ball but watch for fires!

 

[Rat]

So, does the rod fit in the gun, in the thimbles? Not a "carry along". ?? If so good job. Probably looks good, if not "correct".

I would love to have a matchlock, never have fired one, but in all the videos I've seen it looks like they have very fast lock time. I would like one that would be much slimmer and trimmer and lighter than the very traditional one's I've seen, maybe having the lines of a later period gun, but also retaining much of the matchlock look. I don't believe the wind would blow the prime away any faster or worse than a flintlock, and as we know, that's not an issue on a flinter. Don't think it would be on a matchlock.

 

[Britsmoothy]

So, does the rod fit in the gun, in the thimbles? Not a "carry along". ?? If so good job. Probably looks good, if not "correct".

I would love to have a matchlock, never have fired one, but in all the videos I've seen it looks like they have very fast lock time. I would like one that would be much slimmer and trimmer and lighter than the very traditional one's I've seen, maybe having the lines of a later period gun, but also retaining much of the matchlock look. I don't believe the wind would blow the prime away any faster or worse than a flintlock, and as we know, that's not an issue on a flinter. Don't think it would be on a matchlock.

Yes buddy, it fits the thimbles.

I missed a chance on a lightly constructed matchlock a few months ago....and it was cheap!

 

[Carbon 6]

This is where many will cringe....I ordered a meter length of 8mm delrin rod and fitted the original ends.
It's a bit wobbly but it works.

.

I died a little inside when I read that. A sad day.

 

[CapnJack]

Rat,
Here is my matchlock. I patterned the stock after a Kentucky Rifle. And a t 6 lbs. it's about the lightest thing in my safe.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Rat,
Here is my matchlock. I patterned the stock after a Kentucky Rifle. And a t 6 lbs. it's about the lightest thing in my safe.
View attachment 7806 View attachment 7807

That looks awesome to me. I would never be able to make something as good as that!
Now you have me all a worked up again for one.....

 

[Britsmoothy]

I died a little inside when I read that. A sad day.

I did warn you cousin

 

[tenngun]

I did warn you cousin

‘Oh the humanity!!! ‘ oh the horror’.
Hold it here, just thinking a minute, This is your gun right? I mean you bought it and it being the UK followed all the laws? It works for you? Well then good show ol’ man, glad you got something that works for you.

 

[Rat]

Oh I like that Jack. Six pounds is way light, I only have one rifle that light, and it's an unmentionable type of rifle. What caliber is it? How long is the barrel? Looks like it's patterned after a Japanese gun, loosely, but kind of free style? Nice.

 

[CapnJack]

Rat, go to, "Pre- Flintlock" and look under, "Matchlock mech. Drawings". It's all there.

Sorry Bitsmoothy, didn't mean to hijack your thread.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Rat, go to, "Pre- Flintlock" and look under, "Matchlock mech. Drawings". It's all there.

Sorry Bitsmoothy, didn't mean to hijack your thread.

No problem, crack on

 

[Howie1968]

Warning! Contains non historically correct content!

Well lazy loading drill as in not adding grease cookies at regular intervals resulted in the tradition that is Pedersoli and the rammer breaking.
It broke a couple of years ago but my repair stayed good. This time it went else where and it was time for change.

This is where many will cringe....I ordered a meter length of 8mm delrin rod and fitted the original ends.
It's a bit wobbly but it works.

Only two shots today in anger. First shot at a runner and I was behind it. Second was a sitter.
Powder today was 1f, equal volume under 1&1/4oz.
View attachment 7779
B.

that's a beautiful rifle! and some great eating. Great job

 

[Ames]

that's a beautiful rifle! and some great eating

How long do you recommend he simmer that delrin before he serves it up? Keep in mind he already mentioned how tender it is.

 

[BlackHillsBob]

I like rods like the brits. however i put guides on them. about 25 years ago i went to the state of n.dak museum on the capital grounds. they had two guns i was really inpressed with first one shouldnt be talked about here. it a colt saa with about 12 notches on the handle. it was taken off a really bad dude who men hung in the badlands back in the day. the other gun is what this site would like to see. it was a real hawken rife about 70 cal with a very very heavy barrel. the gun was in perfect shape except for the muzzle. it was used to shoot buffalo by a buffalo hunter. it was way to heavy to hold to the shoulder and had to be shot from a cross stick.the muzzle had several grooves in the sides of the muzzle from a grimy wooded ramrod. how they got the gun to shoot and hit anything with that muzzle is anybodys opinion or guess. after i saw that and made a range rod it always had a bore guide on it. i know their barrels were quite soft as to days barrels are not. the whole gun was in very good shape except the muzzle.

 

[Rifleman1776]

8mm delrin rod and fitted the original ends.
It's a bit wobbly but it works.

No need to apologize for using Delrin. The safety factor with that material outweighs all the 'not pc' arguments. BTW, a light sanding will take off the shiny finish and make it look more natural in the rifle. And, nice hunt. Keep the posts coming.

 

[Juice Jaws]

This is where many will cringe....I ordered a meter length of 8mm delrin rod and fitted the original ends.
It's a bit wobbly but it works.

Its a good thing you didn't do that in Salem Massachusetts a few hundred years ago.

 

[Patocazador]

Brit's on the right track. I replaced almost all of my ramrods with delrin, fiberglass, or brass after almost impaling my arm with a piece of crappy hickory from a factory gun.
I have an O/U .50 cal. rifle that came with an aluminum rod.

 

[Carbon 6]

Oh sad, so, so, sad.