What Muzzleloading Stuff Did You Do Today?

[PathfinderNC]

Had a great several hours of black powder shooting with great friends at the rifle range today. I was using the Pecatonica Verner rifle I built last year. I got it where I like it at 50 yards and I am doing pretty well at 100 yards (all in the black) but oh how I can certainly improve!
dave951 has been a terrific shooting coach

 

[rudy43norvelle]

No today, but earlier this week I received my original 1842 model Percussion smoothbore musket that was made at Harpers Ferry in 1842.

 

[Jim K]

I went to Dixon’s today. First time I’ve ever been there.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Not today but Saturday I cut poles for my wedge tent. I only staked four corners so it's just loosely staked in this photo. I cut the vertical polls a little tall so it will stretch tight when I set it up next weekend at the Fall NMLRA Nationals.

 

[APG]

Melted some lead. Poured it into a minieball mold. Opened the mold and out pops a 510 grain minieball. Do it until you have enough.

 

[Griz44Mag]

The new Lee REAL (58cal-440gr) mold showed up today. So I scrub it down with alcohol, smoke it, lube it - and fire up the casting table.
The new mold is a dream to cast out of. I loaded and fluxed about 6# of 99.9 lead in the Lee 10# bottom pour. I fluxed it with plumbing solder flux.
It took about 30 minutes to get everything set up and hot. I like to run about 780-790 degrees for large molds, they fill out a lot better running hot.
I use a GE hot plate to pre-heat the molds, and my casting table has a sheet of 3/16 steel elevated above the tabletop.
I ran the pot dry, did not have a single bad bullet. Final count was 92 bullets. Casting time was about 45 minutes.
(92*440/7000=5.8 lbs.) I ran the new spawn across the scale and had less than .37% deviance. (My goal is 1%) Every bullet was shiny and fully filled out. Not a single wrinkle.
It was a very enjoyable afternoon! Tomorrow I will dip lube them, next Tuesday I'll find out if my .58 Pedersoli Safari double barrel rifle likes them.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Started the finish on a Sugar Maple stocked .36 Southern Mountain Rifle. I applied the dye-stain, hand buffing it and used a bit of Bone Black, and then wiped it down with a BLO sealer with lots more hand rubbing. Varnish to follow. It's a .36 caliber. I hope it is a great shooter!

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Made a goat horn powder measure.

 

[Griz44Mag]

Made a goat horn powder measure.
View attachment 93745View attachment 93747

That's one I have not seen done before. I like it!

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Thanks, the texture is pretty cool.

 

[toot]

Had a great several hours of black powder shooting with great friends at the rifle range today. I was using the Pecatonica Verner rifle I built last year. I got it where I like it at 50 yards and I am doing pretty well at 100 yards (all in the black) but oh how I can certainly improve!
dave951 has been a terrific shooting coach

where did that flyer come from? such a perfect group.

 

[toot]

Not today but Saturday I cut poles for my wedge tent. I only staked four corners so it's just loosely staked in this photo. I cut the vertical polls a little tall so it will stretch tight when I set it up next weekend at the Fall NMLRA Nationals.
View attachment 93014

I like WEDGE TENTS". nice, have fun at the event with it.

 

[toot]

Melted some lead. Poured it into a minieball mold. Opened the mold and out pops a 510 grain minieball. Do it until you have enough.

you have rely shiny Minnie balls!

 

[toot]

The new Lee REAL (58cal-440gr) mold showed up today. So I scrub it down with alcohol, smoke it, lube it - and fire up the casting table.
The new mold is a dream to cast out of. I loaded and fluxed about 6# of 99.9 lead in the Lee 10# bottom pour. I fluxed it with plumbing solder flux.
It took about 30 minutes to get everything set up and hot. I like to run about 780-790 degrees for large molds, they fill out a lot better running hot.
I use a GE hot plate to pre-heat the molds, and my casting table has a sheet of 3/16 steel elevated above the tabletop.
I ran the pot dry, did not have a single bad bullet. Final count was 92 bullets. Casting time was about 45 minutes.
(92*440/7000=5.8 lbs.) I ran the new spawn across the scale and had less than .37% deviance. (My goal is 1%) Every bullet was shiny and fully filled out. Not a single wrinkle.
It was a very enjoyable afternoon! Tomorrow I will dip lube them, next Tuesday I'll find out if my .58 Pedersoli Safari double barrel rifle likes them.

View attachment 93606View attachment 93607
View attachment 93608

View attachment 93609

look's like your mallet, has given up the ghost? that is a lot of banging!

The new Lee REAL (58cal-440gr) mold showed up today. So I scrub it down with alcohol, smoke it, lube it - and fire up the casting table.
The new mold is a dream to cast out of. I loaded and fluxed about 6# of 99.9 lead in the Lee 10# bottom pour. I fluxed it with plumbing solder flux.
It took about 30 minutes to get everything set up and hot. I like to run about 780-790 degrees for large molds, they fill out a lot better running hot.
I use a GE hot plate to pre-heat the molds, and my casting table has a sheet of 3/16 steel elevated above the tabletop.
I ran the pot dry, did not have a single bad bullet. Final count was 92 bullets. Casting time was about 45 minutes.
(92*440/7000=5.8 lbs.) I ran the new spawn across the scale and had less than .37% deviance. (My goal is 1%) Every bullet was shiny and fully filled out. Not a single wrinkle.
It was a very enjoyable afternoon! Tomorrow I will dip lube them, next Tuesday I'll find out if my .58 Pedersoli Safari double barrel rifle likes them.

View attachment 93606View attachment 93607
View attachment 93608

View attachment 93609

it looks like your mallet / banging handle has given up the ghost? time for a trade in. LOL!

 

[toot]

Made a goat horn powder measure.
View attachment 93745View attachment 93747

how do you remove the center of the goat horn? what do you use? BTW, it came out great!

 

[toot]

Thanks, the texture is pretty cool.

it won't slip out of your fingers when using it!

 

[Davey Boy]

I liked the chewed up stick. It's the kind of tool that can outlast everything else in the picture.

 

[mushka]

My mallet looks like Grizz's. Mine is an old hardwood police night stick. Been beating on moulds since the late 80's with it, seems like it's going to outlast all my stuff and me.

 

[Griz44Mag]

look's like your mallet, has given up the ghost? that is a lot of banging!

it looks like your mallet / banging handle has given up the ghost? time for a trade in. LOL!

LOL - yep, that hunk of 1" dowel has knocked out many-many thousands of balls and bullets from many dozens of molds.
Some molds just take a little nudge and some of them take some advanced convincing.
For the last 5 years I have been threatening to replace it but never remember to grab another hunk of hardwood when I am at the hardware store.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

how do you remove the center of the goat horn? what do you use? BTW, it came out great!

That's the natural hole in the middle of it. It was longer that that at the start so just cut it down slowly until it measured 50 grains of powder. Cleaned out the hole with some sandpaper and a small file. Used it today and it works great.