What Muzzleloading Stuff Did You Do Today?

[Dave Markowitz]

Today I detailed stripped my 1992-vintage Uberti 1851 Navy. I bought it new at Dixon's. This was the first time I've done so and while there was quite a bit of oil-saturated sludge there was no corrosion.

However, I discovered that the screw that secures the bolt spring was cross-threaded at the factory. I was able to chase the threads in the frame but the screw is toast. I sent an email to VTI Gun Parts to check stock on their set of properly hardened screws and will wait until I get them to reassemble the gun.

What a pain in the neck.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Rang some 50 yd steel this morning with my Frontier flintlock, then punched a few holes in some paper at 100 yds. Haven't shot for a few weeks with it so dry here, but we had a bunch of rain last few days.

 

[Trapper Scott]

I made myself a pan brush and flash hole pick from a piece of an old deer antler I had laying around. I don't really know if either is suitable since I'm brand new to flintlocks, but the pick fits in a flash hole liner and the bristles on the brush are fairly stiff so hopefully they will serve their purpose. I still need to make me a knapping tool.

 

[French Colonial]

I made myself a pan brush and flash hole pick from a piece of an old deer antler I had laying around. I don't really know if either is suitable since I'm brand new to flintlocks, but the pick fits in a flash hole liner and the bristles on the brush are fairly stiff so hopefully they will serve their purpose. I still need to make me a knapping tool.

Those look great to me.

Get a piece of 1/4" brass rod about 2-3 inches long and file a little step about 1/8" from one end about 1/16" deep or so.

When your flint gets dull put the step on the top of the flint while still in the gun (pointed in a safe direction) and give it a little tap and you will take off a little flake. Keep it up till its sharp all across the flint, easy peasy.

 

[Trapper Scott]

Those look great to me.

Get a piece of 1/4" brass rod about 2-3 inches long and file a little step about 1/8" from one end about 1/16" deep or so.

When your flint gets dull put the step on the top of the flint while still in the gun (pointed in a safe direction) and give it a little tap and you will take off a little flake. Keep it up till its sharp all across the flint, easy peasy.

Thanks for the advice. I think my local hardware store carries small brass rod, so I'll pick a piece up the next time I go to town.

 

[deerstalkert]

shot my August target. shaped some on my fowler build . not much energy today. celebrated wife's 70th birthday by shooting my flintlock.
showed her the target. "that's nice dear, now install the new toilet for me!"

 

[Trapper Scott]

Those look great to me.

Get a piece of 1/4" brass rod about 2-3 inches long and file a little step about 1/8" from one end about 1/16" deep or so.

When your flint gets dull put the step on the top of the flint while still in the gun (pointed in a safe direction) and give it a little tap and you will take off a little flake. Keep it up till its sharp all across the flint, easy peasy.

I had some 3/8" brass rod I forgot about. Is this about what you're talking about?

 

[French Colonial]

I had some 3/8" brass rod I forgot about. Is this about what you're talking about?

Yep, give that a try

 

[22dr45]

Dip lubed some .58 Cal Minie, (okay how does one pluralize "Minie" ? )

 

[Trapper Scott]

Yep, give that a try

Thanks for the help.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Bought a couple of grocery bags of miscellaneous leather for a couple of bucks at a garage sale. It includes some larger pieces of tanned deer hide and thicker pieces of cowhide. Small project stuff.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Dip lubed some .58 Cal Minie, (okay how does one pluralize "Minie" ? )

Minié balls is the plural form for a Minié ball. Minié is the descriptive adjective and ball is the object.

 

[Togo]

Finally got my first traveling trophy this weekend for taking 1st place on the woods walk. I hit 13 out of 17 plus the shoot off, the last one was cut the card, I was pretty happy after I did it.

 

[Togo]

I used my TC 50 cal Hawken with .490 balls, 30 grains of Triple 7 and a .015 wonder lube patch.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Finally got finished redoing my pistol, wasn't happy with the color and used some aniline dyes to go over it.
It's a .50 cal. smooth barrel kit that I built about 10 years ago, JP Beck.

Beautiful pistol!

 

[PathfinderNC]

Did a little work on another pistol (while also building another Kibler rifle). This one is rifled, .45 cal.
It is still very bulky - there is a LOT of wood that will be removed.

 

[Trapper Scott]

Did a little work on another pistol (while also building another Kibler rifle). This one is rifled, .45 cal.
It is still very bulky - there is a LOT of wood that will be removed.

Nice job!

 

[garypl]

Ordered a .562 ball mold from TOTW today - want to be ready when I finish my Colonial kit!

 

[garypl]

I had some 3/8" brass rod I forgot about. Is this about what you're talking about?

I think you made too deep a ledge in your rod - might be breaking flints with that and stressing the lock internals. I would make the ledge only 0.010~0.015” deep - will take much smaller flakes off the edge with less jarring of the internal parts of the lock.

 

[Trapper Scott]

I think you made too deep a ledge in your rod - might be breaking flints with that and stressing the lock internals. I would make the ledge only 0.010~0.015” deep - will take much smaller flakes off the edge with less jarring of the internal parts of the lock.

Do both sides need redone or just the deepest side and thanks for the feedback?