What Muzzleloading Stuff Did You Do Today?

[deerstalkert]

Beautiful gun, beautiful picture; what a setting. What river is that in the background? [I lived in Idaho about 200 years ago... well maybe only 44 years ago] Dale

thanks for the compliment Dale. coming from you means a lot. I actually sped up the finishing of it. wanted it done while i can use it.
The river below is the Kootenai river. it is flowing north at this point into Canada from whence it came. after flowing into Kootenay Lake in B.C. . then it flows west and south as the largest tributary of the Columbia River.

 

[TDM]

Did a fair amount of shooting with my Gemmer Hawken .50 flint. This is a fairly new rifle so I’m still working on loads. Today I used 70gr 3F Goex with .490 balls and .015 & .020 patches with and without over powder wads. Got some decent groups at 50 with the .020 patches lubed with mink oil. Still not sure if the over powder felt wads are the answer, but they’re not hurting. But I’ll definitely stay with the thicker patches. Tried a few shoots at a 100, but we won’t go into that.
Getting ready to start cleaning.

 

[Dale Lilly]

thanks for the compliment Dale. coming from you means a lot. I actually sped up the finishing of it. wanted it done while i can use it.
The river below is the Kootenai river. it is flowing north at this point into Canada from whence it came. after flowing into Kootenay Lake in B.C. . then it flows west and south as the largest tributary of the Columbia River.

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Thank you Deerstalker. I lived in Southern Idaho but have driven from Montana, across the Idaho panhandle and into Washington. I did not know the Kootenai meandered around like that .. much appreciate the lesson. Sailed on the Columbia River lakes some. Dale

 

[deerstalkert]

Thank you Deerstalker. I lived in Southern Idaho but have driven from Montana, across the Idaho panhandle and into Washington. I did not know the Kootenai meandered around like that .. much appreciate the lesson. Sailed on the Columbia River lakes some. Dale

the river really snakes about between Bonners Ferry and here. as a crow flies it is 30 miles to BF. take the river and it is 110 miles! total of 7 feet fall from BF to the border. 2.5 mph current. there are places where it is 5-6 feet deep and others well over 100 feet deep. i have fish finder pictures of sturgeon 12-15 feet long laying on the bottom of some of those holes. as a protected species they just grow!

 

[Jim K]

finished my fowler
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That gun is beautiful and from what little I can see, the view from your house is too!!

 

[TDM]

finished my fowler

Love the wood, really nice!

 

[Cruzatte]

First I busted up about a 5 pound chunk of lead and then melted down about a 1 pound piece of it. I poured about three dozen .610" balls. (There was a little lead left in the bottom of my pot before I started for all you mathematicians out there that are scratching your heads and asking how a guy can get 3 doz. .610" balls out of a pound of lead.)

 

[Trapper Scott]

Got all three thimbles drilled and pinned on the Kibler SMR and almost ran out of enough flange on the last one to have enough to drill. It still sits a tiny bit proud of the stock, but it is what it is.

 

[smo]

Applied more Montana Pitch leather dressing too all my leather bags & gear..

C’mon Mother Nature…. We’re ready

 

[JimFlint]

Placed my weekly order to Midway for BP supplies.

 

[Forester]

Yesterday I cast about 100 .440 and 50 .570 rb. Emptied my little 4 lb lee furnace.

 

[tgfrench]

Finished paper lining 80 caps. Got to keep up with my range shooting.

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

finished my fowler
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Looks good!

 

[thomasgunn]

Ordered another Indian Trade Gun from Dixie and parts from TotW. Have a project in mind. Still haven't shot the last five MLs I've bought or built. I need therapy...........

 

[APG]

Went to Sportsmans Warehouse to pick up the one package of percussion caps that I bought on line, limit one per person. Went to the muzzleloading section of the store and found these, no limit. Scored!

 

[Dale Lilly]

Ordered another Indian Trade Gun from Dixie and parts from TotW. Have a project in mind. Still haven't shot the last five MLs I've bought or built. I need therapy...........

.....along with me ... who is your therapist Dale

 

[TDM]

Ordered another Indian Trade Gun from Dixie and parts from TotW. Have a project in mind. Still haven't shot the last five MLs I've bought or built. I need therapy...........

I see no problem, maybe you just have the “I’m tired of cleaning my guns after shooting” syndrome. It will pass.

 

[Bnewberry]

I finished a simple powder horn.

 

[TDM]

I finished a simple powder horn.

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Looks good to me! Nice work.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I went out to start sighing in the rifles I couldn't before I had cataract surgery, they are both tight bore .54s, then I remembered I had shot my last .530 ball several months ago. I fired up the Coleman stove and cast about 75 balls for today.

I decided to start with the GM drop in barrel, it shot a foot to the left and a foot low starting out. I shot a few times and started having inconsistent ignition, sometimes it took a dribble of 4F under the nipple to get the gun go off. I have never had that problem with percussion. When I cleaned the gun, I think I found the problem; it appears they didn't drill the flash hole deep enough.

I will give GM a call tomorrow.