What Muzzleloading Stuff Did You Do Today?

[Dale Allen Raby]

TDM, you and Dale have done went and got my “want bumps” to itching on making some of those type powder measures.

Well, that has been known to happen. Some time back, there was this girl... no, I better not go there. Some things in the past are best left in the past (heavy sigh).

 

[nick_1]

its -22f today.

once I got the water in the kitchen sink thawed out i took the trapper out for a bit of steel ringing. Not bad because no wind. Wind was crazy yesterday and last night. I found i could load and fire wearing my very non period rubber fishing gloves.

 

[rhart]

Received my lock. Worked on a stock a little and tinkered with fit of the two.

Whose lock did you get?

 

[TDM]

Tinkered with my antler powder measure a bit more and I’ll stop now. Also here’s a couple of old measures I made, a simple antler one, and one of my old carvings that I modified. And of course they’re unmarked and I don’t have a clue how many grains they hold! Have to measure them again.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Today a packet from TOW arrived with my nipples (go ahead, crack a joke, I know y' wanna) and some fiddle pegs. I installed one immediately into a horn I purchased recently that had come with a poorly-fitted acorn plug. The other one required some effort as I had long ago fitted the horn it was destined to go into with a 1/4" brass vacuum hose fitting as I had gotten it without a plug. I got out some knives and fine sandpaper and eventually fitted the new fiddle peg. Then I decided that I would attempt to extend the horn around the brass fitting so it would look more like a horn tip. Got some JB Weld epoxy putty, kneaded up a quantity and molded it around the brass fitting. Let it cure for an hour and then got the sandpaper out again. Stained it with Minwax Ebony stain, wiped it down and waxed it with Johnson's Paste Wax.
In the end, I thought it looked OK, not perfect, but OK.

 

[adkmountainken]

scored all this at a local shop for $20 today!

 

[TDM]

Made a .45 cal bullet board this afternoon. So now I have a new short starter and powder measure for the new SMR. Since it rained all week I had plenty of time to make them. Now the Suns out, not too cold, and I’ve run out of excuses to not go shoot it. Almost hate to get it dirty, but I will.

 

[Timmit]

I went to the 18th Century Artisans Show in Carlisle, PA. It is a great event with lots of quality vendors. I bought parts for another build when I get the one I am working on now finished. Got to stay ahead of the game.

 

[Compressorguy]

Got a 1/8” solid carbide drill bit in today to drill the pin holes to install the Elk antler scales and finish up my file knife. That bit was expensive $12 but cut very well through the 3/16” hardened file. OAL is 9”. Need to make a sheath now!

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

I attended the BuckSnort's trade Show in central KY today.
Didn't buy too much, I have plenty of goodies to shoot this year.

 

[Kevin]

Tried out my new Larry Zornes mold and gun shops copy of Andereas Albrechts “RCA 19” Rifle a.k.a. Chief Paxinosa’s “Smooth Rifle.”
Already have the .62 rifle version, just about my favorite hunting gun. I do like a transitional early gun. Both of these really handle well.
Good day, a pound and a half of powder and all my .595's latter, I think I have it dialed in at 50yds. It's passable with .610s bare and .570s with a denim patch and nobody bothered me today. Outstanding.

 

[wganz]

My son picked me up at the farm and we went up to the Texarkana Gun Club and shot unmentionalables in a match. Didn't do half bad considering I hadn't shot such a match in almost 15 years.
Got back to the farm about 3ish and flaunted off all the ML's I'd picked up. But he's wedded to unmentionalables as 'cheaper' but gave him an owner signed copy of the Dixie Gun Works catalog as a bad influence.

 

[Bunk]

I got to try and remember that “colder than a mother-in-law’s smile” line. That’s funny thanks.

I thought it was a mortgage bankers smile but that is good.
Rolled a few .36 tubes and fill the ones that were made yesterday. Loaded 5 into the 1861 Navy capped and ready for in the morning. Ordered a Mesa Winds tool for making .44 ball rather than bullet paper cartridges..
Busy busy busy
Bunk

\

 

[Trooper]

I spent some time casting 320 gn REAL bullets and some 460 gn Paper patch bullets.

 

[Sir Boniface Harrison]

Yesterday down at the range I experienced misfires due to non ignition of caps! Today I have extracted the nipple and placed it in an electric drill, and applied a fine file to the sides of the nipple whilst in rotation. In addition I placed a small abrasive dremel tip to the hole, very sligtly widening it and reducing the surface area of the top of the nipple. Cap fitting is now good, and ignition consistant! Now, where's the Brandy?

 

[ETipp]

Whose lock did you get?

It was a repaired lock from a warranty claim. It was a new lock plate and they switched out the innards. My guess is the new lock plate is just a tad larger than the original so it took a little bit to get it to fit the cutout.

 

[Trooper]

Making the most of the weekend, I went out to the range this morning to set the Three Band Parker Hale at the 100 metre frame for the very first time. I set the rear ladder to the first rise, given that my first shot was low, low, low , appearing in the corflute six inches below the target. Holding at six o'clock, the remaining nine landed in the black. I'm pretty stoked with this effort. Not the inch and a half group that some other posters say they get with this rifle, but I'll take this result any day, so much fun! A critique of the two separate groups tells me that my sight picture needs to be refined, getting the blade consistent at each let off.

If I can get a leave pass tomorrow from OC Home Command, and if this rain holds off, I will attempt the Two Band at the same distance.

Kind regards, Pete
View attachment 195475View attachment 195476

I like that OC, home command! I refer to mine as 9er Domestic. Call sign 9er Delta = residential sergeant major

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

That water-filled cat litter container set out at 125 yards has been taunting me for days now. Today, with light winds, relatively mild temperatures (about 32) and nothing special on the agenda, I decided to teach it a lesson. I held center of mass with a T/C Hawken .45. Projectile was a .40 caliber 180 grain Laser Cast LSWC in an unmentionable. The bullet hit low, penetrated all the way through and I did not recover it.

 

[ETipp]

That water-filled cat litter container set out at 125 yards has been taunting me for days now. Today, with light winds, relatively mild temperatures (about 32) and nothing special on the agenda, I decided to teach it a lesson. I held center of mass with a T/C Hawken .45. Projectile was a .40 caliber 180 grain Laser Cast LSWC in an unmentionable. The bullet hit low, penetrated all the way through and I did not recover it.

View attachment 195858

Good shootin there bro.

 

[TDM]

Spent most of the day shooting the SMR for the first time and getting it sighted in. First let me say that I am in love with it, the fit and feel are just right for me. The lock is wicked fast! And of course no miss fires and easy on the flint. I believe I shot 24 times. While filing the front sight I was swabbing every 2nd shot for consistency, but once I finally raised the POI and made a windage correction I only swabbed after 5 shots and still had no problem loading. All shots were 45 gr of Goex 3F with Goex 4F prime. Swaged .440 RB (sprue up) with .015 patch and mink oil lube. It’s still shooting a little low, I used a 6 o’clock hold for all shots, so I’ll have to hold center mass or get a taller rear sight, can’t take any more of the front!!! But I’ll work those things out, very happy overall.

Was shooting at 25 & 50 yards. The last photo shows how much I had to file down the front sight!

Edit: I was using Cast balls, not swaged.