I finally got to shoot my T/C Hawken .45 rifle. I got it on the target n started walking the prb's up to the orange dot. I used some 2 n 3 f Trip 7 on 5 shots that i had had in vials for tick toter hunting this past season. Last 4 shots i used GOEX 3 f at 45 gr from my antler measure of 45 gr. I walked it to the right til i was third of the way into the 1.5" dot. So my next shooting session i will see where it hits n get it. I am happy to get on target n get on the way for diff load combo's.
What Muzzleloading Stuff Did You Do Today?
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My godson was here this evening. I got my .32 Crockett out and we shot it for awhile. He liked it. He doesn’t like shooting flintlocks though. The flash gets to him. Lol
Sounds like fun! I've got one that's never been fired and another on life support.
I did a little country style penetration test with the '58 Remington loaded up with 25 grains of BP. I shot into a line of gallon jugs filled with water. It went through 4 jugs and entered the fifth one. I also tested the '58 cartridge model using Freedom Munitions 45lc JFP. I didn't have enough gallon jugs. It went through the six I had left and exited the last jug. Seems like it's gonna hurt to get shot with either one
aussie pete
40 Cal
Just cast 120 470gn Lee Trashcan Minies for the Parker Hale 53. The Kambrook cooktop is an excellent way to preheat the mold. The lead roof-flashing filled the mold beautifully. I'll send twenty or so down range tomorrow. I'll let you know how they go.
Cheers, Pete
Cheers, Pete
Those sure are shiny!
Those might effect the earth's spin when you shoot.
Broke a cleaning rod yesterday. Bent the jag & when I tried straightening it out it broke.
That figures....
Got home & drilled the broken part out of the rod's shaft & managed to get a slightly larger drill bit inserted & twisted it out!
Added another jag...back in business!
That figures....
Got home & drilled the broken part out of the rod's shaft & managed to get a slightly larger drill bit inserted & twisted it out!
Added another jag...back in business!
what is your front sight boo
Went to the range after work and shot my Crockett for awhile. I’m really enjoying this little rifle. Going out to the shop now and clean it.
Zimmerman
32 Cal
Took a few shots at some prairie dogs to test out using pure lard as a patch lube, worked pretty good! Still going to get some bear grease for a mix with beeswax, but it's good to know there's something easily available that works.
aussie pete
40 Cal
The front sight I use is a standard Rocky Mountain, with the exception that I file the facing surface flat. I find that this gives a very sharp defined 'top'; the rounded surface can be harder to distinguish, for my eyes anyway. I did consider placing a Lyman 17A in the front dovetail, though I feel the tunnel blocks a lot of the target, and the sight doesn't seem to suit the aesthetic of the firearm. For hunting, at 50 metres I like to sight so that a six o'clock hold delivers the strike four inches above the target. That way, if I sight on a broadside animal, deer, at the rear junction of the front leg where it meets the belly, I am going to hit the heart or lungs for a humane outcome.
Cheers, Pete
aussie pete
40 Cal
I spent a lovely Autumn morning at the range testing those freshly cast Lee Trashcan Minies. I fired 12 of the fat lovelies with the Parker Hale Three Band at 50 metres, using a fine sight aimed at the centre of the circle; this way, with the issued front and rear sights, I'm not shooting over the top! I know it's not good musketry form, but I had some .570 PRBs too, so gave ten of them a try. For these I used a fine sight also, but to have the round balls hitting near the centre, I used a six o'clock hold on the black circle. I'm enjoying this rifle. I have to thank a lot of members on this site that's for sure; I've gleaned so much good information from these pages to get this rifled musket shooting a range of projectiles with various loads.
Oh, and you nearly didn't get to look at these targets. I left them stapled to the corflute in the back of the ute and had to stop to pick them up from the side of the road
.
Cheers, Pete
Oh, and you nearly didn't get to look at these targets. I left them stapled to the corflute in the back of the ute and had to stop to pick them up from the side of the road
.Cheers, Pete
Can you explain what you mean by fine sight? I'd sure like to be able to shoot those groups with my P53. Really great shooting! Do you like the trashcans more than Minie or Pritchett style bullets for your gun?I spent a lovely Autumn morning at the range testing those freshly cast Lee Trashcan Minies. I fired 12 of the fat lovelies with the Parker Hale Three Band at 50 metres, using a fine sight aimed at the centre of the circle; this way, with the issued front and rear sights, I'm not shooting over the top! I know it's not good musketry form, but I had some .570 PRBs too, so gave ten of them a try. For these I used a fine sight also, but to have the round balls hitting near the centre, I used a six o'clock hold on the black circle. I'm enjoying this rifle. I have to thank a lot of members on this site that's for sure; I've gleaned so much good information from these pages to get this rifled musket shooting a range of projectiles with various loads.
Oh, and you nearly didn't get to look at these targets. I left them stapled to the corflute in the back of the ute and had to stop to pick them up from the side of the road
Cheers, Pete
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A posted a while back that I bought an unmentionable - and waxed my Jaeger in apology. This was my first unmentionable purchase in probably 25 years. Well, it turns out I had to return the 21st century wonder gun to the factory due to issues. So - I'll still be carrying my 18th century flintlock turkey hunting in the morning. It is reliable and accurate. I thought there was irony here that many of you could appreciate.
#turkeys_beware
#turkeys_beware
aussie pete
40 Cal
A picture is probably the best tjiann, to explain what I mean by a fine sight - see my image below the text. I do like the trashcan target minies, as out to fifty metres I find they are very accurate with light loads. My aim here, (no pun intended, right?) is to enjoy the '53, yet save on powder consumption. Real black powder here in Australia is expensive. Another mold I like too in the '53, saving on lead and powder, is the Lyman 575494 - again image below. The Lyman 575213, 510 grains, is a good mold too, but the melt really disappears when casting! More powder required for these too.
When I first started shooting this rifled musket, I was lubing the minies by dipping them into the melted beeswax lard mix (70/30) with needle nose pliers; I loaded them as is, simply using the muzzle to remove the excess lube. This proved to be horrible for accuracy at 25 metres onwards. On the advice of one of our stalwarts here, he firmly told me I had a good lube, but too much of it, the excess preventing the skirt of the minie from being bumped up into the rifling. So, I made my little funnel device to remove the excess lube, and hey presto, the little darlings actually grouped! Then, I was watching the European Nationals on YouTube, and noticed that nearly all the military competitors were using a filling of corn meal over their powder, before seating the minie. I did this, and my groups shrunk again. Mind, all these targets that I present are shot sitting down at a bench with the rifle resting solidly on a front rest, supported by a small bag at the rear, taking care to follow through at the shot.
There are others on the 'net who write they get consistent two inch groups out of their 53s at 100 metres. I'm sure not there yet, and probably never will be, but I'm more than happy with my current results. I've got a leave pass from OC Home Command again tomorrow, so I'm going to attempt another run at 100 metres with the trashcans, and if time, a group at 50 metres with some .562 round balls. We'll see ...
Cheers, Pete
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