What Muzzleloading Stuff Did You Do Today?

[PhDBrewer]

Researched wheellock designs and posted jokes to the thread...
That counts doesn't it? Smile...
Delayed flights and time at airports, Sitting in a plane right now (delayed).

 

[Dutch7]

It's effective if the crown is clean. I did it in many matches especially when shooting Dutch's "dry patch" system. Pretty much got away from it and leaned toward loading as I would in the field hunting etc. I think I can eak out a little better score with the hammer method but I'm mostly a hunter.

Similar paths, I shot an interference fit combo in competition and needed to force the ball into the rifling a bit, the gun would shoot one hole all day like this (if I could hold it still, which I couldn’t very often!!) but for hunting there is no need for such precision.

 

[Jim K]

I shot my Crockett at the range today with different charges. I’ve settled on 25 gns 3f, .020 ticking and .311 balls

 

[Tanker]

Similar paths, I shot an interference fit combo in competition and needed to force the ball into the rifling a bit, the gun would shoot one hole all day like this (if I could hold it still, which I couldn’t very often!!) but for hunting there is no need for such precision.

For what ever reason I always thought that was a big no no for a muzzleloader. That would kind of explain an experience I had. I was gifted a traditions flintlock. It was composite stock and cheap as cheap could be. It came in a blister pack with everything but powder. I think I seen them for sale for around 150. It's was a 50 cal, a 490 ball with a .10 patch had to be pounded in to start. My dad use to hunt with it and carried a rubber hammer with him. At 50 yds it would cut holes all day long. Almost the same accuracy at 100yds. It always irritated me that it held such great groups when my TC wouldn't.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Had the club match today. I shot the 35 yard off-hand targets. Well, I didn't embarrass myself too bad. And @DillyJamba was accepted into the club. In a short time we got his gun to reliably perform.

 

[garypl]

Cast 75 .457 balls to test in my Ruger OA later this week.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Cast 75 .457 balls to test in my Ruger OA later this week.

Finally got the 10.4 Feltutzer bullet together at .432 it’s a push fit , after making a sizing die with the dremmil to grind the perfect size , putting a long tap into the bullet I was able to get past the tapered muzzle and push the bullet into the riffling to judge the fit. I turn the compression groves in the lathe holding it in a bush. Now I can make the final brass mold , the long bullet is 445gr but I feel 360gr would be better the shorter one being 296g. It’s 1/37”. So a shorter bullet will be better

All good fun

 

[ernbar]

Finally got around to add crowns to two of my Pietta pistols, a 1851 .36 and a 1860 .44. Need to do the same on both 1858s in .44 that I also have.

 

[longcruise]

I had mentioned testing DIY caps shot over the weekend. I shot caps made with .005 copper, .005 aluminum and double pop cans. They all worked fine.

The pop can caps worked every bit as good as any. But, for myself, I won't be using them in the future just because of the hassle of cutting ends off and doubling them over!

The copper cups worked great. The one bugaboo is that they tend to stick in the hammer cup. About 90% of the time. In fairness, CCI caps tend to stick about 50% in this same rifle. Sticking isn't a big issue for me. I habitually check after each shot and pop them out with the tip of the patch knife.

The .005 aluminum foil caps only stuck a couple times. I'll be staying with the .005 aluminum because they aren't as sticky and the foil is less spendy than the copper.

The caps gave a very good and strong response. It's not something that I can actually measure but they seemed to be just a hair quicker than the CCI caps.

Results on the target were very good and consistent.

 

[SgtMaj65]

Went to my first muzzleloader shoot. Did ok. Always room to get better. Learned some things. Seen something that I never seen before. Seen guys hammering a short starter to start there balls. A few guys did it. They shot great. Never seen it before though.

I’ve always hammered short starter with PRBs in my two .50s at the range. I get great accuracy with 1:48 Renegade and 1:60 GPR. Use a rawhide mallet.

 

[TDM]

Received a surprise gift today from my oldest Son. He came across a 1991-95 TOW catalog on ebay and bought it for me. It’s pretty neat.

 

[BackDraft]

Pretty cool @TDM

 

[Brazos John]

Finally got around to add crowns to two of my Pietta pistols, a 1851 .36 and a 1860 .44. Need to do the same on both 1858s in .44 that I also have.
View attachment 245000View attachment 244999

Howdy, ernbar,
I understand crowning rifles, but what advantage is there to crowning revolvers?
Thanks.

 

[Tanker]

I went on the search for number 11 caps. I went to a local Amish store and they had a bunch. So I bought 300. It's a funny store. During the ammo shortage he still had ammo. It's always more expensive then anywhere else but he had it.

 

[64Springer]

Found the nerve to pound that 265 grain, .376 bullet into the .375 Frankenstuffer barrel.

As luck would have it, the bore was tight for just the first 4 to 6 inches. Then it opened up just a smidge.

After that I could bump the rod up and down and the bullet would move.

All I need to do now is make a chicken plucker and hone that tight spot a tad.


Aaaaand.....BAM! Thumb pressure gets her started. No more sweating bullets loading bullets. God bless the chicken plucker.

 

[Wireforhire]

Finally got the 10.4 Feltutzer bullet together at .432 it’s a push fit , after making a sizing die with the dremmil to grind the perfect size , putting a long tap into the bullet I was able to get past the tapered muzzle and push the bullet into the riffling to judge the fit. I turn the compression groves in the lathe holding it in a bush. Now I can make the final brass mold , the long bullet is 445gr but I feel 360gr would be better the shorter one being 296g. It’s 1/37”. So a shorter bullet will be better

All good fun

Damn ... That's a nice looking Rifle. Bullets aren't bad looking but, the rifle is outstanding.

 

[oldschoolhunter55]

ugh. all i did was work and sweat in this carolina weather today.got home and found out my order for percusion caps will be in tuesday sometime.then found out it was shipping to wrong address because of zip code. ugh. 45 minutes later with finally getting in touch with an actual person at ups. think its straightened out.

 

[ernbar]

Howdy, ernbar,
I understand crowning rifles, but what advantage is there to crowning revolvers?
Thanks.

From what I have read should improve accuracy a tad. Makes a big difference in a rifle. The Uberti Remington Navy 1858 I have is factory crowned and is very accurate so let’s see how these Piettas print next time at the range.

 

[WALT53]

Damn ... That's a nice looking Rifle. Bullets aren't bad looking but, the rifle is outstanding.

Well I went to the range today with 28 gauge and tried some cornmeal over the powder then shot and a os card to hold it all in.7 1/2s shot good
#6s not so good but to my surprise I tried some#5s and they did pretty good.I tried them before and had very few hits on the paper so more exspirimenting on the horizon.sorry no pictures today.

 

[longcruise]

Found the nerve to pound that 265 grain, .376 bullet into the .375 Frankenstuffer barrel.

As luck would have it, the bore was tight for just the first 4 to 6 inches. Then it opened up just a smidge.

After that I could bump the rod up and down and the bullet would move.

All I need to do now is make a chicken plucker and hone that tight spot a tad.


Aaaaand.....BAM! Thumb pressure gets her started. No more sweating bullets loading bullets. God bless the chicken plucker.

Hmmmm. Wonder if it was built with a choke. Was very popular in the late 19th century!