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Was able to successfully install a new rear sight on my SMR. I already had a taller sight on it but I’d messed it up from the get go. When I was shaping it I made one too many passes with the file so I had to shim it with .005” copper, then when I was sighting it in I again got over jealous with the file and got it shooting a little low. Could have just filed the front sight a little, but that would have defeated the whole purpose of getting the higher sight picture I like. Yesterday I tried heating the old one up and peening it out and I filled the V up with some silver solder and reshaped it. I did manage to peen out the extra length but the base took a slight bow that I couldn’t get out so I said the hell with it. I keep a couple of extra TOW tall sights on hand, I’ve used these on the SMRs and Woodsrunners. Today I took my time and got a good tight fit. But I’ll be dog gone if I didn’t almost get the V too deep. I’ve learned to start with the bottom of the V at .220” above the flat, which prints 2”-3” high at 50 yrds. The sight I messed up was filed to .210” and was low at 50. Although I called myself stopping high on the V filing, once installed it measured .215” above the flat. So fingers crossed that it’s spot on this time. For comparison the factory Kibler SMR rear sight V measures .114” above the flat. I had to file the front sight down to a nub before I swapped to the taller ones.
 

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TDM said:
Was able to successfully install a new rear sight on my SMR. I already had a taller sight on it but I’d messed it up from the get go. When I was shaping it I made one too many passes with the file so I had to shim it with .005” copper, then when I was sighting it in I again got over jealous with the file and got it shooting a little low. Could have just filed the front sight a little, but that would have defeated the whole purpose of getting the higher sight picture I like. Yesterday I tried heating the old one up and peening it out and I filled the V up with some silver solder and reshaped it. I did manage to peen out the extra length but the base took a slight bow that I couldn’t get out so I said the hell with it. I keep a couple of extra TOW tall sights on hand, I’ve used these on the SMRs and Woodsrunners. Today I took my time and got a good tight fit. But I’ll be dog gone if I didn’t almost get the V too deep. I’ve learned to start with the bottom of the V at .220” above the flat, which prints 2”-3” high at 50 yrds. The sight I messed up was filed to .210” and was low at 50. Although I called myself stopping high on the V filing, once installed it measured .215” above the flat. So fingers crossed that it’s spot on this time. For comparison the factory Kibler SMR rear sight V measures .114” above the flat. I had to file the front sight down to a nub before I swapped to the taller ones.
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it's always that one extra swipe or hit that gets the ball rolling. seems after the first oops everything i try to rehabilitate the thing makes it worse.
today i straightened the trigger guard on the cherry build. polished it a little and saw it had some hidden file marks. tried to buff them out. got impatient and added some more file marks. quit.
cleaned a couple rifles. Sold pending funds a great plains rifle. one down and 15 to go.
 
TDM said:
Was able to successfully install a new rear sight on my SMR. I already had a taller sight on it but I’d messed it up from the get go. When I was shaping it I made one too many passes with the file so I had to shim it with .005” copper, then when I was sighting it in I again got over jealous with the file and got it shooting a little low. Could have just filed the front sight a little, but that would have defeated the whole purpose of getting the higher sight picture I like. Yesterday I tried heating the old one up and peening it out and I filled the V up with some silver solder and reshaped it. I did manage to peen out the extra length but the base took a slight bow that I couldn’t get out so I said the hell with it. I keep a couple of extra TOW tall sights on hand, I’ve used these on the SMRs and Woodsrunners. Today I took my time and got a good tight fit. But I’ll be dog gone if I didn’t almost get the V too deep. I’ve learned to start with the bottom of the V at .220” above the flat, which prints 2”-3” high at 50 yrds. The sight I messed up was filed to .210” and was low at 50. Although I called myself stopping high on the V filing, once installed it measured .215” above the flat. So fingers crossed that it’s spot on this time. For comparison the factory Kibler SMR rear sight V measures .114” above the flat. I had to file the front sight down to a nub before I swapped to the taller ones.
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Seems the older we get the less patience we have for some reason .
 
Last weekend we were at a gun show in Salisbury NC. For those not familiar with NC, Salisbury is a old city that predates the Civil War. This particular show is mainly modern, but we made sure the crazy uncle in the attic was stomping on the roof!!! But more to the point, this was an effort to publicize both our recruiting shoot in March and N-SSA competition in general.

Yes, the Wee Beastie made an appearance. Yes, it is a full size Parrot rifle designed for rough terrain cavalry use. And Yes, we shoot it with live ammo. We've finished 2nd in Rifled Howitzer at N-SSA Nationals and took first at a Regional last November. It's also a magnet for the casual black gun type. There was a Barrett across the aisle from us, that's why it's pointing that direction.
image3.jpeg


Small arms were well represented.
image6.jpeg


We also had video looping of various parts of our competitions. And nothing quite like using real artillery shot for paperweights.
image4.jpeg
 
dave951 said:
Last weekend we were at a gun show in Salisbury NC. For those not familiar with NC, Salisbury is a old city that predates the Civil War. This particular show is mainly modern, but we made sure the crazy uncle in the attic was stomping on the roof!!! But more to the point, this was an effort to publicize both our recruiting shoot in March and N-SSA competition in general.

Yes, the Wee Beastie made an appearance. Yes, it is a full size Parrot rifle designed for rough terrain cavalry use. And Yes, we shoot it with live ammo. We've finished 2nd in Rifled Howitzer at N-SSA Nationals and took first at a Regional last November. It's also a magnet for the casual black gun type. There was a Barrett across the aisle from us, that's why it's pointing that direction.
View attachment 294594

Small arms were well represented.
View attachment 294595

We also had video looping of various parts of our competitions. And nothing quite like using real artillery shot for paperweights.
View attachment 294596
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Looks like you did a great job with your display. Your N-SSS recruitment work is commendable, Dave.
 
More work on my current project, using a favorite motif of mine, the Hunter and his hound. I finished one side.
It is amazing how absorbing it is and how the hours fly by doing this work.
 

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PathfinderNC, fantastic work!

For me, I started polishing my coin (most certainly bronze, now that I have it shining again) and my Kibler kit made a stop at my door, though nobody was home at that moment.....so I'll just have to go pick it up tomorrow. :)
 
TDM said:
Was able to successfully install a new rear sight on my SMR. I already had a taller sight on it but I’d messed it up from the get go. When I was shaping it I made one too many passes with the file so I had to shim it with .005” copper, then when I was sighting it in I again got over jealous with the file and got it shooting a little low. Could have just filed the front sight a little, but that would have defeated the whole purpose of getting the higher sight picture I like. Yesterday I tried heating the old one up and peening it out and I filled the V up with some silver solder and reshaped it. I did manage to peen out the extra length but the base took a slight bow that I couldn’t get out so I said the hell with it. I keep a couple of extra TOW tall sights on hand, I’ve used these on the SMRs and Woodsrunners. Today I took my time and got a good tight fit. But I’ll be dog gone if I didn’t almost get the V too deep. I’ve learned to start with the bottom of the V at .220” above the flat, which prints 2”-3” high at 50 yrds. The sight I messed up was filed to .210” and was low at 50. Although I called myself stopping high on the V filing, once installed it measured .215” above the flat. So fingers crossed that it’s spot on this time. For comparison the factory Kibler SMR rear sight V measures .114” above the flat. I had to file the front sight down to a nub before I swapped to the taller ones.
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you sir have a lot of patience. good job. well done
 
Finaly got back into my shop after an almost year long illness layoff. Continuing the reserection of a neighbor's older TC percussion plains rifle , that was found sticking barrel down/butt stock up , in a large garbage dump where they use heavy dozers to spread and compact the refuse. Cleaned the old hulk up , salvaged all parts except for the rusted shut bore , barrel. Used a new Colerain .50 cal. barrel , attached the rib , r/r thimbles , and sights. Sanded , stained , filled , and applied the first coat of finish on the stock. More tomorrow. No med. appts.
 
JEP said:
Making a scoped drop-in barrel for 50cal Hawken Flintlock to use in early Muzzleloader season in Pennsylvania. Using a vintage unused 28 inch CVA barrel, fitting a breech plug with a hook, will locate, drill and tap the touch hole for RMC touch hole liner, fit that, mounting a picatinny scope rail, using Leupold low profile quick mounts. Attaching and fitting a used CVA under rib with steel thimbles and a hickory ram rod. Will mildly fog the surface with glass bead for dull blue finish. Never use sand, it imbeds in steel.
Best of all using and mounting a pre WWII Weaver K4 post reticle scope that came off a Rem Matchmaster 22 cal varmint rifle used to train snipers in WWII. The scope was cleaned internally and tuned by the very best scope guy on the planet. Still has all the patina outside. So for all you panty wadders out there I can always put it back on the Rem 22 and no one can stop me. Quick mounts for scope off the barrel to facilitate a bath. With it mounted on the Flinlock rifle I will kill deer and make white paper packages because I can. I will feed my tribe.
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I whish you success in your project I myself because of failing eyes have attempted this same thing on 4 times with 4 different rifles. The problem I could not resolve was either not being able to get the scope low enough to acquire a cheek weld or get repeatable results when removing the scope to clean the barrel. It just wouldn't repeat, I have had better results using a barrel mounted peep sight that allows me to still remove the hook breech barrel to thoroughly clean it in a bucket of water
 
I needed to cut some patches today. Here is how I do it. Bought 1 yd .014 cotton ticking at JC Penney. It is 60” wide. I use a 1 1/4” iron pipe nipple (6” long from Lowe’s) and a 2” steel ball Amazon). After folding a 2” wide strip of the cloth so that the strip is 8 layers thick, it is layed over the pipe and the ball is set on top.
BD372FF4-67EA-4EDB-A4F7-D695CAE5BA0D.jpeg

A blow or two from a 3# hammer cuts the material, nice and slick.
3B162771-5D6C-425C-99A7-1FB02D01E15D.jpeg

Moving the cloth and continuing to cut patches out of that 2” strip and 1 yd of 60” wide fabric, I figure I can get about 1000 patches. Possibly that yard of fabric could last a while.
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