What Muzzleloading Stuff Did You Do Today?

[TDM]

Nice @Icemanxxxv!

 

[Urban Coyote]

Thanks to hobo freight got the garage all set up finally the living room setup is no more! also got a "rock tumbler" today for ummmm rocks

Is that a Miller Highlife?

 

[jrweis1997]

Is that a Miller Highlife?

sure is

 

[camoloc]

sure is

moulded some more .31's today and fixed a spring on a problematic small powder flask made by Sykes. it works properly now and the world is once again in order !

 

[longcruise]

Had a good time shooting today. I lucked out again on rear sight height work I did yesterday, didn’t even mess up the windage. Was shooting my Cherry stocked .45 SMR. Used 45 grains of Swiss 3F, Goex 4F prime, .020 patch w/mink oil lube. But I did try something different, and being overcast today it was the perfect time for it. After my last shooting session @Mad Hatter pointed out to me that some of my flyers that I had been attributing to fouling were most likely from chasing the sun. And I believe he was right. I had just gotten into the habit of swabbing every 8-12 shots or whenever my groups opened up. Now I think eye fatigue was more of the factor, plus just forgetting to consider the changing sun angle. Anyway, I shot 27 rounds with no swabbing, but I did clean the pan once. Also was using a French Amber flint that required knapping twice!! My 50 yard group wasn’t great but I only had that 10th shot that puzzled me. After the paper targets I put 5 more rounds on a steel target I had at 75 yards with all hits. And since I was in between chaws of tobacco I used spit patches for these!

Yeah, fatigue. that low #10 is saying follow through.

 

[TDM]

Yeah, fatigue. that low #10 is saying follow through.

Very much agree. Hard to believe I have to strain so hard now to shoot at 50 yards.

 

[sethwyo]

What ball of twine?

Tom, I have pictures of it with grandsons somewhere but can’t find them. I lived in Hays for about 7 years about 30 years ago. We used drive through Stockton a lot and I hunted deer just south of there.

Sethwyo, I used to travel western Kansas a lot and have been to Sharon Springs a few times. I even stopped a Ft. Wallace a couple of times. I had a good friend who was a Lutheran pastor in Oakley.

It is fun to read people discussing Kansas and pre 1866 history in Kansas. Kansas isn’t the mountains but a lot of folks went through it to get there.

Is he the pastor of the church that's right next to that big old brick Church of Christ there on main street?

Post Rock country. Want to visit there again someday. Good memories.

 

[sethwyo]

Has anyone here used or using one of these? I'm really thinking about ordering one

https://shop.fortytwoguns.com/products/mag-spark-5158

 

[Rob M.]

Not much ...just bed the breech plug and tang ...glad I did that though

 

[Dale Lilly]

draw filed a barrel.
friend showed up with a Austin Halleck mountain rifle .50 cal 1.28 twist. unfired.
with some unholy dealing i ended up with it.
anyone have an idea of its worth?

I have a nice one with pretty wood. I think it's worth about $550 to $750, maybe more unfired. Man. they are heavy for an old man though. Dale

 

[Urban Coyote]

To delivery, undamaged delivery woo-hoo, of a very early T/C caplock Hawken .45 cal. It looks every bit as good as the advertising photos. The bore that was advertised as excellent but isn't quite so but fairly close. I'd give it an 8.5 out of ten. I don't believe it was shot much, it's just too clean. I'd imagine the bore was cleaned but it sat for many years thereafter. There was a thin coat black color preservative in the bore that remained me of Gunslick. I gave it a thorough cleaning lock, stock and barrel. The barrel got a soapy water wash followed by enough boiling water to get it hot enough to dry quickly and then, once dry, a couple of patches of Barricade. It has the original ramrod and nipple. It's in the 40XXX range sn wise. Next break in the weather she's off to the range with me.

 

[oldschoolhunter55]

Have had a nipple wrench on loan to me for some time from a friend and went ahead and ordered one so I can return his.

I considered Amazon for the fast shipping and all of that but then I thought you know what..... Even if it takes longer and cost more I'm going to give my business to track of the Wolf.

I even found a few more things to order while I was at it like a hundred more 323 ball for the pocket model and a nice powder measure with a spout and some reproduction Confederate money because it was only a few bucks and it looked neat.

Save your Confederate money boys, the South is going to rise again !

In the future I plan to look to such businesses for all of my muzzle loading needs and let Amazon be the last resort

I like track of the wolf

 

[Psycho Mike]

Did some .390 RB casting today. A bit cool out there on the porch, but I knocked out a fair number. Counted 859 when all was said and done.

I’m putting the same ball thru my Kibler SMR and modified Remington 1858 Navy, but that should last me a while.

View attachment 299577

How do you like that mold, Terrier...I understand he puts out one for .58 cal, as well, but I don't know anyone with a multi-cavity like that, so I thought I'd ask.

 

[Terrier]

How do you like that mold, Terrier...I understand he puts out one for .58 cal, as well, but I don't know anyone with a multi-cavity like that, so I thought I'd ask.

There’s things I like about it and things I don’t. Once it’s up to temperature it’ll throw 16 good balls at a time, but unfortunately, there’s no sprue cutter so you have to use flush cutters to cut the balls loose from the top strap that forms. That gets to be a might tedious, especially when you cast a lot in one sitting like I did yesterday.

The flush cutters do an alright job. I run them thru a Harbor Freight rock tumbler for several hours and they come out pretty round overall. “Rounder” would be a good description.

I wound up with a 6 cavity Lee mould when I bought a .53 cal (stamped 54 cal) Uberti Sante Fe Hawken from Mulebrain a while back, and I like that one A LOT. The sprue cutter cuts VERY flush on the .52 cal balls and eliminates extra work.

Unfortunately, Lee doesn’t make a 6 cavity in .390, so I can’t replace the one I have with one of those, as much as I’d like to.

Oh, and wear leather gloves with a Marty’s. The handle screws will git’cha when it heats up.

 

[boberator]

Stroked away on the ghetto SMR case today. Just need a few minor additions like feet on the hinge side and lid stay so that the lid folds just over center when open. Here are a few pictures. Let me say the rifle just fits. It a good goin to town ride.View attachment 299608View attachment 299609View attachment 299610View attachment 299611

I love it. I need a few of these.

 

[boberator]

I just cleaned some 42” barrels that want to hook up with some wood.

 

[SgtMaj65]

Have had a nipple wrench on loan to me for some time from a friend and went ahead and ordered one so I can return his.

I considered Amazon for the fast shipping and all of that but then I thought you know what..... Even if it takes longer and cost more I'm going to give my business to track of the Wolf.

I even found a few more things to order while I was at it like a hundred more 323 ball for the pocket model and a nice powder measure with a spout and some reproduction Confederate money because it was only a few bucks and it looked neat.

Save your Confederate money boys, the South is going to rise again !

In the future I plan to look to such businesses for all of my muzzle loading needs and let Amazon be the last resort

Love Track of the Wolf, have helped me to no end over the years. A top-flight resource for BP shooters.

 

[Terrier]

Has anyone here used or using one of these? I'm really thinking about ordering one

https://shop.fortytwoguns.com/products/mag-spark-5158

No. I don’t even use 209’s in an inline. I switched out the 209 breech plug to use one that takes a small rifle primer in a 25 auto brass. 209’s are too hot and can push the charge forward before ignition, mucking with accuracy.

(Sorry for the unmentionable mention)

 

[sethwyo]

Some of my 209s are labeled muzzleloader on the box ,
some of them are not

if you're not using your 209 breech plug, maybe it's for sale?

 

[Terrier]

Some of my 209s are labeled muzzleloader on the box ,
some of them are not

if you're not using your 209 breech plug, maybe it's for sale?

I have no idea where it is... Hup! I take that back.... It's in a box. But, I've moved twice since the last time I saw it, so no idea which box. I don't think I'll be selling it. The next owner after I'm D&G might actually like 209's. If they can find it.