What Muzzleloading Stuff Did You Do Today?

[TDM]

I’m not finished with it yet, but I made a 45 gr powder measure for the SMR. I’ll keep carving on it until I like it or I mess it up!

 

[64Springer]

7/8 octagon to 1 inch round.

 

[ETipp]

Refilled 3 of my cappers, polished up my powder measures, tinkered with my .54 Great Plains Rifle, called and checked on an order. And of course, spent a fair amount of time on the ML forums.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I’m not finished with it yet, but I made a 45 gr powder measure for the SMR. I’ll keep carving on it until I like it or I mess it up!

I wanted some of these, and thought about making some, but could not locate a source for deer/elk antlers. In the end, I ordered them from October Country. They look good and work well.

Only thing I thought about doing was color coding them. My fifty and my seventy grain measures look pretty much alike. Might get some fabric dye and see how one of 'em looks.... or not.

 

[Ian Straus]

Well, yesterday ... I was feeling better though I have the flu. So I rolled some paper cartridges for my .75 matchlock musket. 4 buckshot, 3 buck and ball, 2 ball. My ambition is to hold a shoot off and compare performance of my matchlock with a friend's blunderbuss of the same caliber. Now if on;y i can stop coughing I can make progress on a number of things.

 

[TDM]

I wanted some of these, and thought about making some, but could not locate a source for deer/elk antlers. In the end, I ordered them from October Country. They look good and work well.

Only thing I thought about doing was color coding them. My fifty and my seventy grain measures look pretty much alike. Might get some fabric dye and see how one of 'em looks.... or not.

I have the same problem keeping them separate. I don’t cut up any of few decent racks I’ve shot, but I usually find several good drops each spring that keep me supplied. I’ve made a number of antler measures, but nothing fancy, and I’ve given most of them to my Sons. But now that I plan to make more for me the memory hurtle will certainly be there. I’ve carved in the number before, but it never looks right.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I have the same problem keeping them separate. I don’t cut up any of few decent racks I’ve shot, but I usually find several good drops each spring that keep me supplied. I’ve made a number of antler measures, but nothing fancy, and I’ve given most of them to my Sons. But now that I plan to make more for me the memory hurtle will certainly be there. I’ve carved in the number before, but it never looks right.

Carve a pattern of some kind?

 

[pacanis]

Ordered another flinter

And balls and patches and jags... yep. New caliber.
But fortunately Midway is having a sale on Hornady balls. I saved 4 something/100 over TOTW and another 4 over Dixie

 

[TDM]

Carve a pattern of some kind?

I’m going to try on this one. I added another ring and made them all deeper since that photo. I think I’ll try for a ball shape around the lanyard hole and put some rings down to the tip. I’ve been looking through my Accouterments book for ideas

 

[oldwood]

Began inletting a lock on a flint lock smooth rifle with walnut stock. Have to find out for myself , just how accurate a .555 cal. smooth rifle might be.. Many folks say , smooth rifles will group well out to 50 yds.. I'll find out.

 

[flintlock lover.]

I’ve started to experiment with home grown BP it looks promising but I can’t seem to get the poof that commercial BP gets. More experimentation is needed.

Making my own as well.
Lucky that most of the invasive shrubs and trees seem to make good charcoal for BP.
As does wild grape Vines (muscadine and scuppernong). Having good luck with privet and even bamboo. Plenty of information on YouTube.
No presently illegal to make for your own use BUT IT IS illegal to transport or sell it after manufacturer.

 

[TDM]

Making my own as well.
Lucky that most of the invasive shrubs and trees seem to make good charcoal for BP.
As does wild grape Vines (muscadine and scuppernong). Having good luck with privet and even bamboo. Plenty of information on YouTube.
No presently illegal to make for your own use BUT IT IS illegal to transport or sell it after manufacturer.

Advise you to stop the conversation there.

 

[wganz]

@Grenadier1758 advised to get "For Trade and Treaty: Firearms of the American Indians, 1600-1920" which I did order today plus added on "The Destroying Angel: The Rifle-Musket as the First Modern Infantry Weapon " due to being in N-SSA.

Popped the safe open and got out unmentionables for the match with my son on Saturday.




"

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I’m going to try on this one. I added another ring and made them all deeper since that photo. I think I’ll try for a ball shape around the lanyard hole and put some rings down to the tip. I’ve been looking through my Accouterments book for ideas

I might try some food coloring today on one of mine just to see how it looks. Should be no different than dying eggs. Will letcha know how it works out.

 

[büchsenmacher64]

Draw filled and sanded a barrel. Put in the sights. It’s ready to brown.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Here is my first attempt at dyeing a deer-antler powder measure. I used McCormick's egg-dyeing recipe for "Pretty Purple", which is 15 drops of blue and 5 drops of red in a half cup of boiling water with a teaspoon of vinegar. I guess it looks sorta purplish. I did like how the carved pattern and numbers turned out. Made it much more legible. Will perhaps try other colors later today and post a new thread about dyeing antlers.

 

[ETipp]

Here is my first attempt at dyeing a deer-antler powder measure. I used McCormick's egg-dyeing recipe for "Pretty Purple", which is 15 drops of blue and 5 drops of red in a half cup of boiling water with a teaspoon of vinegar. I guess it looks sorta purplish. I did like how the carved pattern and numbers turned out. Made it much more legible. Will perhaps try other colors later today and post a new thread about dyeing antlers.
View attachment 195277

I like those. Considering making some for myself. Do you put some sort of cap on them so they stay dry?

 

[TDM]

Here is my first attempt at dyeing a deer-antler powder measure. I used McCormick's egg-dyeing recipe for "Pretty Purple", which is 15 drops of blue and 5 drops of red in a half cup of boiling water with a teaspoon of vinegar. I guess it looks sorta purplish. I did like how the carved pattern and numbers turned out. Made it much more legible. Will perhaps try other colors later today and post a new thread about dyeing antlers.
View attachment 195277

I think you’re on to something there. I like the color.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I like those. Considering making some for myself. Do you put some sort of cap on them so they stay dry?

No. They are just powder measures that hang from small carabiners on my muzzleloading "necklace".

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I think you’re on to something there. I like the color.

Did more of them in different colors. Pictures on this thread: Dyeing Deer-Antler Powder Measures with McCormick Food Coloring