What Muzzleloading Stuff Did You Do Today?

[deerstalkert]

was changing sights on an Investarms this morning. new rear sight had a casting nob on the bottom. easy say's I. grabbed it with pliers and fired up the bench sander because it was handy.
sight grabbed and disappeared to the left.
Left is Indian country. shelves with open top boxes. coffee cans with open tops. garbage can full to the brim with an open top.
now i know i should spend way more time on my knees than i do, but an hour and a half on my knees attempting to pick out that little lead colored sight from among the dropped cast balls, vagrant nuts, bolts, washers, and used cleaning patches all migrated under the bottom shelf, made my old bony knees bark!
after dumping the garbage can, sorting through it, I happened to glance at the table of the sander.
you know that guide slot in those tables? they hide a rear sight very well.

 

[painter]

I'm not laughing at you sir...laughing with you. I can't tell you how many tiny parts are hiding

 

[flatcreek]

Well ya know where it is. The last place you'll look.

 

[TDM]

Took the epoxied rear sight off my trade gun, filed in a front foot, and cut a shallow dovetail. Should help my shooting a bit.

 

[Rob M.]

Forged the trigger guard from a strip of metal from my scrap pile , 100+ yr.old steel.... an early N.W. trade gun style , small bow , pre 1780 , fit it to the stock , etc.

 

[deerstalkert]

I'm not laughing at you sir...laughing with you. I can't tell you how many tiny parts are hiding

in my defense both the sight and the sander table are gray!

 

[TDM]

@Rob M., I’m pretty sure I found what my patched jag was catching on. I removed the breech again to do a 600 grit polish on the bore and with it cleaned an inside hump appeared under where the maker’s marks were whacked into the barrel. What do you think?? I won’t be using a jag for cleaning anymore, only a shotgun swab. And you can’t really feel the hump, the light and shadow exaggerate it a little.

 

[Rob M.]

.... Forged trigger guard pics

@Rob M., I’m pretty sure I found what my patched jag was catching on. I removed the breech again to do a 600 grit polish on the bore and with it cleaned an inside hump appeared under where the maker’s marks were whacked into the barrel. What do you think?? I won’t be using a jag for cleaning anymore, only a shotgun swab. And you can’t really feel the hump, the light and shadow exaggerate it a little.

 

[Rob M.]

@Rob M., I’m pretty sure I found what my patched jag was catching on. I removed the breech again to do a 600 grit polish on the bore and with it cleaned an inside hump appeared under where the maker’s marks were whacked into the barrel. What do you think?? I won’t be using a jag for cleaning anymore, only a shotgun swab. And you can’t really feel the hump, the light and shadow exaggerate it a little.

Wow !! Thats crazy ! but looking at those deep barrel markings ....I'd have to agree with you !! WOW !!! Crazy ! Geesh !!! :O . I'd be filing , or better yet reaming that bump out of there ! Wow !

 

[TDM]

Wow !! Thats crazy ! but looking at those deep barrel markings ....I'd have to agree with you !! WOW !!! Crazy ! Geesh !!! :O . I'd be filing , or better yet reaming that bump out of there ! Wow !

Yep, I was surprised and a bit disappointed, but it doesn’t affect loading and using a shotgun swab it won’t affect cleaning either. I never got the jag stuck, but it was aggravating pushing it past the hump every stroke! I’ll just stick to the swab.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@TDM, power tools and muzzleloading do not mix well.

I'm working very slowly on a powder horn and dealing with my own issues with power tools.

 

[TDM]

@TDM, power tools any muzzleloading do not mix well.

I'm working very slowly on a powder horn and dealing with my own issues with powder tools.

Totally agree, I use hand power only. I do like a dremel for polishing small parts though.

 

[FoxTrot3000]

OIswede, what is you profile picture of?

 

[garypl]

Shot the new .50 halfstock today and it is shredding patches all around the ball, but it grouped reasonably well at 25 yds with 50 gr Swiss 2f. Took it to 100 yd range with 70 gr 2f and hit the 10” steel gong on my 3rd shot offhand. Need to figure out what’s shredding patches and find best loads, but a good start.

 

[TDM]

Shot the new .50 halfstock today and it is shredding patches all around the ball, but it grouped reasonably well at 25 yds with 50 gr Swiss 2f. Took it to 100 yd range with 70 gr 2f and hit the 10” steel gong on my 3rd shot offhand. Need to figure out what’s shredding patches and find best loads, but a good start.

Maybe give the muzzle a good thumb twist polish with 220 to 400 grit, or down to 600. It works for me.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

Stopped at the Living History Show at Kalamazoo Michigan today.
This gun was little more than I could handle....

 

[garypl]

Maybe give the muzzle a good thumb twist polish with 220 to 400 grit, or down to 600. It works for me.

I don’t think it’s the crown - I pushed a patched ball down an inch into the barrel and pulled it out and patch looked fine. The patch is blown out all around the ball. It slides down the barrel easily. Need to shoot a bit more and experiment with different patch materials and see if I can spot the problem.

 

[deerstalkert]

what is your lube Gary?

 

[TDM]

I don’t think it’s the crown - I pushed a patched ball down an inch into the barrel and pulled it out and patch looked fine. The patch is blown out all around the ball. It slides down the barrel easily. Need to shoot a bit more and experiment with different patch materials and see if I can spot the problem.

Gotcha, probably some rough spots down the bore.

 

[garypl]

Gotcha, probably some rough spots down the bore.

I’ll post results when I figure it out. I did notice after a couple of shots there is a tight spot down near the bottom of the barrel - maybe some pitting down there.