Mr.stormpriest,Originally Posted by stormpriest
If you would not mind my asking, what amount of powder charge are you using with the PRB?
Ours is made by Pedersoli. Your's?
Best Wishes
Mr.stormpriest,
If you would not mind my asking, what amount of powder charge are you using with the PRB?
Ours is made by Pedersoli. Your's?
Best Wishes
yup, the same, a Perdisoli. I'm using 30 to 40 2FF per barrel. Tho, one thing I can say is, 777? Not bad, but no where near as good as the real thing. I also noted more power/kick when using Goex. Was just throwing RBs down the range for sh*ts n giggles, but still noticed that w the 777, I had to "reprime" the barrels 3 out of 4 shots. That is, unscrewing the nipple ( God I hope no one googles this) and pouring a lil more powder in there before it wld go off.
i like my
50 cal flint lock and have used it up here in the great north wet
I have a gun sock made from oilskin that is wool lined & it's simply unbeatable for keeping my front stuffer dry.Keeping your powder dry is all part of the game.Fortunately, it's not that difficult. If you spend the money on a decent gun, it should have a good lock that allows the frizzen to seat dead flush with the pan. This alone makes a pretty good moisture seal. Wrap a cow's knee around the lock if you want to keep it dry in damp weather. Carry it in a wool gun sock if you want to keep it still drier. Keep it in an oiled leather gun sock for the ultimate in protection. Personally, I've hunted in driving wet snow, sleet, and freezing rain with either a cow's knee or wool gun sock. Those have kept the gun dry enough to touch off when I've emptied the gun at the end of the day.
Not hard to make (I didn't make mine - friend did).
Would make a great bushcraft project if ya looking for something to do on a rainy night.
The cow's knee certainly keeps the FLs shootable in bad weather although I still prefer a caplock if hunting in bad weather.
A touch of candle wax around the nipple & it's pretty much weatherproof unless you get water down the spout.
Just some random thoughts while reading further into this
A hooked breach in a half stock in 50 caliber with a percussion lock is a great starting (and finishing if you like them) point.
Double set triggers are my preference over single triggers
Seems I recall T/C or some hawkins offered both percussion and flint locks that could be swapped out but I may just be faulty on that memory.
Lot of the older (origional) BP weapons had barrels of soft iron that you could actually shave with a knife. As they shot out (the rifling wore out) a new cherry (a larger round ball thing used to cut a new mould was made and the barrel re-rifled (freshed out). This is why some odd ball sized barrels are to be found.
I lately prefer a 50 but 40 or 45 are useful for most things also. If one has a simple T/C type hawken in .45 caliber , uses a 400 or so grain boolet with 70 - 120 grains of BP then you are duplicating the balistics of the BP 45/70 cartridge (or 45/120 etc).
For some reason a round ball kills out of all proportion to what the numbers indicate it would do.
Lot of folk use "short starters" but I have found the handle of my patch knife to seat a patched ball, followed with choking up on the ramrod to shove it a bit works for me.
Be sure to get a "ball puller" n Patch worm and a few cleaning attachments for your ramrod.
I have been told by old timers that after shooting "peeing" down the barrel was one way to clean out the barrel, but no solid research on that other than hear say.
If using a longrifle with pinned barrel, having a piece of tubing / something like a nipple / plug to fit the touch hole etc lets you pour hot water down the barrel to help clean it out. Also the tubing in a pot of hot water and a tight patch and you can kind of suck the water up and down to swab out the barrel.
A hooked breach with wedges is much easier to clean, I have often just pulled such and cleaned em in the sink / bath tub.
Also try to avoid petroleum products as they seem to enhance fouling. (bore butter is a good commercial option for most uses.) (Bear grease is my preference if I can get it.)
I'm kinda having a brain drizzle at the moment, but want to try to set this down as I'm gonna need to rest in a bit. (some days the stroke effects seem stronger than others and at the moment my head is buggin me.)
I also am thinking of making myself a nice 12 bore rifle (At first I was thinking a double, but that may be to difficult so maybe just a real fine single barrel.) May even look into a 10 or 8 bore.
Now those are huge game / African calibers, but I suspect that they would put down a elk or moose or griz just fine n final.
Plus they plain ol' shine.
Remember that ya need a possible bag to carry your shooting stuff. Start looking for horns to make up your own powder horns, (these can be true works of art, n if polished enough become translucent n ya can see your powder through the horn to see about how much you have.)
If you want another idea get a piece of wood and drill a hole into one end and fit it with a stopper to hold a powder charge. Then bore cross ways the other end and seat a patched round ball. Just pour the powder down, flip n seat the ball by holding the other end over the barrel n ramming it in part way, then remove n finish seating it.
Mark your ramrod both unloaded and loaded with a ring around it so putting it down the barrel confirms it is loaded or unloaded.
Buy spare ramrods, nothing stinks like breaking one and not having a replacement. (the fiberglass type may not be traditional but hold up better.
Somewhere around her i have what looks like a derringer pistol, but you put a dab of powder in the barrel and shove a candle into the barrel wick near the powder n then when you touch off the thing it ignites and lights the candle. (Think I got if from dixiegunworks back in the 80's but memory is weak on that)
Heck, guess I"m just off on a old man's ramble today, but I love watching folk start doing something that adds so much to fun in the woods.
Oh, if you can find a .32 squirrel rifle, they pretty much fill the 22LR bill for playing n hunting, but you need to swab out more as the smaller bore tightens up after only a few rounds. I usually opt for my 36 when hunting small game just on account of it is a tad easier.
Make yourself a set of crossed sticks n see if that helps your shooting also.
Howda pistols, I been meaning to try out a set of those. Saw one made to take regular 12 gauge shells once, but never got to shoot it.
Sorry for the long ramble, but , well thanks for letting me just enjoy thinking about stuff.
Thad.
Started out with a Dixie southern rifle changed the lock pretty fast to a WL Cockren fit pretty close a Bob Roller would work to. but to be honest a flintlock is a learning curve. If it is all you shoot it aint so bad. you should also know that store bought is not the same as what you can build. parts just not as good. If you can check out Caywood in Berry-ville Arkansas.
Thanks Thad......
Great summary of little details things.....
Peeing down the barrel, was kinda a poor man's ammonia solution that cuts BP crud nicely....not really needed these days...also was said to be used in the old military rifles with the old corrosive powders and primers (read Nagants), and said to be the reason for a "dark bore".
Also rumored was the "peeing on a barrel in white' allowing it to rust, then oiling and polishing.....or "Browning the metal".
When shooting at game, either looking under the smoke, or running up thru it to see if your shot was true.....Works.
Rather than fiberglass as a hunting loading rod and wiping stick, go with composite, it doesn't shave off and make little glass splinters to get in your hand, is easier on the rifling at the muzzle, doesn't swell in bad weather, (like wood)...nothing more frusteration than to have your ramrod stick in the tubes when wanting a second shot.
Do not take composite or fiberglass rod to a primitive shoot.....I don't use the rod in the gun at the range, but a longer loading rod, and separate 'wiping stick"
Half the fun is making you horn and bag.
They are fun.....nothing is like trying to hit a "running deer" (target on cable) from horse back (55 gal drum w/saddle on) springs.....The second shot is really a trip.......
Thanks, ordered up a mold and some .600 balls......
Found a assortment of wads at Cabales, has both over powder and over shot in the same bag.....for starters.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Easte...h-All+Products
I think a wad cutter would be in order if you are gonna shoot a lot of smooth bore shot gun loads, though.
Barrels can vary in size. Not all .62 cals are created equal. Most .62's measure closer to .610. It is always advisable to try several size balls/patch combinations before ordering a mould. My Colerain barrel mic's out at .612. A .600 ball is too tight unless I am shooting bare ball. I now shoot .595's out of a Jeff Tanner mould. I may order a .590 from him as I would like to use a thicker patch. I highly recommend Jeff. He makes a quality brass mould for a reasonable price. If you have trouble finding the size ball you need, I'm sure some of us can provide a few to try. http://www.jt-bullet-moulds.co.uk/
check out the wad column pieces they have there at TotW as well. It's a 3 part wad column; felt wad goes on top of the powder charge, then the cushion (self evident in appearance) then yer shot and then the white "card board wad as a sot "keeper.
They also have prefabbed single and dbl 0 buck shot by the pound I believe.
As to powder charges, my howdah takes a light charge by comparison, same bore/ caliber, but the barrels are 11 inches. I wld guess the "medium" load for yours wld be rough about 90 2FF. Then again, every weapon has it's "sweet point" and it takes range time and sometimes a fair bit o patience.
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