Post Deer Season work on the Flintlocks

[roundball]

While the 'arctic blast' were getting here in NC is setting record low temps and messing up my squirrel hunting plans, at least it waited until after deer season closed. And now being pretty much shut in for a couple days I'm taking advantage of it to get started on the annual post season long gun overhauls.

The annual overhaul involves pulling the locks again and disassembling the hammer & frizzen items re-clean & re-lube, install new flints & leathers, so I "know" their condition while they're in storage. Then I pull the barrels, look them over, plaster their bottoms and barrel beds with fresh Lithium grease and reinstall.

Clean & polish all the brass, plaster the bores heavily again with WD40, and wipe down every square inch of the exterior with the cloth wet with Lithium grease, rack them muzzle down over night in the warm dry house, then back in their cases and into the safe.

Got the .58cal Dickert done yesterday, and the .58cal Early Virginia done today...both showroom ready for this coming fall deer season. Planning to do the .62cal Early Virginia tomorrow.
A good 2-3 hours work each, possibly overkill to some, but the good peace of mind I get from it is worth it.

 

[roundball]

.58cal Dickert

( Should read .50cal Dickert )

 

[roundball]

Finished the .62cal Early Virginia smoothbore's annual overhaul this morning and glad I did it...found a small 1/4" size spot of light rust on the bottom flat a couple inches back in from the muzzle. Catching it just starting it wiped right off with fine steel wool wet with WD40...so "The Settler" has been put to bed showroom ready in excellent shape, all set for this fall again.

 

[Mattole]

Thanks for the mini-tutorial on how to prepare a muzzleloader for storage. I'll do the same for mine.

 

[excess650]

Mine get a thorough cleaning after they've been shot, but not the "overhaul".

I finally unloaded my .62 at the range today. It had been loaded since late November, in and out of the vehicle and house numerous times, so today was a "test' of sorts. I removed the round toothpick from the vent, picked the charge, primed, and ignition was as quick as ever. I shot JUST over my aiming point (small black spot) in the snow under the 100 yard backboard.

I'll give the barrel a thorough cleaning, wipe the lock down, give it the WD-40 treatment, and store it muzzle down for several days.

My .45 early Lancaster is going to get its vent liner changed. My .50 Dixie Tn Mtn Rifle may also get its liner replaced, and I'm thinking of lopping the barrel off at 34". Changing the lock to one of the L&R replacements has crossed my mind, but the one I have works well. :hmm: