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Recent content by satwel

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  1. satwel

    Odd But Cool

    I had the good fortune to befriend Richard Colton back in 2010 when I was a volunteer at Springfield Armory National Historic Site. He was the official NPS Park Historian and ranger there for many years. Richard has been building both new muzzleloaders and restoring originals for even longer and...
  2. satwel

    CUT AT THE MUZZLE, ROUND OR SQUARE

    I've always shot round patches. Last year I had a new rifle, and I began to experiment with cutting patches at the muzzle just out of curiosity. When I picked up my fired patches to examine, I was surprised to see that they were almost square. Seems counter intuitive. I just assumed they'd be...
  3. satwel

    Breech plug removal. Jag and cloth stuck in barrel

    I had a jag and patch stuck at the top of the powder chamber of my flintlock TC Hawken last year. After a lot of deliberation, I decided to shoot it out. I took the barrel out of the stock and lashed it to a 2 x 4. Then I clamped the 2 x 4 to the back side of my stepladder with the muzzle...
  4. satwel

    finishing a Kibler lockset

    I get mine from Gesswein. https://www.gesswein.com/abrasives/finishing-stones/gesswein-stones/
  5. satwel

    Competitive shooters, a moment of your time please.

    Your issue with inconsistent groups may be more a function of the pistol you are shooting rather than your technique. Given your extensive background in pistol competition I'd be willing to bet your shooting technique is pretty solid. I will start by saying I am a big fan of the Colt 1851 Navy...
  6. satwel

    Confederate revolver, true or fake

    A collector once told me that anything marked CSA is spurious. When the Confederacy marked property they used CS.
  7. satwel

    Frizzen wear - smooth it or replace it

    Do nothing. Your frizzen is fine. I wish all my flintlocks were as smooth as yours.
  8. satwel

    Browning Kibler lock

    If you plan to use a cold blue or cold brown solution you should polish the parts to a degree, but keep in mind It is possible to make the lock too shiny. For the browning solution to work best the steel should have a slight surface texture. That allows the acid to "bite". If you decide to leave...
  9. satwel

    Preservation of an original Springfield rifle

    The knowledgeable folks over on the CW forum deal with this question all the time. They sing the praises of a product called Kramer's Best antique improver for both the wooden stock and metal parts of antique arms. According to them, it will clean and preserve the extant patina without doing...
  10. satwel

    Black powder or Pyrodex

    If you decide that shooting Pyrodex is your only option, my recommendation is to clean your rifle as soon as possible after firing. The perchlorate (salt) base used in Pyrodex is a strong oxidizer which makes it much more corrosive than black powder. There are purists on the muzzle loading...
  11. satwel

    Carbines

    The meaning of carbine according to Online Etymology: a short rifle (in 19c. especially one adapted for mounted troops), 1580s, from French carabine (Middle French carabin), used of light horsemen and also of the weapon they carried; it is of uncertain origin, perhaps from Medieval Latin...
  12. satwel

    My Baker Rifle - finally finished and firing

    Congrats on your nice build! Seems like she'll be a great shooter once you master the nuances of flintlock shooting that comes with experience. Please don't shoot your rifle with the paper cartridges placed on the bench next to the rifle. I cringed when I watched your video. Sparks from the vent...
  13. satwel

    Gluing leather to flint

    As FishDFly mentioned in a previous post, the only time I glue leather to a flint is when I pack to go to a shooting match. Saves precious time if I have to change a flint in the middle of a relay.
  14. satwel

    Runaway pins - flatten, bend, replace, or... ?

    Do you have any pine trees nearby? If yes, find a blob of fresh pine sap on the trunk, one that is still clear, and smear some pine pitch along the length of the pin. A thin coating should be all that you need. Insert the pin pack into place and in about 48 hours, after the pine pitch has...
  15. satwel

    Follow through

    It is easy to teach yourself follow through with practice. There are but three steps: Aim. Fire. Aim
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