Leonard Day Dutch Trade Gun

Well, at Dixon's I found a production or semi-custom gun that I beleive to be HC, and at a price that made it impossible to resist...









Now I believe this would be a gun suitable for militia in the F&I War (If I'm wrong, please let me know, so I can learn). I took it to Whispering Pines last weekend and shot it for the first time. It was very accurate, but I had real trouble getting it to spark. I called Leonard Day when I got home, and he told me they had problems with a bad batch of frizzens, and a few got out, so he would fix it. The lock is back in his hands or in the mail right now, so I hope I'll soon have much better to report.

Even with that, offhand at 25 yds, I put 3 shots into 2" - and then two at the edge of the 8 1/2 x 11" paper as I just got frustrated and flinched after having four or five failures to spark in a row.

By the way, the club butt looks awkward and ungainly, but the gun is light, and when you shoulder it, the center of the top flat lines up directly with the front sight, so I felt no need of a rear sight. Despite the initial lock troubles, I really like this gun.

I have a friend who bought one of those two years ago at the Gun Maker's Faire. His girlfriend and I had to convince him to get out his mouldy money and not leave without it. We knew he would not go back for it. So he did. He loves the gonne. It is his favorite. He named it after his girlfriend.
It had a good frizzen on it. And you are right. It is light and it points like an extension of your arm. The lock isn't fast but it is very reliable.
volatpluvia

I had mine out yesterday. It is definitely my favorite gun! I have had mine a couple of years and it is a great shooter.

Yup, Leonard does make a fine firearm!

I have been pineing after one of his swivel-breach combination guns for some time now. (Having trouble matching up opportunity and enough cash at the same time.)

Toomuch
..............
Shoot Flint

Just an update: when the mail came today, there was a package containing my lock. I haven't fired the gun yet, but just sparking the lock in my fingers, there appear to be a whole lot of sparks!

Now that's service! I sent the lock out last Thursday, I believe, so Mr. Day probably didn't get it until Saturday, and I got it back today - Wednesday - which means he probably mailed it Monday! When he says "right away," he apparently means it. :hatsoff:

Col, congrats on the new L. Day gun. Yer gonna love it! I'm the one Leon was refering to in the post by the way. Now some tips and suggestions. When time permits pull the lock and barrel. On mine the wood wasn't finished so I finished it. A minor thing but it should be done. (yours may even be done) I had a real problem with the small area for the trigger finger. There isn't much room in there for these big ole keilbasa sized fingers! I know "that's the way they were" but I couldn't tolerate it. I removed the trigger-guard then reinstalled the screw thru the stock to the tang and relocated the trigger-guard further forward. It gave me the room I needed and the trigger hit the back of the guard to prevent so much overtravel. Move the guard fore and aft and make sure the trigger will fully release the sear if you try this before mounting the guard!!! Another benefit was the tang screw now protrudes slightly above the tang to serve as a "center-focus-point"....ahem...NOT a rear sight! I abhor rear sights on a smoothbore! Harrumph! I suppose a feller could cut a leetle notch in that nub of a screw end to keep it aligned..for tightening purposes of course. Heed Leonards advice about using small flints...they do work better. And try tipping the prime slightly towards the flash-hole for quicker ignition. A .590 ball/.018 patch and 70gr. of 3fg Goex works dandy for deer! The best shot load I found was 65grs. of 3fg with 2 thin overshot wads and a suitable charge of shot with 1 thin overshot wad. The finish on the gun seems not to weather to well or I don't take very good care of it. (the latter is more likely..) Overall I'm wonderfully happy with the gun. YMHS...Audie..the Oldfart