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Well, a copy of his rifle... A couple years ago, I made as close a copy of GGGrandads rifle I could using pictures. I believe his rifle was made in Illinois about 1850. There was no name on it except Leman on the lock plate. I used an original Leman percussion lock and original Leman butt plate...

For sale is my 54 table rifle I made 2 years ago. Barrel is a Rice Match quality, 1 1/8” straight, 36” long. Perfect bore, square groove rifling, less than 100 shots. There is a Chambers White Lightning liner installed. Hasn’t been drilled larger. Goes off great. The lock is a “Dale Johnson”...

I built a 45 cal. Longrifle 45 years ago. I only hunted once with it in all that time and never killed a deer with it. I built a nice .54 flintlock soon after this rifle, and have used it for most of 44 years. I got the old rifle out a few weeks ago and worked out a load of 70 grains Old...

Saturday was the next to last day of the fall shotgun turkey season. I had hunted for 4 days without seeing much and wasn’t too sure I would get a chance this year. I sat with my back against a big log all afternoon, until about 5pm and heard a putt! Behind me. I slowly turned and saw about 30...

This is a .45 cal. Rifle I made over 30 years ago. 28” barrels, 13/16” octagon, from Numrich arms co. Bores are bright. Twist is 1 in 48”. Shoots maxi balls best, but patched roundballs work well. Right barrel is on at 50 yards, left barrel at 100 yards. 13” length of pull. Weight is 11#. Hooked...

Seems like I always go to the last day of the season before I shoot a turkey. It’s happened on the last 3 fall turkeys and the last 2 spring birds. In Illinois, we have 5 short seasons, one after the other, in order for everyone to get a chance at the turkeys with fewer hunters in the woods...

Today was the last day of the Illinois muzzleloading season. The sun finally came out this morning, so I decided to sit against a tree on a ridge, where I could look down a small valley and see a grass field about 100 yards away. The temperature was 20 degrees, but fairly comfortable in the...

Took a while to get back on. My Illinois fall turkey season came down to the last hour for the third year in a row. I didn’t see or hear a turkey in 5 long days of hunting this year. Finally, the next to last evening, I hear turkeys fly up to roost. The next day, I hunted a different area...

Got the hand rubbed oil/varnish finish completed after 10 applications and 20 days. I hope to get to the range this week to see how the gun shoots. I still need to file down the sights to get it on target. Untitled by okawbow, on Flickr Untitled by okawbow, on Flickr Untitled by okawbow, on...

Well, I'm finishing up my matchlock and looking for another challenge. I have a good piece of walnut and 5' of 1 1/4" diameter seamless steel stock with a .50 hole. Also have enough scrap metal around for the rest of the parts. Like the looks of the Italian carbine attributed to John Alden. I...

Last day of the Illinois muzzle loader season. Decided to still hunt the 60 acre woods. wind was blowing enough to help a little. Went slow, 5 steps, then stand a few seconds. About the middle of the woods, I saw a tail flick. I waited a few minutes and he stepped into an opening in the...

Decided against building a copy of the Newtowne gun. Will try one similar to this Dutch/German gun. https://flic.kr/p/224NRpa I started on the lock for the gun. https://flic.kr/p/22c5Hds https://flic.kr/p/CAcKEZ I've never seen a matchlock except in pictures. How does the thumbscrew work to...

I'm getting the urge to make a matchlock. The Newtowne musket interests me. It was possibly one of the first guns made in the colonies. There are repro's for sale, and several pictures. Does anyone know the barrel diameter and general taper? I know the barrel is round and 47 1/2" long. It is...

Illinois has a 9 day fall turkey season in some counties. I took my Grandson out last weekend, and he got a nice young turkey on the last evening. I let him shoot first, but wasn't able to get a shot at one of the flock with my flintlock. I was able to go the last 2 days of the season...

My archery friends group had a squirrel hunt this weekend. It was warm, and I decided to take my .40 flintlock instead of my longbow. I walked to the woods and loaded my rifle. Having just read the John James Audubon description of squirrel hunting with Daniel Boone; I put a ball in the palm...

1st season spring turkey in Southern Illinois. A big thunderstorm moved through just before dawn. I took a tarp with me and set up over a small mowed patch on my 12 acre property. A gobbler was sounding off in his tree about 200 yards away. After he flew down, between rain showers, I called...

The Illinois fall turkey season started Saturday. I bowhunt in the morning and hunt turkeys in the afternoon with my flintlock 12 ga. I made. I eased into the woods about 3:00 and soon walked into what looked like several flocks of turkeys coming together. I got behind a big tree and waited...

Fall turkey season in Illinois. Probably not many hunters using a flintlock, but I was sitting against a tree Saturday afternoon, when a couple of nice young turkeys wandered too close. The shot didn't even scare the rest of the flock. Guess they thought it was thunder. photo (10) by okawbow...

image by okawbow, on Flickr Here is a 1851 engraved Colt that belongs to my Father-in-law. I replaced a broken cylinder bolt, and now the action works fine. However; there is play in the barrel and frame connection. I can see movement between the barrel and frame when I apply side pressure...

I recently got a Pietta New Army .44 with my Cabelas points. I've shot muzzle loading rifles for over 40 years, but never shot a Capp & ball revovlver, until this past Sunday. My load was 30 grains 2f Graf black powder, with 15 gr corn meal filler. The ball was .451 home cast lead. I used a...