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  1. R

    Keeping the entry thimble extension firmly down

    I make my own thimbles and often of thin stock like originals. Often while forming there’s some spring left or just obstinance that makes the rear end of the extension that lies over the fore-end want to pop up a little. Maybe it’s pride? I’ve taken to soldering a tiny steel spear point on...
  2. R

    Finished assembling a Wilson flintlock

    This is a set of flintlock castings listed as part #600 from The Rifle Shoppe (TRS) which they call a Wilson Trade Gun lock. Note that it has features that indicate a much higher quality lock - internal bridle and a boss for the front lock bolt, for example. As with many sets of castings...
  3. R

    Changed ball size for my 20 ga

    With my .620 Ed Rayle barrel, I was shooting a .600 patched round ball. Today I tried a .605 patched round ball - thinner patch, about as tight as the previous load. Either I was having a really good shooting day or I chanced upon a better combo. I use 75 grains of FFG. Left to right was very...
  4. R

    FOR SALE Dixie Gun Works .50 used barrel

    I bought a bunch of barrels at an estate sale. This straight octagon used .50 barrel is 15/16” across the flats and 41 and 3/8” long. It is set up for breechplug and drum and nipple. None of those are included. No sights but underlugs are installed and dovetails are present for sights. At the...
  5. R

    SOLD Ed Rayl .50 bench barrel 48” long

    For sale is a new old stock .50 octagonal barrel made by Ed Rayl. It is 1 and 1/8” across the flats, straight octagon, 48” long. Twist seems to be about 1 in 60” as expected for a .50. This barrel would be the basis for a bench or over the log gun or a “fort rifle”. $300 plus shipping.
  6. R

    New England Militia Musket

    This is an early 1800s New England militia musket in fine mechanical condition. It has a 42” .69 round barrel and a lock with a roller frizzen. Typical of this type, it is light, has a straight stock, and an iron rammer. If you look closely you can see remnants of wire inlay typical of New...
  7. R

    Smoothbore rear sights

    When I build a smoothbore on spec I usually cut a shallow dovetail and put an unobtrusive rear sight on there. Then I make a slug or filler so the rear sight can be removed for competition. Anyway here’s a simple one on an original that I liked. Also I noted that the highly sought after...
  8. R

    Smoothbores shooting round ball really high

    Both my smoothbores flintlocks have barrels with big breeches and are thin at the muzzle, so the sight line down the barrel automatically adds elevation. A lot of elevation. My 20 gauge shoots 4” high at 25 yards when I hold so I barely see the top of the front sight, which is taller than...
  9. R

    Turkey leg tendon vent pick

    I noticed how tough the leg tendons are on turkey drumsticks and made a vent pick from one. Should hold up better than a feather.
  10. R

    Peggy gets her first Tom

    My .69 smoothbore is called Peggy because the buttstock has some large wood repairs glued and pegged. Last year Peggy got a jake in the spring and a hen in the fall. This morning, her first gobbler. 17 yards after a stalk. 19.5 pounds. No more getting up at 4 AM!
  11. R

    Cartridge box

    I’m starting a cartridge box using cherry harvested on our place for the box portion. It will have a hair-on bearskin flap. A linen strap will be tacked directly to the wooden block. In other words, the box will stand alone, rather than reside in a well-fitting leather bag. It’s a work in progress.
  12. R

    Expedient sapling ramrod works fine

    I saw a long straight cherry sapling about thumb size at the base and for fun made an expedient ramrod for my .69 fowler. Works a charm. I roughed it on the a jackknife then scrapers and rasps. A couple hours by the fire and it’s not too noodle-ey to work. Rough jag filed on the fat end works...
  13. R

    Last day jake

    Last day of the spring turkey season today. I got a jake with my .69 New England style fowler based on parts taken from a 1728 fusil ordinaire. First year turkey hunting. A lot of early mornings!
  14. R

    Shooting with a newbie

    Today I was invited to join a great mentor/coach in introducing a new guy and his grown son to shooting a flintlock rifle. In addition to hands-on how-to, the father and son went home with gun, accessories, and everything needed to shoot and clean. Looking forward to shooting with all these guys...
  15. R

    Finished beaded English trade gun mid 1700s

    I based this build on an original in the book For Trade and Treaty. The original was ordered by Sir William Johnson of the New York colony when he was Superintendent fir Indian Affairs for the crown. It was decorated by its owner with beads atop the wrist and on the buttstock. Mine has a 48” Ed...
  16. R

    New England style horn finished

    I just finished this horn. It’s based on 2 originals considered to be later 1700s New England horns. One was paneled with a scalloped transition and the plug design is from an original I own. The made up story about the faces in the R and the P is that the horn owner started off to war happily...
  17. R

    Riveted, and brazed or welded iron/steel buttplates

    This practice of forging buttplates in two pieces from iron, and brazing them together, seems to have been practiced between about 1790 to 1880, mostly on guns from North Carolina and Tennessee in the flintlock period. Then it became more widespread as the so called Southern Mountain Rifle style...
  18. R

    Restoring a smoothbore barrel bore

    I picked up an original smoothbore barrel years ago. The bore was rough but it is a stout round barrel about 36” long and about 16 gauge more or less. In its latest iteration it was a percussion halfstock, based on the attached rib. Step 1 was to cut an inch off the breech and have a friend face...
  19. R

    Original Lancaster smooth rifle/buck and ball gun

    Yesterday I received an original Lancaster buck and ball gun I’d purchased. Some may call it a smooth rifle. I love the guard and tang carving. The gun is in attic condition. Barrel is 44.5” long, was probably 46” long or even quite longer, based on front sight location, another ramrod thimble...
  20. R

    Original flintlock converted to percussion

    I picked this up. Probably Germanic 1740-1760. Seller thought it was Dutch. It was converted to percussion in the European style. Darn cute engraved hammer.
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