Just picked this up...

[tzvia]

and I am wondering if anyone here has heard of "R Newman"? That's the name on the top of the barrel of this flinter I just picked up.

I don't know who makes the lock:

but it appears well made, has a great feel and sparks well. The stock has some small engravings at at the top tang, and on the back, not much:

It's 54 caliber. When I first looked down the bore, I noticed the rifling was unusual looking, with the grooves being curved in a way I have not seen before. The gun was used, so I took it apart when I got home to clean it up. Turns out the barrel is a 42" Colerain swamped left sorta in the white, just a light brown on it, as if someone was trying to make it look age tarnished I guess?

I plan on shooting it this weekend. The hang tag on it had a note that the load for it should be 60gr FFFg, .530 ball and and .010-.015 patch. Don't know if I should use FFF or FFg. Any suggestions?

You know, I went to the store to buy some 16g shotgun ammo and a new powder flask and I walk out with this. I must learn, leave the evil check card and all the money at home, except what you will need to buy what you are planning to buy :nono: :nono:

Oh well..

Lois

 

[lonewolf5347]

16g shotgun ammo and a new powder flask :you forgot to mention did you buy the 16g shotgun ammo and a new powder flask?
The reason why I ask is the flinter looks great :redthumb:

 

[jim gray]

The hang tag on it had a note that the load for it should be 60gr FFFg, .530 ball and and .010-.015 patch. Don't know if I should use FFF or FFg. Any suggestions?

I would try this load out first, but IMO it seems to be a target load. I think that for hunting you may want a load that's a little more stout.

I wouldn't have any problem using 3Fg, but would consider 100 grains to be the maximum when working up a load for this gun. With 2Fg you should be safe with anything up to 120 grains and probably beyond that a ways, but I think 120 grains would be adequate for anything smaller than a moose or grizzly. (120 gr. of 2Fg is the maximum load for a .54 caliber with a patched roundball listed for T/C Sidelocks.)

 

[[email protected]]

That is a Great Lookin Gun ! Let us know how she shoots!

*** WV SCROUNGER *** :thumbsup:

 

[Deadeye]

That's a beauty, would be hard to pass up. I've heard the name but that's all. Yes, use the 60 3F and .530 ball as recommended. That's the load I shoot in all my .54s and just about everyone I know uses that load, hard to beat.
For hunting large game just double it for 120 gr. 3F.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Zoinks! I use 84 gr FFg in my .54 and it is plenty for whitetail out as far as I can see to use the iron sights (a hair past 100 yards if an angel's sitting on my shoulder).

Nice rifle! Elegant, in fact. Very well executed from the pictures.

 

[tzvia]

Thanks for the replies!

Lonewolf, yea I did get the flask and the shotgun ammo, so I walked out thinking I had accomplished something on my 'to do' list LOL.

Flash and Deadeye, yep, gonna target shoot with it and suspect it will run circles around the 'black plastic stuff' I see at the range. And look a heck of alot better than the lot of 'em. I've got some 2f and 3f; it will be interesting to see which works out better.

WV SCROUNGER and Stumpkiller, thanks! I'll post on how well he shoots after I shoot him this weekend (why are these things always called 'her'. Being a woman, I think of them as 'him'.) I was struck with the feeling that it just hovered in my hands, and despite being so long, did not seem front heavy or hard to hold on target. Almost like a gyro or something, it just seemed to settle where I pointed it and that was why I bought it. I'm planning on building something next year but doubt I can achieve that balance.

Lois

 

[more powder]

120 grains of 3f is going to kick like a mule that's a real hot load i think 120 grains 2f is more than enough to kill elk.i shoot 85grains 3f in my 54 and kills the h--- out deer elk.But each is own :m2c:

 

[big bore 75]

I don't have a collorain barrel but my greenriver .54 likes 90 grains of 2fg and does an excellant job, with 3fg it seams to settle on 90 also for some reason oh well and a 530 speer round ball and a linnen patch lubed with t/c wondrlube. but thats my rile for ya. bb75

 

[Boonetract]

That is a beautiful rifle. The previous owners recomendation is a great place to start. Use the 3f! If you do, start at 50 grains and work your way up. I think there is nothing worse than having a nice lite well balanced rifle that is over loaded with powder. You kinda defeat the purpose. I shoot 55 grains of 3f for everything in my .54, and 50 grains in my .50. It doesn't matter if I'm punching paper or hunting. Less is better. Just my .02

 

[Gaze]

I'll post on how well he shoots after I shoot him this weekend (why are these things always called 'her'. Being a woman, I think of them as 'him'.) Lois

Yer, dern toot

 

[jethro224]

You know, I went to the store to buy some 16g shotgun ammo and a new powder flask and I walk out with this.

Lois,
Maybe you, bein' a woman, could help me explain to my wife how this stuff happens? She just doesn't understand and I can't explain it in femalien.
Thanks,
Jethro
ps. That sure is a handsome rifle! I'da bought it too.

 

[tzvia]

...could help me explain to my wife how this stuff happens? She just doesn't understand and I can't explain it in femalien.
Thanks,
Jethro
ps. That sure is a handsome rifle! I'da bought it too.

Easy answer Jethrow,

"it was a good buy and I can sell it in a few years for more than I bought it for." "I bought it for you, but it fits me better..." Or just sneak it in the house. That only works till you run out of room in the safe and you have to get creative and hide it somewhere else. My excuse for this one was that I have been on mandatory overtime since January-with over 7 months of 6 day weeks so I let go and treated myself to something. I bet your wife 'treats herself to something' every once and a while, so why not you?

Lois

 

[LSU TIGER]

You did the sporting goods store version of going to the grocery for milk and spending $50! :crackup: Nice rifle!

 

[Mike Brooks]

I don't know who makes the lock:

It's a Chambers early Ketland, a very dependable high quality lock. looks like a nice rifle. :thumbsup: