I toted my old Dixie .67 caliber "Tower" pistol out to the club last Friday. I built it up from one of their cheapie kits back in the 70's. I think they were like $30 or so then. It's got a rough looking flat faced lock, flat cock, a bore that measures out to .675, and it's not very pretty. I shortened the barrel to 9", added a 7/16" rammer with a shotgun tip, and a belt hook. It's quite functional, if not very elegant. It sorta looks like Middlesex's "Light Dragoon" pistol...but a bit more crude.
I haven't shot this pistol in years and years. I loaded it up with a ball, primed and took a shot from about 10 yards.....no hole in the target. Reloaded, moved up a couple yards, no hole in the target. Reloaded, aimed a little left, a hole in the target but way off. Sooooooooooo......I loaded it up with some #5 shot. After all, that is what I built it to use...and it's pretty much all I had ever shot from it before. I walked up to around 7 yards, aimed dead center of a 25 yard rifle target, and promptly blew away a large central chunk the black! Cool!!! Ahhhhhh....now that is what it is supposed to do!
I guess I'll have to work on a big roundball load for it now.
btw- For a cheap piece of doo-doo, it's a very reliable firing gun. Keep the flint sharp and it always goes BOOM!
Jack
I haven't shot this pistol in years and years. I loaded it up with a ball, primed and took a shot from about 10 yards.....no hole in the target. Reloaded, moved up a couple yards, no hole in the target. Reloaded, aimed a little left, a hole in the target but way off. Sooooooooooo......I loaded it up with some #5 shot. After all, that is what I built it to use...and it's pretty much all I had ever shot from it before. I walked up to around 7 yards, aimed dead center of a 25 yard rifle target, and promptly blew away a large central chunk the black! Cool!!! Ahhhhhh....now that is what it is supposed to do!
I guess I'll have to work on a big roundball load for it now.
btw- For a cheap piece of doo-doo, it's a very reliable firing gun. Keep the flint sharp and it always goes BOOM!
Jack