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Front stuffers and pumpkin slinger picture thread…
- Thread starter sirhrmechanic
- Start date
There are a couple C Sharps on GunBroker that I have been watching. While I really do like the 1874 but the 1885 Highwall is such a great looking rifle I'd like to add one to my collection. 45-70 is pretty practical in general Id still like to play with the smaller calibers also.
I'm definitely going to be playing with black powder.
I'm definitely going to be playing with black powder.
I have a love/hate relationship with black powder, I love most of the rifles that use it but hate cleaning it.
If I were to get a high wall I’d probably get it in .405 Winchester as it’s the only way to get a USA made rifle in that cartridge as all the 1895’s are now made by Miroku. They make a very nice gun as I have several made by them but there is something about a quintessential American cartridge being chambered in an American made rifle.
There is a Winchester highwall at the local gun shop in 38-55 serial number is from 1900 and its a New Haven barrel. Also considering a C Sharps highwall.
I have a bunch of muzzleloaders and don't mind cleaning just part of it. I definitely need to budget more time when I get black powder out.
80grs 2f swiss by weight under a lanolin lubed felt wad pushing a 495gr no excuses bullet.
I thought a side lock would be a pain to clean.....I was wrong. Some hot water and a bit of ballistol.....and done.
A sad day for those in the muzzle loading and Longrifles world. Herschel House passed on earlier today.
A legendary longrifle maker and edged blade forger, he taught nd mentored at least a couple of generations of contemporary longtime artisans.
RIP, sir.
Sirhr
A legendary longrifle maker and edged blade forger, he taught nd mentored at least a couple of generations of contemporary longtime artisans.
RIP, sir.
Sirhr
I have three different Highwalls, and 5 different 1874s.
The Highwalls are good shooters and I like them a lot.
I absolutely love the Sharps 1874s. They've become an obsession.
Though there is one I kinda wish I hadn't acquired, it's a C. Sharps #3 Sporter chambered in 50-140. Beautiful rifle, and very accurate. Fires a 600-grain semi flat-nosed bullet. Gobbles up 1FG BP like you wouldn't believe.
My shoulder can handle the recoil of that rifle just fine. My brain cannot. Touching off a round sends my brain slamming into inside of my skull in a brutal fashion. After about three shots I have to sit a wait a few seconds before I can see anything but stars and sparkly lights. But then I look down range at my tight little groups, and I get excited and keep shooting more. Becomes a vicious cycle. By the time I finally call it quits, I'm as bleary as a punch-drunk fighter. I spend the rest of that day and part of the next with a pounding headache and a stiff neck. These days its job is just to sit and look pretty.
The 45-110 and the 45-70s are pure joy to shoot. Those you can shoot all day long with no negative consequence.
Back in 2020 I made the pilgrimage to Big Timber and visited both C. Sharps and Shiloh. That was an exciting day for me.
This was the first black powder rifle I ever shot. Now it's mine. Built by my Dad from a Dixie Gun works kit back in the ‘70s. He used the kit supplied stock for a pattern to make one from bird's eye maple. It needs a cleanup and the stock needs a rub down and some oil, but it's a beaut and shoots like a dream. .45 caliber.
Edit to the above. I believe it was called a Pennsylvania Dutch rifle, due to the two piece stock.
You know the funny thing about those flintlock stocks? They were shaped so that they come to the eye naturally, without adjustments.
Video by my friend Ed Parry. Totally worth watching!
I have several Ed Parry rifles. They are magnificent!
Sirjr
.50 caliber flintlock. 38” swamped Colerain barrel. Curly sugar maple stock. Took me two years to finish building it; and got backwoods redemption this year in the deer woods. Patched round ball at 75 yards, ran 10 yards and flopped DRT.
My current "Front Stuffer" project. It won't be quite as decorated... But it's gonna be epic!
Ed will do the inletting and shaping and stock work after I finish the metal.
Then I'll do the finishing, decorating and engraving.
Mine won't be quite as ornate.... Like not even close. But there will be some engraving and wire work and ivory inlays (Yes, ivory from Elephants that died before your gamgam was born) and other decor. But not quite like this King-ey thing.
Bet Louis XIV wishes he had one of these. Pussy. If he was not a pussy, he'd have kept his head.
I should have the metal work finished this weekend.
Sirhr
Ed will do the inletting and shaping and stock work after I finish the metal.
Then I'll do the finishing, decorating and engraving.
Mine won't be quite as ornate.... Like not even close. But there will be some engraving and wire work and ivory inlays (Yes, ivory from Elephants that died before your gamgam was born) and other decor. But not quite like this King-ey thing.
Bet Louis XIV wishes he had one of these. Pussy. If he was not a pussy, he'd have kept his head.
I should have the metal work finished this weekend.
Sirhr
It’s a pistol and a war hammer? That is awesome! Man, people really didn’t fuck around back then.
The finest rifle I have ever owned by Jerry Kirklin, .54 swamped Getz 48" barrel
Interarms 54cal I bought in 1992. Had these 485gr maxi balls, 90gr of FFg Pyrodex. Every shot gave me a killer headache for a couple seconds. My old eyes couldn't really see the black front sight on a black target at 100yards but at 50 it was doable. Not a great group but tons of fun. 20 shots downrange was enough!
Thank you for showing this rifle. It is a work of art and … as a Range Officer, I prefer a wooden ramrod for the safety check
. Cheers from NZ
.
I have one of these same rifles. They're good shooters.
On a different note, if anyone knows a good source for 54cal miniballs please let us know. I've been casting my own, but sometimes I get lazy or want to conserve my supply of lead for other purposes.
I seem to be returning to my interest in blackpowder after being away for decades. Back in the 90s I remember Co2 powered unloaders handy for removing a stuck ball or unloading after a hunt. I have a screw that fits on a rod but would like the unloader. Checked Midway with no luck. Any ideas?
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I think Dave2C on ALR forum might do one. I'm on site and can't access my login there on my phone, but that is a superb forum for matters muzzle loading.
Is the barrel going to be silver soldered to the hammer head?
I guess the better question is how is the hammer head attached to the barrel?
I was shooting this out at that farm yesterday. Rifle built by John Little, in .45 and built in 1976
Fine shooting flinter
Fine shooting flinter
My heavy bench target rifle built by Bill Large. It has a 32lb barrel in .50 caliber
Have not decided. But the hammer part is stainless and that doesn’t silver solder well. My guess is I will probably pin it or run a screw through and polish the ends. But I’ll know more later today.
I never figured this stuff out until I’m building it. Have a blueprint just a photograph and an idea in my head of how to do the cuts. Cheers.
The gunbuilding forum has some amazing work shown.
Got a whole lot done in the shop today, including getting the head of my war hammer machined and ready for polishing.
Here all the facets and details are turned and machined on with lathe and milling machine. This was entirely manual. No blueprint. Just worked the dimensions as the looked and felt right. Having a DRO is invaluable on stuff like this! Used an assortment of mills, but mostly 1/4 carbide and a small ball-nose. And a bit of hand filing in the edges.
After turning on all the facets and edges, heated to red hot and bent the spike into a nice curve. Damn stainless bends hard, even when red hot! And I didn't want to break off at the 'thin' neck. But between getting it cherry and using a 'bending slot' in my anvil... it came out with a lovely curve!
A bit of light sanding on belt sander and with DynaFile. Then bead blasted and wire brushed. It's now ready for 'serious' polishing. Being stainless it will polish up like chrome. But that's going to be a lot of work. Barrel is inserted temporarily. Before polishing. I'll get the stock roughed on.
Once it's done, I'll have a bit of engraving done on it. But nothing like the Damascening on the 'original.' This will be more of a 'working man's' pistol war hammer club claw thingie. Not fit for a king. Well, maybe a poor king. Like in Lichtenstein or something.
Of course tomorrow I'll have to post pictures of my Asseghai project. I needed a bedside spear, it turns out. Doesn't everyone? Pix of that little beauty tomorrow!
Cheers,
Sirhr
Here all the facets and details are turned and machined on with lathe and milling machine. This was entirely manual. No blueprint. Just worked the dimensions as the looked and felt right. Having a DRO is invaluable on stuff like this! Used an assortment of mills, but mostly 1/4 carbide and a small ball-nose. And a bit of hand filing in the edges.
After turning on all the facets and edges, heated to red hot and bent the spike into a nice curve. Damn stainless bends hard, even when red hot! And I didn't want to break off at the 'thin' neck. But between getting it cherry and using a 'bending slot' in my anvil... it came out with a lovely curve!
A bit of light sanding on belt sander and with DynaFile. Then bead blasted and wire brushed. It's now ready for 'serious' polishing. Being stainless it will polish up like chrome. But that's going to be a lot of work. Barrel is inserted temporarily. Before polishing. I'll get the stock roughed on.
Once it's done, I'll have a bit of engraving done on it. But nothing like the Damascening on the 'original.' This will be more of a 'working man's' pistol war hammer club claw thingie. Not fit for a king. Well, maybe a poor king. Like in Lichtenstein or something.
Of course tomorrow I'll have to post pictures of my Asseghai project. I needed a bedside spear, it turns out. Doesn't everyone? Pix of that little beauty tomorrow!
Cheers,
Sirhr
Bit of oddball wood and some stain and a bit of lathe time and I have the Assegai is ready for some handle finish.
This will look good next to the Vickers.
Sirhr
This will look good next to the Vickers.
Sirhr
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I found this Lyman Great Plains Rifle (.54) sitting in an auction getting no love at all. I was able to snag it for the minimum bid this morning.
Those are great rifles! Furniture is nice. I have one that I got like yours... dirt cheap and no love.
There are a whole lot of folks who strip them down, redo the stocks... brown or brighten the barrels. They can be made to look like completely hand-made contemporary or vintage plains rifles with minimal work!
Or shoot the hell out of it like it is!
Cheers and great snag!
Sirhr
Thanks. I think I'll shoot the hell out of it. Then, maybe I'll have an idea of what it should have done to it.
When I came home from breakfast this morning, this gun was sitting on the front porch in a pieced together box big enough to qualify as a coffin. They made the box by taking two shorter boxes and spicing them together end-to-end. When I separated the two halves, packing peanuts went EVERYWHERE. (And didn't that put me in a wonderful mood.) Then came a layer of bubble wrap, followed by a layer of tissue paper.
The bad news is that there were a lot more scuffs and light scratches on the stock than were visible in the auction house pictures.
The good news is that a few drops of Tung oil rubbed into the wood with my fingers has rendered them all invisible. The stock looks almost pristine now. Almost. The metal all looks good. The lock and triggers function as they should. The nipple looks recently replaced, and I have no problem with that.
Now I only have one concern: When I checked how far the ramrod is going down the barrel, it seems a tad too shallow by about an inch. So, I'll need to set up my bench and make sure things are truly clear before I do anything else.
But first I have a bunch of packing peanuts to clean up.
Another forum I’m on had an entire thread on loaded muzzleloaders at auctions and it is surprisingly common.
Yeah, I've heard of it happening enough times that I thought it prudent to be one of the first things I checked.
Turns out it wasn't loaded. I was able to confirm that by removing the cleanout screw from the "snail" (the piece the nipple screws into.), putting a small cotton ball just inside the muzzle, and then blasting some compressed air into the cleanout port. The cotton went flying.
The cleanout screw was corroded into the snail, so I dabbed a drop of PB Blaster onto it and went to watch TV for a while. When I came back to it, it came loose with some firm but gentle torque.
Tomorrow I'll cast some solid conicals and some miniballs. I have a couple molds for each. Then maybe on Monday I'll get to learn what works with it.
Something followed me home today. Not quite a Pumpkin Chunker, but a Remington Rolling Block #4. It will need some TLC and probably a barrel liner.
Well, I made time tonight to clean the No. 4. Who knows when the last time it was cleaned. Two cycles of brush and patches until almost white. This was done using Hoppes #9
The next step will be to shoot it Saturday using CCI Standard Velocity before I decide to have the barrel re-lined. As I was pushing patches through, I could feel how rough the bore is.
It’s Defenitely an early production with a serial number of 800XX.
I’m also looking to source a butt plate to replace the missing one.
Not looking at draw filing out the pitting because the patina looks good to me. I am considering using BLO to revitalize the wood though.
The next step will be to shoot it Saturday using CCI Standard Velocity before I decide to have the barrel re-lined. As I was pushing patches through, I could feel how rough the bore is.
It’s Defenitely an early production with a serial number of 800XX.
I’m also looking to source a butt plate to replace the missing one.
Not looking at draw filing out the pitting because the patina looks good to me. I am considering using BLO to revitalize the wood though.
