The Saga of the Fifty Buck Hawken

[Gavno]

Greetings, All!

I'm a Newbie, making my first plunge into black powder shooting.

I've been a smokeless powder hunter and shooter for about 35 years, and then a buddy turned me on to black powder. I've been casually keeping my eyes open for a black powder gun for a couple of years now...  and one finally showed up.

On the local Craig's List, a "Springfield Rifle" in .54 calibre showed up for fifty bucks. I got the first phone call in and I got it...  the local whitetail population now had a definite reason to worry! 

Identifying this beastie later via internet information, it turns out to be a Traditions "Springfield Hawken" percussion that was a wall hanger in his living room for the past 10 - 15 years. It was filthy, obviously not cleaned in years, and the nipple was broken off...  but other than that, it looked pretty reasonable.

When I picked it up, even tho I'm a Newbie I knew enough to run the ramrod down the barrel to make sure it was empty. It sunk into that railroad tunnel sized muzzle hole to a satisfying depth...   so I tossed it behind the seat of my pickup and headed for home.

However, when I got there, I made a nasty discovery...  for reasons unknown, some previous owner had neatly SAWED OFF the ramrod. This puppy was LOADED. 

After a quick trip to Gander Mountain to get a universal replacement ramrod and a screw jag, I got a lesson in practical muzzle loader ownership...  I loaded the bore with penetrating oil and let it sit overnight to (A) loosen the ball, and (B) hopefully contaminate the powder charge under it to make it less likely to blow up in my face!

I got the ball and patch out without too much trouble (I was amazed at that!), and learned from practical experience that Hoppe's #7 bore cleaner isn't the weapon of choice for black powder! It turns black powder into a sort of thick mud, when encouraged a mite by a patch pulling worm.

ANYWAY...  my question.

Amazingly, the bore seems pretty good; repeated cleaning got out some surface rust and crud, and the rifling is clean and sharp. BTW, patches are tight all the way down the bore, so I don't think there's a bulged or ringed barrel on this puppy.

The chamber area feels sort of rough...  I'm sure there's some bore damage from that load of powder taking up residence for all of those years on the wall. That's what has me concerned.

I'd imagine that even with reasonable care the chamber of a black powder gun gets some roughness, but MY big question is simply this.

Is it likely that the bore has been damaged to the point that the rifle is unsafe to fire? How would I be able to tell if it IS damaged to that point?

After the necessary cleanup and repairs, should I be seriously concerned on that first shot?

Comments?



Mr. T.

[Jerry V Lape]

If you can't see what has happened where the load rested, perhaps you should unbreech the barrel so you can look at the area in question in detail.  I doubt the load has done structural damage making it unsafe to shoot but there is no substitute for "knowing" for certain. 

Also, unless you have a religious issue with them, a CO2 powered ball discharger is a much safer way to unload most guns rather than pulling the ball.  Or try an air compressor.  On a percussion gun a grease zert in place of the nipple can be used with a manual grease gun to force a load out as well.  If you must pull the ball, use a T- handled rod so you can tie the rod handle to a tree or other anchor point and you pull from the butt end of the rifle.  (I have a friend who experienced a load going off while he was trying get the screw into the ball to pull it - so I know it can and has happened.) 

The next time you need to kill a powder charge, remove the nipple, remove the barrel from the stock and sit the breech end of the barrel in a bucket of water for an hour or so. 

[Gavno]

Hello Jerry!

Thanks for the reply! So far, I've been winging it on this project, and it's good to hear from somebody who has some expertise.

I discovered CO2 powered ball ejectors AFTER the slug in question had been pulled. A neat gadget, to be sure...  I'll probably be investing in one of 'em; I've already got a stock of CO2 cartridges here, used to power the seltzer bottle that goes with the Jim Beam supply!   

In this case tho it wouldn't have worked. The nipple is broken off, and it's threaded shank is still in the bolster. It's currently sitting around, giving penetrating oil a chance to soak in, in preparation for drilling out the shank for the insertion of an Easy Out to remove it.

Re. bullet pulling techniques...  GOOD POINTS! I should have thought of the T-handle method myself.

To deal with the ramrod situation (tho useful at the moment, the aluminum tubing universal rod is unaesthetic and therefore offends my sensibilities), I've already ordered a couple of 3/8" diameter hickory rod blanks and some brass end fittings to fabricate a new one.  I can see right now that the second rod blank is going to be used for a 48" T-handled "range rod". I ordered two (they were cheap) just in case I somehow had a need for a spare ramrod.


Mr. T.

[Jerry V Lape]

T handle range rod would probably be most useful out of solid brass.  Some don't like Ts because in use your hand is over the muzzle.  I prefer more of a cylinder handle so any accidental discharge would have some chance of missing the hand.  Saved my friend's hand anyway.  It is easy to tie the cylinder with a slip knot if you must pull a ball.  Just think safety all the time and you will be fine.  Might want to find a local club and get an experienced mentor or two.  It will help you avoid reinventing the wheel and get you up and going good much sooner.  Just make sure you aren't following the village idiot when you pick mentors.

[Roger Fisher]

T handle range rod would probably be most useful out of solid brass.  Some don't like Ts because in use your hand is over the muzzle.  I prefer more of a cylinder handle so any accidental discharge would have some chance of missing the hand.  Saved my friend's hand anyway.  It is easy to tie the cylinder with a slip knot if you must pull a ball.  Just think safety all the time and you will be fine.  Might want to find a local club and get an experienced mentor or two.  It will help you avoid reinventing the wheel and get you up and going good much sooner.  Just make sure you aren't following the village idiot when you pick mentors.

Yes, just because he may be an ol guy it doesn't mean he knows what he's doing!