Using a Daisy BB gun to teach flintlock shooting

[Herb]

Here is my great grandson Trenton two years ago, shooting a left handed flintlock.  This was because this was the only rifle small enough for him at this shoot.
He is right eye dominant and right handed, and when he visited here last week on the way from Turkey to Hawaii with his father in the Air Force, we went shooting again.  He wants a flintlock and so I built him one.  He laid his head across the stock, as above, and I realized he was getting his face away from that left-handed flint flash like two years ago.  Then I also realized that he had not shot other guns and needed to get comfortable with them.  So I bought a remanufactured Daisy Red Ryder BB gun and we started with that.  Now he could keep both eyes open on the target, and within a dozen or so shots was hitting plastic bottles thrown into the air.  Then we went to my scoped .22 rifle and shot off sand bags at paper targets, then off-hand.  After 15 or 20 shots he was comfortable and proficient.  Then we went to his .45 flintlock off the bags, 35 grains of Goex 3F at paper targets, with shooting glasses and hearing protection.  Now he had correct form and was comfortable.

His rifle has a Rice .45 7/8" x 36" barrel and a Chambers Deluxe Siler.  It is patterned after a Frederick Zorger Lancaster and has a 13 1/2" LOP.

Here is the Daisy BB gun.   It was too long for me to shoot comfortably, even though made for 10-year and older kids!  It had a 13 7/8" LOP.  I made a new stock with a 12 7/8" LOP and more drop at the heel.  A BB gun is a good way to start kids shooting, being careful with all the safety matters.

Trenton read about mountain men in school and wanted a flintlock.  So I'll make him a hunting bag and horn and mail the rifle and operator's instructions to him when he is settled in his new home.

[George Sutton]

Very Cool

Centershot

[smokinbuck]

Herb,
Well done. Very nice looking flinter he is holding, he'll enjoy that for a loooong time. When I was in the service they taught us instinct shooting with Daisy BB guns. They took the sights off and had us shooting ping pong balls in the air, didn't take to long to begin to hit them.
Mark

[Kermit]

Herb, do I understand he's headed to Hawaii with that flinter? I've heard tales that BP is nigh impossible to come by in the islands due to shipping costs and constraints. Hope it's not true. He needs to be shooting that rifle!

[heelerau]

Herb,
        I reckon that is really great,  what you have there with your great grandson.  Could not think of anything grander than having a rifle made by a great grandfather and handed to him personally.  Good on ya mate !!

Cheers

Gordon

[Herb]

Kermit, I found a ML shooter in Hawaii and E-mailed him.  He said there is a lot of ML shooting in Hawaii.  I did not ask about black powder, but at least Trenton has a contact there.

[Herb]

Here is Trenton's rifle and the Daisy.  I did not build the flintlock for him, or I would have made the length of pull shorter than 13 1/2".  I bent the trigger back to shorten the pull length, now at 13 3/8".  This is still longer than I like, the inside of the trigger bow is just right for me, with a 15 1/2 x 33 shirt size.  I cut the BB gun stock down after we were done shooting it.

I set the patchbox lid inside the butt plate so those unfamiliar with such things can't get their fingernails under the end of the lid and pry it open, possibly ruining the latch engagement surfaces.

I had the rifle complete except for bluing when Trenton got here.  He helped me heat blue the lock.  I cold blued the barrel with Brownell Oxypho blue.

If they can't get black powder in Hawaii, I'll build them a Hawken caplock and supply info on use of Pyrodex or Triple 7.  Trenton said he likes Hawkens.

[ken]

I think this is great !!! Any thing to get young people shooting . I cut down a CVA for my daughter then built her a 40 cal when she got older It is a joy to watch her shoot it . Great going ken