Range day

[Dan]

Took my long lean lady to the range today and put 3 clusters of 5 into about two inches. That's sad for 25 yards.  To be fair to the lady, it's been about 6 months since I took her out, and it was windy and there was a full auto gas gun next door. I found the noise distracting.  Not the gun as much as the conversation that went along with the ratta-tat-tat.  When my lady spoke the first time, one of those unwashed heathens said, "We've come a long way haven't we?", followed by many snickers.

 

Well, I finished in time to watch them borrow a rod to knock a case out of the chamber after the extractor pulled the rim off.  Yep, we've come a long way I guess. 

I let my friend shoot the ol' gal just to get a taste of it.  He'd shot one once a long time ago and it had hurt him.  Some kind of BP bore rifle, dunno what caliber.  Checked him out on the firing sequence and he let one rip.  Now my lady is very particular about who shoots her.  He did hit the paper but was a long way off the mark.  If she had two legs I'd marry her, if for nothing else, loyalty.

Now when the line went cold we all went down  to collect the targets and Mr. Gas and Mr. Guns went along beside me.  I coulda used their target again.  One of them looked at mine and muttered the "s" word.   That's the second time she's done that to gas gun shooters.

Now my problem is this.  She shoots as good today in the wind (25-35 mph) as she does with no wind at all.  She doesn't seem to care whether the patch is .010", .015" or .020" except one be harder to load than the others. She goes off about 99% of the time I pull the trigger and that breaks like an icicle 1/4" in diameter.  Her long sight radius is kind to my eyes and she only weighs 7# 4 oz.  She cleans with about a half dozen patches then tolerates me when I go out with other less savory small bores of the smokeless variety, with reward of perforations wherever I might wish to put them.  If I work at it I get sub 2" groups at 50 yards, sometimes near 1", but that's hard to measure 'cause the paper's all ragged and torn. 

Now my questions are:  What else is left?  What do I have to look forward to?  Do you think I can improve or should I just give up?  Or, is humiliating gas guns a worthy enough cause?

 

[Gene Carrell]

Personally I think that it is worthwhile to not only open eyes of others to the capabilities of blackpowder burning rifles, but if possible, to also introduce others  to our world. If more people were interested in history and accuracy instead of noise and shear destruction, our sport would not be under the attack that it is. BTW, when you find a rifle (as you have) that works well for you, treasure it.

[Dan]

I agree with that philosophy wholly Gene.  The fellow that went with me was pooping away with a variety of target loads and a Smith wheel gun with some success.  When we got home I invited him in to clean the iron at my place and he was smitten by the loading bench.  He went home with a Lyman's 47th under arm and the online address for Natchez so he could peruse the cost of presses and dies and...and....he may well have been sucked into the vortex.  At one point he asked what I was going to do as I reloaded, what with 15 Indians with tomahawks in hand charging my way.  I counseled him about the inadvisability of bringing blades to a gun fight and reminded him I was wearing tennis shoes.  Then I asked which one wanted to be the first, etc.... He finally caught on I think.

 

[Daryl]

Good post, Dan.  Not particular about patches?  This is odd, but perhaps shows a less than optimum load for that particular rifle - it should care what it's fed, but at 25 yards nothing really of value can be learned, except point of impact.
   If you're happy with it, well, treasure it and be happy.

[Dan]

Ah, her expression of particular desires is......subtle.  I can discern a small preference between a .440 and .445 ball, or a .010 and .015 patch, but neither will make a difference on a deer.  Or competition with a gas gun.   Maybe a difference of 1/2" in aggregate of 5 groups of five?  That's a gut analysis, not scientific.  What I have not tried is Swiss Powder....maybe I have something to live for after all.

I usually shoot at 50 yards with this one, and offhand to boot.  Apologies for my evil ways, I just HAD to pick a fight with the rock 'n rollers.   You're right Daryl, not much shows up on the 25 yard line, except for fun and smoke.

[hanshi]

Flintlocks, a more civilized weapon from a more civilized time.  Of course they are treasured.  They are much more like "individuals" than cartridge critters.

I've found that within a range of charges, ball sizes & patch thickness, they are remarkably omnivorous and seldom cantankerous.  Just find their ballpark and they play well.

[Roger Fisher]

Well Dan ol boy I like your style of writing. 

[Leatherbelly]

  I think you should give up and send me that long legged Tennessee mountain woman! . I concur with Rog,nicely written.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

she's sure not hard on the eyes, dan.

[Dan]

  I think you should give up and send me that long legged Tennessee mountain women! . I concur with Rog,nicely written.

Well, thanks for the prose praise and I mean that.   On the other part, I could send her up, but you know she won't shoot for you.   No, I'll probably hang onto this slender lass, for some things are written in the stars.

[Leatherbelly]

 Dan,
  Can you tell us a little about that long legged one? I think I have her short legged sister.

[Dan]

She was brought into the world by James Turpin a few years ago.  RE Davis lock, Early English as I recall. 

http://www.redaviscompany.com/locks.html

14.5" LOP on the curly maple w/ dark red-brown stain, GM barrel of .45 caliber, 42" length and 60" twist as I recall. Maybe 66", not certain of that.  All metal except front blade is browned.  Don't recall the proper name for it but the patch box is hinged in the middle with opening panels on both ends.  Brass blade front sight and steel back. I misspoke earlier, the weight is 7.4 #, not 7# 4 Oz.  Very nicely balanced with 13/16" flats and to the best of my determination a very fast lock time.  Apologies to Mr. Pletcher but it seems only a bit slower than my threshold of awareness. 4f Goex in the pan, 3f in the charge, 45 grains working better than 40 or 50 by small margin.  It sounds like "klatch-phoosh-boom" without the "atch-osh-bo", or "kl-pho-om".  That's my short course on FX-ebonics, or something like that.  When I don't have the muffs on it has a satisfactory crack in the sequence as well.  Patch/ball specs are above.  My friend was sitting to my right as I shot yesterday and commented that he felt the vent jet and minor debris from a distance of about 6-8'.  I'd have to double check but by my recollection the internally coned platinum vent is .045" and sits very slightly higher than the top of the pan.  Like ...less than 1/10"?

Next trip I shall put the gas guns to my right.

I got to know her after a few false starts pushed me over the edge.  Initial intent was to build (been there, done that) but between some health issues and a mix up with Tracks, the project did not launch.  Opportunity knocked a few months later and I took the plunge.  Never looked back.  I have to admit that when taken out in public her appetite for attention is voracious, particularly with the older set.  She is patient and knows that eventually everyone gets old except herself.  Someday when I'm gone she'll no doubt cast my memory aside and spoil some other fellow.

 

[Roger Fisher]

She was brought into the world by James Turpin a few years ago.  RE Davis lock, Early English as I recall. 

http://www.redaviscompany.com/locks.html

14.5" LOP on the curly maple w/ dark red-brown stain, GM barrel of .45 caliber, 42" length and 60" twist as I recall. Maybe 66", not certain of that.  All metal except front blade is browned.  Don't recall the proper name for it but the patch box is hinged in the middle with opening panels on both ends.  Brass blade front sight and steel back. I misspoke earlier, the weight is 7.4 #, not 7# 4 Oz.  Very nicely balanced with 13/16" flats and to the best of my determination a very fast lock time.  Apologies to Mr. Pletcher but it seems only a bit slower than my threshold of awareness. 4f Goex in the pan, 3f in the charge, 45 grains working better than 40 or 50 by small margin.  It sounds like "klatch-phoosh-boom" without the "atch-osh-bo", or "kl-pho-om".  That's my short course on FX-ebonics, or something like that.  When I don't have the muffs on it has a satisfactory crack in the sequence as well.  Patch/ball specs are above.  My friend was sitting to my right as I shot yesterday and commented that he felt the vent jet and minor debris from a distance of about 6-8'.  I'd have to double check but by my recollection the internally coned platinum vent is .045" and sits very slightly higher than the top of the pan.  Like ...less than 1/10"?

Next trip I shall put the gas guns to my right.

I got to know her after a few false starts pushed me over the edge.  Initial intent was to build (been there, done that) but between some health issues and a mix up with Tracks, the project did not launch.  Opportunity knocked a few months later and I took the plunge.  Never looked back.  I have to admit that when taken out in public her appetite for attention is voracious, particularly with the older set.  She is patient and knows that eventually everyone gets old except herself.  Someday when I'm gone she'll no doubt cast my memory aside and spoil some other fellow.

 

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