New matchlock

[volatpluvia]

This one is nearly complete.  I designed and built the lock myself. 



even without the triggerguard and a dog return spring I managed to hit this target today at ffty yards offhand.  It is a 20 guage smoothy.


volatpluvia

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

The gun is exciting, and the target shows much promise.  More pictures please!

[Bioprof]

I would think that the roundballs would fly true with this gonne because of divine guidance.   The wood came from a tree in the yard of his parsonage!   To me that would make a gun really special.    Nice job Volat!

[volatpluvia]

Okay, D Taylor,
Here are a couple of pics showing some grain.  I did not know this slab had any curl until i started shaping the gonne.





volatpluvia

[Steve Bookout]

Ya'know, Volie, that trigger looks like something the Skunk Works would have cooked up.  Never seen anything quite like it. o  How's the recoil overall when you fire that beast?  Guess I'll have to follow suit and make one for me now.  There you go again...making me spend all my hard earned allowance........Cheers,  Bookie

[Dave B]

The wood looks like Cherry, is that right? You have done a great job on this piece. How bout some pics of the Mechanisim from the back side? Thanks for sharing with us.
Dave B

[volatpluvia]

Dave,
It is red maple.  When I rescued the slabs from the fresh stump in the front yard of the parsonage in south Jersey, I did not know it had curl.  The stain is Laurel Mountain forge in cherry spirit stain.  the wood is scraped instead of sanded.  the curl on the forend feels like a plowed field.  Here is a pic of the inards.



Bookie,
actually the gonne is fairly lightweight, so it has a lively bounce.  I thought of that phrase for a name, hee hee!  Lively Bounce?  Haw!
volatpluvia

[volatpluvia]

Here is another pic, of today's shooting.
I was sitting at the bench with elbows resting, holding the gonne as if shooting offhand, using 80 grs. 2fg.  The first two shot were to find out what the sight picture was.  With a change in hold I shot 3 and 4.
Then changing my face contact I shot 6 and 7.  then I switched to 70 grs. 3fg and 9, 10 and 11 went low with the same contact and hold.  Then back to 2fg.   
Oh, the match worked really well, although I did have to cut off the end and relight on occasion.
 

[volatpluvia]

I bought a yeager brass casting yesterday.  I bent it a little closer to the English Civil War guard, but not quite.  Here are before and after pics.





It was really maleable
volatpluvia

[Bioprof]

I think that will look good.   

[volatpluvia]

I gave it a minimal polish and mounted it today.



Here is a pic of the underside.



volatpluvia

[Steve Bookout]

Leon, let's see a closer pic of the butt from the side, top and rear, please.  Cheers, Bookie

[Scott Bumpus]

Oh great! now the matchlock shooters are going to give the flintlock guys $#*! for being to modern!!       Neat rifle though, not the fun of the mill deer killer!

[Brian]

Very nice.  Man, I thought you had to be "steady" to shoot a flinter.  I can't imagine that one!

[R. Hare]

Brian,

I think my matchlock is at least as fast as a decent flint,.....He keeps surprising me when he goes off!
(Built him a few years ago, and he has made muley meat.)

Richard.

[volatpluvia]

Brian,
Since there is no trigger let off because there is no sear as such, but instead an action arm.  Once the match reaches the powder it ignites.  There is no indication by feel that the gonne should fire now.  So, if you don't watch the match going into the pan you are surprized when it fires, thus is seems que fast.
Here is a pic of the 'washers' I put under the heads of the lock bolts.