Chunk Gun

[Daryl]

Whoa - Steady on, guys. Messages sent.

[Ryan McNabb]

Ryan.....those thick, square sights are somewhat like pistol sights.   The rear should also be a square notch, wide enough
that you will have a slight amount of daylight on either side.    I then used a sighter target that is basically a black square
which is about as wide as your front sight appears at 60 yards.    Mine was about 4 1/2" square.    When shooting, you
would align the sights, front and back being even at the top, then take a 6 o'clock hold on the square spot..........Don

Thanks Dave and Don.  I gotcha. 

When/where is the ALR chunk gun match?

[Daryl]

If the muzzle appears to be OK and measures that way, it may be OK, but since Douglas themselves used to advise cutting, well I'd do just that.  I feel 2" might be too much - however, since I've built a lot of modern rifles with custom barrels and am used to removing 1/2" from each end, I'd personally cut it just to be certain.   Afterall, it is a match rifle.  Since the breech end on a muzzleloader does not require a perfectly introduced reamer and is threaded at least 1/2" deep, then the powder charge taking up a certain amount, the ball will be starting well up the bore so there is little or no reason to bob that end - all in my opinion, of course.

[Roger Fisher]

Ryan.....those thick, square sights are somewhat like pistol sights.   The rear should also be a square notch, wide enough
that you will have a slight amount of daylight on either side.    I then used a sighter target that is basically a black square
which is about as wide as your front sight appears at 60 yards.    Mine was about 4 1/2" square.    When shooting, you
would align the sights, front and back being even at the top, then take a 6 o'clock hold on the square spot..........Don

Thanks Dave and Don.  I gotcha.  

When/where is the ALR chunk gun match?

Well. it was a chunk match (50 yds) but not a chunk GUN match.  Offhand rifles were used for a more even playing field. So, we went with the 'flow'!  Ol Daryl ran it this summer just past. (And we hope he does it again.   The match was a postal match.

[FG1]

Ok , I called Douglas and talked with a tech. He told me to look for interuption in grooves , reamer marks varience in depth of grooves. Evidently not all barrels are created equal so their rule of thumb is to remove 1-1/2" from muzzle end .

This particular barrel is devoid of any of those anomalies when viewed through a 10x magnifier . It does however need faced and crowned .

[Acer Saccharum]

FG, my inspection system includes running a tight patched roundball from breech to muzzle in one steady slow push. You can feel loose spots, rough spots, or, if the muzzle is bell-mouthed, the ball will suddenly slide easy. Cut that loose part of the barrel off, it won't do you any good at the range anyway.

[b bogart]

Thank you Dave and Bookie for showing those guns! Fine looking pieces! Intergral cant bars can lead to disqualifications at certain events, is that what you all are telling us? the Does that mean a removable ( ala Hoot Al or Packdog's) attachments are reccomended? If I build one I wanna be able to travel around a bit and shoot with the rest of them Chunky....errrr....... Chunker Shooters.

[David Rase]

Roger,  The rear sight is something I just carved out of a (big) block of steel. 

Taylor, The lock is an L&R Durs Egg.  If I could do it over I would use the Late Ketland from Chambers.  The L&R works just fine.  Stylistically I perfer the Late Ketland.  I had the Durs Egg in the drawer when I built the gun.
DMR

[B Shipman]

FG1, I apologize for my choice of words. Many years ago, I was building a rifle for myself with a Douglas barrel and knew full well that it was best to shorten the barrel. Nevertheless I was anxious about it, even though I had built a fair number of rifles by that time, so I left it, and after a couple hundred hours of effort and the nicest looking rifle I had built at the time, I couldn't hit the barn door with it. It wasn't me. Icould hit poker chips from a rest with my Green River barreled rifle at 50 yds., ugly as it was. I thought you might be in the same boat.

[Dphariss]

Thank you Dave and Bookie for showing those guns! Fine looking pieces! Intergral cant bars can lead to disqualifications at certain events, is that what you all are telling us? the Does that mean a removable ( ala Hoot Al or Packdog's) attachments are reccomended? If I build one I wanna be able to travel around a bit and shoot with the rest of them Chunky....errrr....... Chunker Shooters.

I would build a removable rest.
I find that double barrels, like my swivel which I hunt with, are illegal in some places and an original DH Hilliard underhammer would not be allowed in some matches. I guess no underhammer is allowed in the Wyoming State matches.
I cannot see any advantage to shooting a swivel breech or other double. Don't see how they could be any advantage and actually consider them a disadvantage.
But when you show up for a rifle match you better be ready to shoot by the rules set up for the match.
So reading the fine print is a must.

Dan

[Daryl]

Used my double .58 with1 sight, using either barrel at will for a Heffley Creek Rondy match and dropped only 2 targets. My less then stellar tie breaker landed me in 4th place.  Taylor took first place with 1 miss and an excellent tie breaker- dead centre. Seems single barrels have the advantage. - or maybe because he doesn't wear glasses?

Rules are rules and if we want to play, we must obey.  Many rules today are due to shooters in the past building rule-breaker guns, designed to push the rules to the limit. If enough of them show up, rules get changed and soon, even more consessions are made until the sport ends up being totally different that first perceived - race guns then evolved. IPSC is a prime example. Eventually stringent rules are passed to return the competition to original levels and this bites the rule pushers and people like Harry, Roger and the rest of us with failing eye sight are at a distinct disadvantage.

[FG1]

Bill , your concern on my part is appreciated and I will be slugging bore by passing a slug through end for end of lightly greased bore from breech after facing and crowning muzzle . Curriosity has gotten the better of me .

[Acer Saccharum]

Bill , your concern on my part is appreciated and I will be slugging bore by passing a slug through end for end of lightly greased bore from breech after facing and crowning muzzle . Curriosity has gotten the better of me .

You should run a patched ball through EVERY barrel you get, just to make sure it's OK ....BEFORE you cut anything on it, dovetails, breeches, sight slots, etc. Make it much easier to return it if you haven't modified it in any way.

[FG1]

Not a bad idea ! 6 months back I got an AR15 barrel that was full of shavings and when pushed out with wiping stick was real ugly riflings ! I called the outfit and they sent another barrel and ups shipping sticker . 

[FG1]

All the chunk talk got me ansy today and I went out and made a pattern for a wider steel buttplate with a little less curl so it would be flatter and not dig in . After fitting at heel I used a piece of 10 guage copper wire for a rivet then brazed joint . Heres a pic of it along side a wax cast . Mine is on left , 1.50" wide and 1/2" less curl in butt.
Made of 3/32" sheet steel.

[okieboy]

 That is nice work. Are you using a forge and swage block? I would be interested to know how you generated the curviture across (from side to side) of the plate.

[FG1]

I made a swage block some time back for forming rod pipes and while I was at it drilled a 1" hole also. So the block has 5/16, 3/8,7/16 and 1" holes bored between two 1.125 " blocks that were welded together. I then had two blocks with half circle 'U' in them .

The butt portion I centered lengthways in block 1" groove with a piece of 5/8" bar between metal and vise jaw , closed vise to accent the crown in butt (had to adjust a couple times for the length). Then put the reverse curve in for cresent on step in anvil with 2 lb. hammer . Hard part was the roll back at heel where the heel extention is riveted to butt.That also was done on the step whith trial an error till it was right.

Took a couple hours to get roughed together. But hey , I have more time than money and it was fun doing !

[flintman-tx]

You might see about making a few of these and testing the waters. You might find that you could come up with money for more guns.( ALWAYS a good thing)

[mountainman70]

Hello ;on the subject of Douglas barrel runnout,those of us in my group of friends usually put the runout end at the breech,and fit the plug so the runout is either at 6 or 12 o clock.This gives a centered muzzle.Lot of front stuffers here with Douglas barrels,before they quit makin them.Dave

[FG1]

Made a triggerguard to go along with the buttplate . T guard is 3 piece construction and griprail about 3/4" longer for my meathooks 

[FG1]

A note about the mounts , they were all cold forged . Only heat used was for brazing parts together . Just a vise , hacksaw, files , anvil , 2lb. hammer 16 oz. hammer , cordless drill and oxy/acet torch were used with exception of B plate that I used a homemade swage block for forming .

[ERH]

heres my chunk gun[

[FG1]

Thats a pretty one !

[okieboy]

 I am jealous of your hardware! I really appreciate the note that the triggerguard is made to fit your hands. My hands are the opposite, rather small, but a poor fitting triggerguard is a distraction.
 What thickness of steel did you start with for the front and back pieces of the guard? I have puttered with some 1/8 stock (without firing up the forge), but wasn't happy with it.

[FG1]

The metal is 3/32 " hot rolled . I had a shop here in town shear me some in 2"wide strips , 1" wide strips and 1/2" wide strips . They are a specialty fab shop and always have lots of remnants cheap . Grip rail was 1/4" square stock and I filed corners off bottem 2 corners then shoe shined with emory strips .