Ferguson rifle demonstration

[chapmans]

  While I was at Friendship last week there was a Ferguson rifle demonstration, then afterwords, all that wanted to, got to fire it! What a hoot! I shot it at 300yds and at 80 yds. The 300yd shots were at the pigs and we were coming really close. The 80 yd shot was at a reduced buffalo swinger probably 2ft by 1 ft and I hit that one!

















 I don't know how well you will be able to see it but in the one pic you can see particles of burning powder all around Dave's face, you really had to pull your hat down or it would burn your forehead.

[Candle Snuffer]

Now that's a rifle I'd like to try someday simply based on the history of this firearm.

[Mike R]

Neat--is that an original Ferguson?

[chapmans]

  Mike,
 Glad you liked it and no it's a Narragansett, the fellow was VERY knowledgable about the rifle and was very proficient with it, he could load and fire 7 shots a minute!! The breech is opened and a ball  was dropped in then a powder charge then the breech was closed and the pan primed and fired. I think it was around  .60 caliber, we fired it 30 times with no malfunctions or cleaning, I fired the last shot and hit the 80yd buff. He coated the balls with tallow as well as the "screw" and the gun worked flawlessly.It was a pleasure to be at the demostration and to hear the history of Ferguson himself.
Steve C. 

[Daryl]

Fergusons are really cool, but there is a lot of leakage around the screw- more than I'm comfortable with.  The one Taylor built for a fellow in Belgium was a hoot to shoot.

[chapmans]

Fergusons are really cool, but there is a lot of leakage around the screw- more than I'm comfortable with.  The one Taylor built for a fellow in Belgium was a hoot to shoot.

Daryl,
 Does Taylor have any pictures of his Ferguson?
 Steve C.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Yes, I have a file of pictures, and I'll post a few after the weekend...our annual rendezvous is going to keep me hopping til Wednesday.

[chapmans]

  Taylor,
  Thanks I'm looking forward to it!
 Steve C.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I tried to dig up my pictures and put them into Photobucket, but it won't accept my password...?  I'll try again later.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I think I've posted most of these pictures at one time or another, but I don't mind doing it again.  This rifle was built using parts from TRS after they concluded their contract with Naragansett Arms.

[Robert Wolfe]

Taylor, your guns never fail to impress! Simply superb.

[chapmans]

Taylor,
 Thanks for posting, I'll bet that's the finest Ferguson rifle ever built.
 How did it shoot? did you have any trouble with it locking up?
 Steve C.

[Daryl]

Here's a slightly different picture of the one Taylor built.
: It shot very well indeed and is .65 cal on the grooves, which is how the Ferguson is measured. Fouling in the screw became a problem after a bunch of shots, but brushing it off and lubing it solved that.  the ball really needs a push forward to make it seat up against the rifling origin. The lube on it as well as fouling will hold it back if it's just dropped in, and hereby reduce the powder charge or change it shot to shot.  It was fun shooting, but did leak a fair amount of gas.  Not as much as I thought it would, though. It's a pretty good design.

[chapmans]

 Daryl,
 Thanks for the reply, I have been interested in the Ferguson rifle ever since I was a teenager and read Louis L'Amour's book called "The Ferguson Rifle" It was fun but it sure did beltch out fire and smoke in the breech area.
 Steve C.

[George Sutton]

Nice looking rifle, Taylor.

In the pictures of the other rifle at the top, is that errosion on the screw from gas cutting??

Centershot

[chapmans]

 Centershot,
    How was the vacation?
    The cut you see on the screw is where the fire from the touchhole gets to the main charge, it's supposed to be there but I am sure there has to be some gas cutting, I would think it would eventually wear out the screw but I don't know how long it would take.
   Steve C.

[Daryl]

I think it's just dirty from firing.

[George Sutton]

Hi Steve, the vacation was great, but like  all vacations, too short. 

Centershot

[chapmans]

   Centershot,
    I know what you mean except for my last one, I got back from Friendship last Sunday after 10 days and believe me I was ready to come home. It's a long story and an expensive one to boot! I may have to sell a gun or two.
 SteveC.
 

[medbill]

Enjoy...

[chapmans]

Medbill,
 Thanks for that link ! I can't believe the fellow wasn't wearing a hat ! The one I fired would really burn your forehead!!
   Steve C.

[medbill]

That guy was me and it was my Ferguson built my Ernie Cowan from Chambersburg, PA.  Look at the video and you can see the smoke is only coming from the pan.  It is light years above and beyond the one you shot. 

I know because I had one of them delivered and I only kept it for about 30 minutes before sending it back.  The quality wasn't there and I knew there would be problems. 

This rifle from Ernie seals up nice and tight and is really a precision made copy of the original.

B

[Daryl]

I do not recall any flame or smoke coming from the bottom of the one Taylor made, either.  There was some wafting from the top of the screw, or it could have been from the pan only.  Pouring in the powder, winding the scrw up, then wiping the excess that is carried up by the screw, sideways into the pan for priming, sure speeds up that process.  It is a fast firing rifle, that's for sure.

[chapmans]

 Medbill,
 I noticed a big difference in the amount of smoke but I thought maybe the gun was newer and tighter.
 How do they make the screw, is it cast?
 Steve C.

[medbill]

Many parts are made by hand on the Ferguson I have.  I'll break it out of the safe and take some pics for you guys.

Here is one I found when I picked it up.  Its next to two of its brothers in this photo.