Moon Metal

[Roger B]

Some of you older guys might know about what used to be referred to as "moon metal" for half soleing frizzens.  I understand this stuff may have been depleted uraniun (seen that in use) & that Dixie once sold it.  Was it that or some type of high magnesium alloy?  No, I don't want any, just never heard the term before.
Roger B.

[Macon Due]

Roger
I remember years ago  when Ted Hatfield was making his rifles in St.Joe,Mo. that he had lots of problems with  frizzens not sparking well and said he was going to offer a 'half sole' with depleted uranium. I did not have it done and eventually traded both mine off.
Macon

[California Kid]

Russ Hamm used to advertise this stuff in Muzzleblasts in the 70's. As I remember it NMLRA banned it for matches. I had a piece. Don't remember exactly what the material was, but it was the same stuff a metal match is made of. He called it the greastest discovery since the invention of the flintlock. It didn't last long.

[KNeilson]

You probably mean this stuff........ ferrocerium.......    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrocerium

[northmn]

Russ Hamm distributed it and I used it some (some of the early locks of that period needed it)  It was banned because it was found radioactive, kind of like the dials on old illuminated clocks.  It did spark but I felt it did not have as "hot" of sparks as newer locks.  If a lock is made right it is not needed but I knew a very good flintlock shot that swore by them.  A lot fo the early locks of that period were kind of iffy on spark.  Were I to be asked I would not recommend Russ Hamm locks as they seemed to be a bit iffy.  Some swore by them.

DP

[Frizzen]

I have one of them on one of my frizzens. Will make a video tommorrow and will post.

[whitebear]

I saw a rifle with this metal as a half sole on the frizzen of a Numerich arms minit man.  It made a huge shower of sparks so it should have been beneficial to firing the pan.  I never actually saw it used to fire the gun but on a dry fire it was amazing.

[JCKelly]

Depleted uranium very dense so used in military projectiles today, for armor piercing.

Never mind the radioactivity, it is poisonous as $#*!. Not nice to mess with.

[38_Cal]

If you're on the receiving end of an AP projectile, you've got other things to worry about than either potential radioactivity or long term poisonous effects of the dust from depleted uranium!  And mostly, those worries will be of very short duration.  Ask the Republican Guard tankers...

David

[Longknife]

It is poisonous if you injest it, (eat it or breath it). When it sparks against the frizzen tiny particles of it are mixed with the burning priming charge and becomes part of the  smoke that comes out of the pan, something I don't want a few inches from my face!!!!! No one knows the poisonous effects it can bestow upon you but ..I saw one of these in operation 30 years ago, and now I am turning bald!!!!!! Thats my story and I'm stick'n to it!!!!!!!!...Ed

[Daryl]

Ed - Taylor and I must have seen the same thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Frizzen]

I have had mine for over 35 years now. I'm 68. Should I worry about having any more kids?

[Frizzen]

Here is a video I just shot of my Thompson Center lock and the Russ Hamm Frizzen 1/2 sole.

[Shovelbuck]

Lots of fire. I bet there is no need to prime.

[Roger B]

There was a guy on ebay selling a lot of muzzleloading stuff & a box of "moon metal for frizzen facing" was included.  Just wanted to know if it was what I thought it was.  I first saw the stuff in 1984 in KY.  One of the local guys had a .62 rifle he had obtained from the founder of the KY Corp.  At the time you could only hunt with a shotgun on Ft. Knox, so the original owner (The Colonel) had it counter bored so deeply that you couldn't tell it was a rifle.  Also had a "sparkin steel" faced on the frizzen (riveted) that seemed to explode every time the flint hit it.  I understand the last owner died from lung cancer, so it probably did him in.  Well, that & the carton of Marlboro's he smoked every day.  The man could shoot that rifle, though.
Roger B.

[frogwalking]

The stuff is incredibly heavy.  Some yacht racers used to make very thin, very heavy ballast keels out of it.  Most rules now ban its use for the reasons already discussed. 

[Blacksmoke]

Once had a rifle brought to the shop because the owner had installed the stuff on his frizzen.  When the cock struck the frizzen it would light up your life with sparks!  Only problem was - non of them would go into the pan!   So I re-halfsoled the frizzen with a piece of an old file and the gun was back in business as the sparks were now going into the pan where they belong!      Hugh Toenjs

[Stan]

If I remember correctly it was outlawed because the sparks went in every direction including sideways & it was worth your life to prime next to a guy using one of those frizzens!!!!!

[Acer Saccharum]

Caseharden your frizzens, gents.

[California Kid]

Does this mean that moon metal is banned on the forum?
Just funnin!!!!

[RobertS]

It would probably be a good idea to wear protective goggles while watching that video.  I think I could see a mushroom cloud forming over the frizzen!