Plains rifle arrived

[frontier gander]

Got her in trade and she came in yesterday. Custom .50cal Plains Rifle, 28" custom "no name or numbers" barrel with a 1:48 twist and deep groove rifling. L&R lock, sweet double set triggers. Stock is just amazing on it. Sorry that the pics don't do the rifle justice!




250gr Thor Concials @ 50 yards with 90gr American Pioneer 3f. Round balls are next on the list tomorrow!

[Daryl]

That's a great looking rifle, Gander.  What is the width across the flats?

[hanshi]

That is a good looking rifle, for sure.

[frontier gander]

15/16ths across the flats.

[Daryl]

With a 15/16" barrel and a drum, I'd be inclined to stick with round ball loads. I'd also expect them to shoot more accurately, although that inch group is good.

[frontier gander]

well balls shot a 1" group today as well. Im hunting elk so the balls are out of the question. If it were a 54cal no problem, but im not taking the chance with the 50.

[docone]

With a 1/46 twist, the Lee R.E.A.L. is a winner in mine.
I use 70gns, with a felt wad plus lubing in the lands.
Is that rifle pinned, I did not see a wedge.
That is a sweet looking rifle. I like the browning.

[frontier gander]

Yes it has a single pin through the forearm section. I actually plan on drilling it out later on and installing a bigger pin.

I have plenty of 250 and 320gr REALs to play with once i get some more powder and wads. Trackofthewolf is taking their sweet time on getting the 510 wads in stock. 3 months OVERDUE!

[docone]

Make your own wads!
Get an 1/2" punch, get some felt, and go to town. You could make wads the first day to compensate for purchasing them.
I use wadded up patches.
Nothing wrong with a pin. If it has a staple, then a wedge will work well. If it is dovetailed, then you will have to make your own. Dovetailing is simple. Just go slow. Measure, than measure again, and again. You cannot replace metal. Removing it is a snap.
When I had a pin system on a CVA, I put brass tubes where the pins went through the wood. They never wore out. I used pop rivets as pins. Good, hard, and lasted a while. They took a #48 drill.
That looks like a good rifle.

[frontier gander]

Hmmm!! Thats a very good idea with the brass tubing, i like that! Thanks, you may have given me more work 

A new pic from today.

[docone]

Good photo. I like it.
Another trick, I have used this on rusty bores, and to smooth new rifles, if they need it.
I take Clover Valve Compound and use it as lube for about 5rds.
Not enough to dig in, but just enough to smooth it out. Made a difference. Actually, easy to clean. I didn't get any residue after firing.
Food for thought if you need it.
I also make sure I pound the ramrod on a R.E.A.L. I find, they fire better with a tight load. I carry a small rubber hammer to the range.

[Maven]

Beautiful rifle Frontier.  Best of luck with it!

[Daryl]

Yes - best of luck - we found even in the .50's, round balls killed much better than slugs in moose.  RB's were single shot kills - 50 to 60 yards and done deal, where those shooting slugs wounded more than they killed - outright. Most were lost. Granted, they were shooting slugs WAY too long for the 48" twist.

[docone]

I keep looking at the rifle.
It has the L&R replacement lock. It is the small one for CVA. The drum, and bolster also look like CVA. So do the triggers.
If it only has Made in USA on the barrel, that is an early one. Barrel was a Green Mountain.
That barrel, made it worth it to make a conversion. The absence of a buttplate also makes it stand out. How about a toe plate? Does it have one?
That will be a fine firing rifle. I have the CVA Mountain Rifle in .54. A good heavy rifle. I put adjustable rear sights on, a new front sight. I am reescutioning it. How do you like that word? I am putting in new escution plates on each side. I installed a nosecap, and am doing repipe for the front. I am also going to remove underrib. They were riveted instead of screwed. I am also repipeing the rib. I will inlet the pipes into the rib with two rivets each. In time, I will put an iron Buttstock on her.
They are good rifles to work on. Good shooting.
Good luck with it. It looks good.

[frontier gander]

No parts on this are CVA. The barrel has zero markings, a custom fitted breech plug, the drum i think uses an italian size nipple thread, not sure yet.

[docone]

I bet the nipple threads are 6 X 1.
I am going to swap out my lock. It just does not have the snap to set off the caps sometimes. I have to cock it twice.
I got my start on these in the early '70s. Sure learned a lot from them.
Especially what not to do.
I am good at what not to do.

[frontier gander]

Ok i just checked the nipple and its 1/4x28 thread

[Bill]

A really nice llooking rifle. I think you got the better of the trade.

[jamesthomas]

You could always double ball it! I would try that before I went to R.E.A.L.'s That is if your state allows it. Roundball has done some tests on the double ball, usually they print about an inch apart at 50 yards using 100 grns 2f Goex.

[Roger Fisher]

No parts on this are CVA. The barrel has zero markings, a custom fitted breech plug, the drum i think uses an italian size nipple thread, not sure yet.

You will of course be careful re: that metric (if so)nipple thread and don't switch with standard. Don't even think about it

[frontier gander]

its American size thread as i previously said.

Not interested in double balling a load. I need a single projectile in Colorado so the Thor and REAL are getting their chance at an elk hopefully.

[frontier gander]

After looking online at other locks, This one has a Siler lock.

Still have to check on the triggers and see what these are but that will be later on.

Shes a tack driver at 100 yards with 80gr pyrodex rs .490 round ball and .018" patch.

My patch lube was way to thick and gunked the bore up to where it wasnt grouping at all so ive switched the hoppes #9 blackpowder solvent * patch lube. See how that goes.

[Daryl]

Gander- some of the greases many people use, do collect in the bore.  Of the thicker ones, I found Track's Mink oil to work well, and of course Neetsfoot oil works as a hunting lube as well.  The Hoppe's Plus is also very accurate and clean shooting.

[frontier gander]

Okay heres that 100 yard target i took forever getting on here. But anyway this was 100 yards, 80gr Pyrodex RS, .490" round ball, .018" ticking with my conical lube which turned out to be extremely messy in the bore. Ive switched to hoppes black powder patch lube now to try out. My other stuff was just to waxy and gunked up the bore badly.

I did check the target after each shot and saw my first 2 shots as they show up in the target. I honestly don't think shot #3 is in the group. I'll just say that #3 went off to the left.



Patches looked brand new. Black areas on a few of the patches is unburnt Pyrodex. That lube while great for conicals, just was not good for my patches.

[JB2]

Good looking rifle, and two shots in one hole at 100 yds is nothing to sneeze at.  Heck, I'd be happy with that at 25yds.  Are you sure there's not a third 'hole' or ball mark in that group?  That lower left lead mark sure looks bigger than .490" diameter.