First shoot with Elk River LR

[WadePatton]

So I was late getting there, forgot my coffee (in thermos-will be fine in the morning), misplaced the extra powder, overtightened my lock leading to many klatches.

And my gun looked like a scalped monkey with 1/3 of the finish missing. (as i started reshaping it yesterday)

I kept fiddling with the flints, and left the gun loaded once to retrieve more tools from truck. Leaving the gun loaded, I put the ramrod back into the bbl to remind me not to double load it.

I returned to the line, fiddled with the flint, primed, and promptly

fired my rod into the 25-yard berm.   Scored with the ball too.  I think.  I know all the balls hit paper.  

That was a good rod too.  

My range rod had stayed at home with the coffee and the FF-powder (both of which i have now located).  Now i know why range rods have big knobs on them.  

But we don't really keep score.  Just fun "matches".

Had a good run on the groundhog target with one pretty solid X.  But the relay ended before I put 5 shots into that one, because I was still trying to put holes in the Squirrel.

Along about this time i pinched my middle finger between the starter and the muzzle.  Now has a little old blood blister for a reminder.  

By the time (overtime) I got to try to shoot the 50-yard target, nothing would work.  Then it had become apparent that the lock was dragging.  Seasoned veterans offered sage advice (John mostly, thanks!) and now this evening I'll be fine-tuning the lock a little more.  

I klatched at the fox about 5 times, had the lock off/on-to no avail, then quit.  Get to shoot that one next month i reckon.  

Heck by next month maybe I'll have a second gun started.  


the nitty gritty:

Mainspring/plate clearance will be addressed as well as: lock pin length and/or washers, cock angle, cover lobe geometry.  

What is that "lobe" called? The bump that keeps the cover closed and must be overcome to pop it open.  

72 shots on the gun now.  63 or 64 on that hickory stick.  I had never loaded this gun with a range rod before today. I only used it for cleaning.

Man it was dripping sweat wringing wet swampy sticky miserable hot too.  Happy to know September is the month after this one!

[WadePatton]

follow up:

Worked on lock, shortened the backside of the eccentric lobe for slightly quicker/cleaner break-over.  ALSO studied the geometries of all 4 locks I own.  Will start another thread for that. Suffice it to say that this lock, the Henry Nock style, is a "short throw" lock with less hammer travel and way less spring tension than the others.  

I get that decreasing the distance is a great way to quicken lock time, but as this one is now there isn't enough power to compensate for the least bit of rock/hammer mismatch.  Pics and deeper discussion other thread.  (http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=31964.msg306243#msg306243)

SO I reassembled and waited for the rain to quit, making a brass vent pick as I idled.  Stepped outside and fired it right off like sideslappin' capgun (provided you has caps ).  Funny how they act up when you take 'em out in front of peeple.

Now to bathe the beast and make some more lock pics and measures and read up on geometries of the works.

Sun is back out, 9000% humidity again(+/- 2). No hard fouling today!  Great weather for intentional rusting, no box necessary.

[WadePatton]

I wasn't familiar with the scoring rings on these...and can't even tell which one the stick (ramrod) was leading.  The low one is the fouler and I pretty sure i pulled that one to the right.  But one of them had a packing stick in front of it.  The stick veered left at the last minute and punched 8 inches into the dirt, snapped into 3 pieces, with the middle piece lost.


I wasn't near enough a spotting scope to bother, so I have no idea the actual order of shots.

But that i got square on an X here:

25 yards offhand.  First time to shoot offhand with this gun.

hittin' paper anyway.  

[jamesthomas]

 Nice shooting! where did you get the squirrel targets ? I've been looking for some, that and rabbit targets.   222

[Natureboy]

Wade,
   It's admirable that you can honestly report what happened, and laugh at yourself.  Which ramrods are the most accurate?  Shooting old-timey BP guns might not be as easy as those modern plastic fantastic uglies, but we certainly have more fun and entertainment.

[WadePatton]

The information on the target is for Charles Haffner of Franklin, TN, but a quick check of the web shows a Charlie Haffner Memorial Range.

Maybe someone carried-on the target printing.  These were provided by the club.  I'll try to remember to ask a club member next contact.


If you can't laugh at yourself, you're taking life entirely too seriously. 


The lock has been tuned up a little bit.  just gotta whittle another packin stick.

[mbush50]

Both of those target and many more are sold by the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association and they can be ordered from their web site.

Michael

[Daryl]

Gald you are getting it ironed out.
Seem to have a bit of elevation trouble there, Wade. Except for that errant shot into the X ring - your windage is really good (gopher target) - seems a change in front sights maybe, for better visibility or perhaps a rear sight notch width increase might help?

Keep up the good work.

[WadePatton]

Just getting sights filed and wasn't really focused on ball placement after a few misfires.

There is no notch.  Wide Vee, and i was guessing where to hold it, as it's still low at 50 and I'd not done any 25 shooting since the first session or two.

and How Dare You call my X-shot "errant"

oh the nerve! 

[Frank Barker]

Sounds like a typical day at the range, that's why I love shooting flintlocks.   

[bgf]

Nice honest report!

My first match target ever was that squirrel.  Being nervous and new to novelty targets in general, I forgot to examine it for target areas, or even look at it closely, and had no scope.  I wound up with a nice group in the top of the tail, which I thought was the head of some other strange creature...

You might be close at 50, depending on the sights. You should at least try it before you file more. My .50 is right on at 50 and low at 25 yards.

Finally, I believe a brass ramrod is much more accurate, if you don't mind the recoil .

[Pete G.]

I have heard it mentioned that you are not an experienced muzzle loading shooter until you have:

• Loaded a ball without powder
• Loaded two loads, one attop the other
• Launched your ramrod down range

You are well on your way. Just don't over compensate on filing that sight until you get enough trigger time to overcome the tendency push shots low. Most shooters need to get used to the new gun to get the follow through thing down.

[PPatch]

Dang! I need to play catch up,  I haven't fired a ramrod yet nor double shotted the old gal. Dry balled, yep, got that down and have done it twice.

Enjoyed your write up Wade. They say trouble comes in threes, looks like yours comes in packs. In any case you'll be dead on next shoot cause you already had everything that could go wrong happen.

dp

[Natureboy]

OK, it's time for my confession.  The last time at the range, I had a couple of FITPs in a row.  I was getting pretty steamed, but thought to grab my trusty hickory stick and run it down the barrel.  I have it marked for "full" and "empty," and sure enough, it read "empty."  It seems that guns don't fire unless you first put some powder and ball in there.

[Daryl]

Just getting sights filed and wasn't really focused on ball placement after a few misfires.

There is no notch.  Wide Vee, and i was guessing where to hold it, as it's still low at 50 and I'd not done any 25 shooting since the first session or two.

and How Dare You call my X-shot "errant"

oh the nerve! 

    -  I predict once you get the sights filed to satisfaction, you'll like the wide V - with a small bead. We put about a 45 degree angle on the back of the bead, or blade, to catch the light in the bush. On a well lit target, it's just a black bead or blade. I prefer a bead myself.
Elevation trouble can be lighting, not seeing the top of the sight against the target with consistency.
Experimentation is fun!

[RonC]

I feel SO much better after reading your adventure!
I am a rather new shooter (2 years, but this last year I have really become captivated). Let's see what I have in the car for the range: new box I just built holding my 4 section range rod, extra flints, ball starter for 45 and 50 ca., ball starter for 54 cal., tools, patches, cleaning patches, leather bag of ram rod tips including lead ball retriever, patch retriever, cleaning jag, etc., 2 leather ball bags. Other bag from the shed has powder horn and primer horn. Rifle, of course. Containers of soapy water. Then there is the usual shooting range bag with tools and spotting scope.

So, I get to the range and set everything up: everything I need - wait...45 cal ball bag....50 cal ball bag. Where the heck are the 54 cal balls?!!!! The rifle is 54 cal. No way I left the 54 cal lead balls home!! No WAY!..... WAY!

By the way, when I lived in Central Virginia, a friend had a property that had been in the family for 150 years or more, long enough for the road to have the family name. On the property were the remains of a Revolutionary War, Hessian Mercenary prison as well as a site where there was a battle. The land owner had retrieved the remains of several ramrods that were discharged into trees. During the duress of battle, more than one soldier loaded and left the ramrod in the barrel.
Ron

[acorn20]

Wade, Sounds like you were just having a regular day at the range.

Several years ago, I was talking with Ron Ehlert at the CLA show in Lexington.  He was building a Jaeger and I was admiring his engraving.  Around the bore on the muzzle, he had engraved something.  I asked what it said since it was in German.  With a sly grin he said "It's instructions for use."  "Powder, patch, then ball."

[EC121]

Sounds normal.  I got a cleaning rod hung while cleaning an original shotgun.  I decided to shoot it out.  Put about 10-15gr. under the nipple.  It shot the wooden rod over some trees and out of sight.  Best part was it was a borrowed ramrod!!!

[WadePatton]

    -  I predict once you get the sights filed to satisfaction, you'll like the wide V - with a small bead.

I had a bead before the filing began.  Now unsure how is best to re-establish bead, with the sight so low.  I used a blob of solder.  Of course once I establish the height I need, then I can fab up a whole new sight.  i reckon that's how a gunbuilder would do it.

Sounds normal.  I got a cleaning rod hung while cleaning an original shotgun.  I decided to shoot it out.  Put about 10-15gr. under the nipple...

...why heck even I know that about 3 grains is plenty!  

Wade, Sounds like you were just having a regular day at the range... With a sly grin he said "It's instructions for use."  "Powder, patch, then ball."

I have been fighting the urge to engrave "PFA" or "Powder First" around the muzzle.  (powder first always). I didn't think to change the language.  Jawohl!

I feel SO much better after reading your adventure!
... During the duress of battle, more than one soldier loaded and left the ramrod in the barrel.
Ron

that's quite likely a fatal mistake.  Dang war.