Author Topic: Unadorned short rifle  (Read 5515 times)

Offline Robin Henderson

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Unadorned short rifle
« on: January 10, 2018, 01:24:22 AM »
Just completed this little rifle with parts and pieces I've had laying around...some for years. It's nothing fancy and not all that PC but I'm thinking it might make a nice deer killer in thick cover or tight places. Particulars...25 1/2" hand swamped by me .50 caliber Green River, I think, remnant of a barrel. Cherry stock darkened with oven clearner. I highlighted it a little with a coat of of Chambers oil with a touch of bone black...also has a horn nosecap made from one of those dog chews from the pet store. The lock is a slightly modifed Siler kit that I had assembled many years ago just to see if I could do it. It also has just a plain let off trigger that is working fine with a smooth release. Hopefully, I'll get it sighted end tomorrow.

Flintlock is the only truly reliable source of ignition in a muzzle loader.

Offline draken

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2018, 01:44:15 AM »
Nice job Wobbly, I lIKE it! :)
Dick 

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Offline BOB HILL

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2018, 01:45:10 AM »
Should be a handy little gun from a tree stand. Looks like you've done a nice job from here.
Bob
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ddoyle

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2018, 01:48:37 AM »

That is a real smart rifle.

JVavrek

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2018, 03:10:27 AM »
Would make a great thicket gun for around here. Very nice job!

Offline wattlebuster

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2018, 03:13:38 AM »
I like it ;D
Nothing beats the feel of a handmade southern iron mounted flintlock on a cold frosty morning

Offline smylee grouch

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2018, 04:01:21 AM »
Wobblyshot, over the years I have made around 3 or 4 rifles from left over or reprocessed parts. Not really PC but they belong in the hunting rifle school I guess. They were all good handling and good shooting rifles much like your will be. Best wishes   :)

n stephenson

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2018, 05:42:54 PM »
Wobblyshot , I like your little rifle. I would much rather see a good useable rifle like this , than a pile of parts gathering dust. Many builders would do themselves a service , if they would collect spare parts along the way , and then build guns like this. These are great rifles for newcomers to the sport , they perform well , with good parts , but don`t break the bank. Good Job!  Nate

Offline oldtravler61

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2018, 08:10:29 PM »
  Where I hunt that's a perfect deer gun...Nice job...

Offline Bob Roller

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2018, 02:03:50 AM »
  Where I hunt that's a perfect deer gun...Nice job...

A North American version of the Schweitzer Feldstutzer of about 1805.
An ideal hunting rifle and a good job of making it.

Bob Roller

Offline Robin Henderson

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2018, 02:22:13 AM »
Thanks for all the kind remarks. This is a sorely neglected hobby that was shelved most of my working years and is my 4th build since I retired a little over three years ago. All those years, I still acquired parts in anticipation of putting something together but just didn't get around to it. One more build and I'll have all those old parts used up.   
Flintlock is the only truly reliable source of ignition in a muzzle loader.

Offline mountainman70

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2018, 05:43:03 AM »
 One more build and I'll have all those old parts used up.   
hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! Yeah, right!!!!! Where have we heard this'n guys ??/  Face it,bro, you did such a nice job here,there will be more than one more,we have all said that a few times. Then, something comes along at a good deal, then another,etc. That what this building longrifles is about. keeps us busy. Looking good. Would be welcome in our woods. Best regards, Dave  8) 8)

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2018, 07:44:31 AM »
Thanks for all the kind remarks. This is a sorely neglected hobby that was shelved most of my working years and is my 4th build since I retired a little over three years ago. All those years, I still acquired parts in anticipation of putting something together but just didn't get around to it. One more build and I'll have all those old parts used up.

I hear ya on the working years part. Seems every time I get a hankering to go work on building a rifle, I get asked to work late on an emergency repair, called in or its too cold in my garage. I work crazy OT in the war months when the garage is comfortable.
Psalms 144

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2018, 04:59:12 PM »
If this gun with  25" barrel is an "ideal hunting gun", why are we all wasting our time making guns with 42" + barrels? ???  Where's my hacksaw?
« Last Edit: January 11, 2018, 05:00:10 PM by Mike Brooks »
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JVavrek

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #14 on: January 11, 2018, 06:54:15 PM »
Mike, Because you are catering to a group of people that love the history of them. I see from your web site that you build historically correct rifles and do a fantastic job at it. Here in Southwestern Pa. We have a late season that is flintlock only. I'll take a long rifle out just for the challenge of it. In the sapling and crab apple thickets around here it is a son of a gun to get on target quick with a long gun. But i like the challenge. I've been hunting with a TC Hawken for 38 years. Yes i will take my long rifle out time from time but i always go back to the shorter Hawken rifle. For the style of hunting I do it's a better rifle. So why am I on a Long Rifle Site? I joint because I want to build my own long rifle and I love looking at all the work that You true Artist do. I can not speak for others. All i can do is speak for Myself. For me that little rifle he build is an ideal hunting gun.
 

Offline hanshi

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #15 on: January 11, 2018, 09:43:42 PM »
That is a very good looking rifle and I like it.  I have one with that barrel length but it is, unfortunately, a percussion and a halfstock.  That sort of short rifle would be a good choice for some of the thickets and elevated stands I hunted in down in Ga.
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #16 on: January 11, 2018, 11:44:56 PM »
If these thickets are so thick that you can only get in them with a 25" barrel, how long of a shot can you get? Seems anything more than four foot away and brush would deflect your shot.
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

JVavrek

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #17 on: January 13, 2018, 03:02:06 AM »
Well Wobblyshot, How did it shoot?

Offline Robin Henderson

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #18 on: January 13, 2018, 06:48:46 AM »
Well...I ran out of time and haven't got to shoot it. I had to make it to the Alabama show.
Mike B....one of your smooth guns was on display there....very nice!
Flintlock is the only truly reliable source of ignition in a muzzle loader.

Offline BJH

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #19 on: January 14, 2018, 05:32:14 AM »
I have a short English rifle with a .58 cal bore and a 28 inch barrel. Here in Pa. We drive deer, not just sit in tree stands and freeze. Heaven knows I've sat and frozen in tree stands a lot through the years too. The short English rifle has harvested more deer than all my armory, modern included. It was built with participation in deer drives in mind, wrestling through green briar patches mountain laurel etc. hunting deer like rabbits. It weighs a total of 6.5 lbs. The deer I've shot with this rifle found it deadly poisonus. All shots so far were at 30 yards or less. Short rifles may or may not be PC depending on style but they are effective especially at close range. I personally have never shot a deer with any sporting arm outside of archery range. Some at the distance of less than 30 feet. BJH
BJH

Offline Robin Henderson

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #20 on: January 29, 2018, 02:50:38 AM »
Well, I finally got to the range attempted to sight it in. I began at 25 yards and got close then moved out to fifty. This is the 50 yard target which includes adjustments. Shooting from a rested hold, I had to file the rear sight down to get it in the back. Unfortunately, in getting the group down by filing off the top of the rear sight I nearly ran out of a sight notch and, dang it!, neglected to bring along a small file to deepen....had to quit for another day. By the way, I was holding 6 o'clock. Overall, I was pleased with ignition and grouping....never intended for it to be a target rifle but a handy, easy to carry deer thumper. That, I think it will serve well.
Particulars on the load where: .490 cast ball with bear grease lubed .022 drill; 70 grs. GOEX 3fg and priming with Swiss null b.

Flintlock is the only truly reliable source of ignition in a muzzle loader.

Offline bama

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #21 on: January 29, 2018, 02:34:44 PM »
Great job on the rifle Robin. Thanks for coming down to the Alabama Show, it was great seeing you and Becky. You probably already know this but just in case you didn't Green Mountain suggest that you use a bore size ball for Target shooting. I know that this is a hunting rifle and you don't want to drive down a bore size ball in the field but if you went to a .495 you would still be able to load it in the field and probably tighten up the group.

Great looking deer Slayer.  ;D

Jim
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Treebeard

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Re: Unadorned short rifle
« Reply #22 on: January 29, 2018, 09:30:46 PM »
Mike’s reply reminded of when I had to crawl under a very low hanging cedar tree to kill a wounded Russian boar bigger than me. That short rifle would have made it even more interesting- but I would have preferred a .62!