HA!

[Harnic]

I finally found a solution to my aging eyesight & shooting a flintlock!    I bought a new Ruger Mk 3 22 target pistol a few weeks ago & put a tasco red dot sight on it.  It works so well I've decided to make an easily removed mount that clamps to my rifle & use one on "Old Smokey" too!



I rarely shoot sanctioned matches, almost always shoot by myself or with a couple close friends who don't care what sights I use & now I'll be able to hit something reliably with this beautiful rifle! 

[Daryl]

  -bloooooahhhh- cough, cough, cough - spit, spit, gagg, well, you get the idea.

[BrownBear]

I'm glad you found a solution to let you continue shooting.  Better than staying home or taking up golf, isn't it!

[Daryl]

I tried one of those on my Ruger 10-22. At close range, not bad. At 100 yards forget it with the 5moa dot. I do much better with the 6-18x40 .

[Harnic]

Just teasing guys, I can't hit a flock of barns with iron sights anymore & sometime my frustration gets the better of me.  I still enjoy making lots of smoke & noise  and once in a while I get someone new interested in the sport, so I'm not wasting lead,flint, & powder out there!

[BrownBear]

Most of my hunting guns are wearing the small TC tang sights these days.  When I can't see well enough with those any more, there'll be muzzleloaders for sale.  Call me a nearly has-ben.

[ironwolf]

  I have actually considered using something  like that for load development.  Maybe a long eye relief reticle type scope.

  KW

[T*O*F]

Harnic,
Here is a simple fix while still retaining the "look" of your gun.  It needn't be a strap type sight as this one is.  You could just as easily get a sight blank.  Easy enough to file either out of flat or spring stock.

If you have an existing dovetail, you drill the hole large enough to show a line of white around a standard 100 yard bull target.  If you don't have a dovetail and need to cut one, you can drill your hole smaller and move it up and down the barrel until you get a good sight picture.  Then enlarge the hole until you can see the line around the bull.

[Harnic]

Thanks Dave, I already have a primitive sight (closed buckhorn style) & it helps, but it's not as good as a scope with these old eyes, that's for sure!



I just cut a slice off a piece of 22 bore liner & cleaned the notch in my semi-buckhorn sight out with a chain saw file, then soldered the slice of liner in place.

[Leatherbelly]

 Harry!
  You are telling us that you can't see the back sight.My new forty seems ok for a while,depending on the light. After about 25-30 shots the the back sight gets blurry. You are ready for a smoothbore,my friend.

Just teasing guys, I can't hit a flock of barns with iron sights anymore & sometime my frustration gets the better of me.  I still enjoy making lots of smoke & noise and once in a while I get someone new interested in the sport, so I'm not wasting lead,flint, & powder out there!

If recoil is an issue,go to a fifty-four smoothy. nice and mellow to shoot and you will be surprised how accurate they really are. Far sightedness is my problem too,but I can see the front sight and the target plain as day! And,as you have posted in other threads that you don't care if you can shoot competitively,with a smoothbore,who cares! With mine,it's all about fun.After you figure the S/B out,you can be competitive with the smoothbore crowd and as you know,they are way more fun to shoot with.Just look at the firing line at Heffley and see who is laughing and yukking it up. It won't be the likes of them single projectile type,they're too concerned about winning. It'll be the likes of Jim Wright,Phil Reynolds,Les Hansen,Dog Water,Hatchet Jack,Ken Steinhaur,Lorne Lees,Crispy,Fred!!!,Wilf Krupp,ThorLee and Leatherbelly!THE FUN CROWD!!!
 The Penn Fowler landed in your lap,shipping and all the rest will be about 1200.00 cds. A pretty gun,nice handling,accurate and fun to shoot. With your skills,you could put it together in a month or two,a perfect winter project. And don't give me that bs line that you can't afford it,you can't afford not too! Come on Harry,join the fun crew,you'll wonder why you waited. Hope to see you there.
 I won't be able to stay the whole time but will be there $#*! or high water. 

[Harnic]

I can't see the back sight at all Roy & on a good day I only see 3 very blurred front sights!  I'm not unhappy with my rifle, I have wanted a long fullstock flint Hawken for 30 years & it looks GREAT on my office wall.  I enjoy shooting it from a rest too.  I have considered a smoothie, I really like the English Fowling Gun w/hooked breech that Track offers.  I might build it in a few years, but my winter projects for at least the next 2 winters are already in the works... this winter coming up will see a Martini Cadet action with a 44 Magnum barrel & a nice highly figured walnut stock set.  I'm enjoying last winter's project (Ruger #1 in 6mmBR with a Hart barrel) so much I may build another variation next year!  I haven't been able to re-kindle that passion I felt for black powder 30 years ago & find it just an interesting diversion to my centerfire addictions now.  My main enjoyment at Heffley is the people there, I've been 3 years in a row Roy & have yet to fire a shot there!  Maybe year number 4 will break the mould & I'll actually shoot this year.   See you there buddy!  Safe journeys.

[northmn]

I can't see the back sight at all Roy & on a good day I only see 3 very blurred front sights!  I'm not unhappy with my rifle, I have wanted a long fullstock flint Hawken for 30 years & it looks GREAT on my office wall.  I enjoy shooting it from a rest too.  I have considered a smoothie, I really like the English Fowling Gun w/hooked breech that Track offers.    I haven't been able to re-kindle that passion I felt for black powder 30 years ago & find it just an interesting diversion to my centerfire addictions now.
[/quote]
Sometimes a break helps.  I played with modern guns, such as old bolt action military rifles and cast bullets for afew years.  Problem with that is that I had gotten to a stage where deer hunting was about as exciting as butchering the yearly beef.  I like firearms, Bow hunting is OK but I like a good firearm.  All kinds of ideas for seeing the sights, if nothing else use very coarse ones.

DP

[Harnic]

I quit hunting 13 years ago DP, so shooting for fun is my only motivation.  Maybe if I buy an inline Remington or Ruger I'll start enjoying muzzle loading again because I can use a scope on them which eliminates my sight problems!

[Roger Fisher]

I can't see the back sight at all Roy & on a good day I only see 3 very blurred front sights!  I'm not unhappy with my rifle, I have wanted a long fullstock flint Hawken for 30 years & it looks GREAT on my office wall.  I enjoy shooting it from a rest too.  I have considered a smoothie, I really like the English Fowling Gun w/hooked breech that Track offers.    I haven't been able to re-kindle that passion I felt for black powder 30 years ago & find it just an interesting diversion to my centerfire addictions now.
[/quote]
Sometimes a break helps.  I played with modern guns, such as old bolt action military rifles and cast bullets for afew years.  Problem with that is that I had gotten to a stage where deer hunting was about as exciting as butchering the yearly beef.  I like firearms, Bow hunting is OK but I like a good firearm.  All kinds of ideas for seeing the sights, if nothing else use very coarse ones.

DP

Have you tried shaders for shooting that offhand rifle Harnic? I do understand that at least some clubs allow them in offhand matches.   I have ashootin buddy (yeah I have 1 or 2 such)  that developed macular degeneration in his shooting eye.
 He refused to give up and ended up with a left handed rifle and taught himself to shoot lefty - took a while but now he does quite well    You have not mentioned (and its non of our business) what your eye problems are and we hope not too serious!  I am growing cataracts in both eyes and doctor says it may take 1 yr or 10 yrs.  I told him I'll go for ten or more!!  If it takes 10 and I last that long I might be the oldest bird in the hen house at 87!

[Daryl]

I quit hunting 13 years ago DP, so shooting for fun is my only motivation.  Maybe if I buy an inline Remington or Ruger I'll start enjoying muzzle loading again because I can use a scope on them which eliminates my sight problems!

Gag! agggggggggh, common Harry - Friend Keith has a .75 English Gun, Purdy style, that Taylor built.  Keith demanded to be able to mount a scope, so Taylor soft soldered a flat plate, 1/18" thick to the top flat and Keith's Leuey mounts to that. It's been there since 1987 and hasn't fallen off, much to my chagrin.

[northmn]

There were "tube sights" and scopes used on original ML's by the Civil War.  While you may not want to go with the long brass ones, there is some autheticity involved.  Personally I would do as Daryl stated and mount one on a standard stratight barreled traditional gun. 

DP

[Harnic]

Daryl & Roger, I suspect I'll run a 62 cal reamer down my 50 cal rifle bore soon & lighten it up dramatically.  With my sight issues I won't notice any change in accuracy going smoothbore & with less weight offhand shooting won't be such a problem... much cheaper than building Roy's Penn Fowler!

[Edd]

Daryl & Roger, I suspect I'll run a 62 cal reamer down my 50 cal rifle bore soon & lighten it up dramatically.  Fowler!

Good idea there Harry!! Now...in the meantime, how about a Vincent or some other Ohio school with all the trimmings - a 13/16"  x  36" barrel with a .36 or .40 caliber hole in it?? Forgive me...I'm thinking out loud and gushing... 

Edd

[Harnic]

Now...in the meantime, how about a Vincent or some other Ohio school with all the trimmings - a 13/16"  x  36" barrel with a .36 or .40 caliber hole in it?? Forgive me...I'm thinking out loud and gushing... 
Edd

Lets see... 14 months to build a new lighter rifle vs a couple evenings out in the shop to ream to 20 ga...  No contest Edd, the reamer wins out!   MUCH cheaper too!  I wonder if anyone makes a 1" across the flats 62 cal barrel already?  Then I could switch barrels as needed!

[Daryl]

Good idea Harry.  It will definitley lighten the tube, and give you a reason for missing, all in one move!

[Harnic]

That's a GREAT idea Daryl!  I'll soft solder a base on for Heffley this year!  I can shoot great with a scope!  Thanks buddy!  I can always count on you for good ideas!

[Daryl]

Yeah- they'll love the scope!  With a little pre-knowledge, I'm sure they would whip up a special apron for you to wear hahahahahahaahahahahahaahaaa!