Pennsylvania bicentennial rifle

[Yearcher]

Saw a while back the discussion of the Pennsylvania bicentennial rifle so, thought I’d share a few words and hopefully show a few pictures of mine. I got it a couple years ago, supposedly unfired and in original condition. Sadly no powder horn or certificates with it. #100 by Jack Haugh. Absolutely beautiful. Have shot a few deer with it but still not quite dialed in yet. 10 1/2#’s so a bit heavy to lug around the woods. Please nobody say not to shoot it as the reason I bought it for was to hunt with. Deer season pretty slow this year but did finally get lucky the day after Christmas. I see Pete Allan name on the side of the silver lock. And don’t n know who Bernard Panek is but assume the first owner of the rifle. Apparently he was just a collector and musta surely taken good care of it

[Mike Brooks]

That one is a step above all the others I have seen. You won't hurt the value by shooting it as long as you  take care of it.

[Bigmon]

That is a fine looking rifle. And as a Pennsylvanian I can really dig it.  Looks like you could pretty easily change that side plate with the original owners name on it?  Of course keeping the original aside for the gun.
Was a tuff year flintlocking along the Conemaugh.

[Yearcher]

Thanks Mike.

[lexington1]

Beautiful rifle! I have Bivins #3. The box engraving is really great on your gun. You are right about them being a tad heavy to lug around in the woods. Mine weighs in just a little over 10 pounds. I really like it for shooting though. It is swamped but yet still maintains a lot of forward barrel heaviness. Just the way I like them. Usually I'm not a big fan of a single trigger for match shooting, but this one is an exception and I can shoot it well. I have only tried one charge in mine so far, which is 70 grs. Goex 3f with a ~20 thousands cotton duck patch. This is the load I shoot in my Mike Miller rifle that I use most of the time and it shot really good right away with that load. When it warms up I will shoot it more. I don't like the round front sight at all, so I will definitely be changing that out.

[Yearcher]

Would love to see what you replace the front sight with. I have a lot of trouble seeing mine in the woods (old eyes) and currently shoots 3-5” high so have been contemplating a higher front sight but am struggling with messing and changing anything on my gun (anal I know).  Even the sight base has been fancied up a bit. Incredible gun.  Am also shooting 70 gr 3f and .015 patch .490 ball with mink oil as lube for hunting and a wet lube rest of the time for me. I have tried loads from 50 gr on up but still haven’t found a “cloverleaf” group even at 25 yds. Thanks

[lexington1]

I like a square flat top front sight and the rear squared off also, with the notch in the rear sight large enough to see light around it. It seems like I always change the sights on my guns when I first get them, but I keep the ones that came with them to put back on if I get rid of the gun.

[john bohan]

I'd hunt with it,she's a dandy.

[Marcruger]

Hello Yearcher,

That is quite the lovely gun.  I know you are happy to have it.  I especially like that buttstock carving, as well as the color.   

In regards to your groups, I think your quest should take you towards a thicker patch.  I have no idea who made your barrel back then, but perhaps it was a Douglas?  I added up your patch and ball combination, and it will only be marginally sealing at a .010 barrel groove depth. Past that depth of rifling groove, you are getting blow-by. 

The big question is, what do your patches look like when you recover them?   My go/no-go test on a patch is to pick up a fired patch and hold it up to the sun.  If I can see any sunlight through it, I need a denser, stronger weave patch material.  With bad patching and blow-by, you cannot really expect decent accuracy.  If the recovered patches look good on your end, trying going up to a .495 ball and that will improve the seal somewhat.  I buy untreated (not teflon) 100% cotton canvas patching material from "The Minute-Men" patching.  I am attaching the contact info here.  I have found it to be really excellent.  I use .015 and .018.  The .015 is .017 when washed. 

Also, consider doing Daryl's muzzle smoothing procedure on your rifle (do a search here on ALR).  It won't hurt the value of your rifle at all, and will make loading it a much more pleasant routine. 

In regards to your sights, get what works for your eyes.  Tap out the original ones, and oil, wrap and save them in the patchbox if you like.  I doubt a prospective buyer in the future will know exactly what original sights came on that gun anyway.  My advice is to make it yours, make it work for you, and enjoy the dickens out of it.  Who know what the future holds, and what gun values will be?   

There are plenty of amazing gun building "wizards" on ALR that could easily duplicate the look of the original sights, but in a configuration that works for your eyes.  You can even have a traditional-looking peep sight made that is trapped onto the tang by a slightly longer tang screw.  Lowell Haarer makes some of these peeps.  Much easier to use in the field.  Attached photo below of one from the internet.

I hope this helps. Feel free to PM me and I can run you through the math involved in the patch/ball/bore combo.   

God Bless,   Marc

"Would love to see what you replace the front sight with. I have a lot of trouble seeing mine in the woods (old eyes) and currently shoots 3-5” high so have been contemplating a higher front sight but am struggling with messing and changing anything on my gun (anal I know).  Even the sight base has been fancied up a bit. Incredible gun.  Am also shooting 70 gr 3f and .015 patch .490 ball with mink oil as lube for hunting and a wet lube rest of the time for me. I have tried loads from 50 gr on up but still haven’t found a “cloverleaf” group even at 25 yds. Thanks"

[Marcruger]

I located more than one obituary for Bernard Panek ( a distinctive name) but the one below was from Pennsylvania, enjoyed guns, and presumably would have had the income at 35 years old to order one of these rifles in 1976.  I hope this proves interesting to you.   God Bless,   Marc

PANEK – Dr. Bernard S., 72, Johnstown, died April 27,2014, at Memorial Medical Center. Born Dec. 16, 1941, in Jenners, son of Bernard C. and Verna M. (Pishko) Panek. Preceded in death by parents; brothers, John and Robert; and sister, Bernadette Stutzman. Survived by wife of 47 years, Trevah A. (Gordon); daughter, Kathleen E. Mahoney, and companion, Frank Doyle, Wilmington, Del.; son, Damian, married to Laura (Clacher), North East; sister, Mary Ann, married to Barry L. Spangler, Salix; brother, Steve Panek, Johnstown; sister-in-law, Dolores (Pelesky) Panek, Greensburg; brother-in-law, Donald Stutzman, Berlin; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. A 1959 graduate of JBJ High School, Boswell.  Attended UPJ and was a 1967 graduate of Temple School of Medicine.  He was an intern at Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital from 1967 to 1968.  He then operated his private medical practice in Johnstown from 1968 to 2002.  An active member of St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Benscreek. Also a member of K. of C. Council 467, Johnstown, and Jenner Rod & Gun Club. Bernie was an avid hockey fan, supporter of Bishop McCort Hockey and physician for the former Johnstown Jets hockey team.  He loved spending time working on his farm and in his garden and sharing the bounty with everyone. He also enjoyed cooking, baking and canning. Viewing from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Hoffman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 109 Church Road, Davidsville, where a vigil for the deceased will be held Wednesday afternoon and a K. of C. Council 467 rosary service will be held 7 p.m. Wednesday. Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Benscreek, the Rev. Father Angelo J. Patti, celebrant.  Committal, St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Boswell.  In lieu of flowers, donations in Bernard’s memory may be sent to St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, 1621 Ferndale Ave., Johnstown, Pa. 15905 or Conemaugh Township EMS, 1075 Tire Hill Road, Johnstown, Pa. 15905. 

[Daryl]

That is a REALLY nice rifle. Well done on the deer.
Between 10 and 11 pounds seems about right, to me.
Calibre?

[Yearcher]

Surely do appreciate all the suggestions. Thank you marccruger for the info on mr. panek. I have tried daryls muzzle smoothing and can’t really see much difference in ease of loading. This is a 44” .50 swamped barrel by Paris. I understand this may have been acquired by Getz. I’ve been shooting flintlocks exclusively since the 80’s and probably read more than I should. Advice on all these forums is always interesting and usually helpful. It appears between ball size, patching materials and thickness and the various lubes there’s between a doz and a couple thousand different combinations, recommendations and opinions. When I started with this gun I used .010 patches and they went down pretty good. I’ve tried .015 and they go down but are very snug. Can’t imagine using a .495 ball and/or a .020 patch. My math with a .015 patch and .490 ball shows .520 combo which to me seems like that oughta fill the grooves in the rifling pretty good. I do not want to have to hammer a ball down the bore and guess I would be willing to sacrifice some accuracy to load a bit easier. I have used the .010 ball patched and a cleaning patch between ball and powder and seem to get a decent seal, moderately easy to load and fair accuracy. Have shot a hundred times or so and maybe groups will tighten up a bit more. Seems like it’s all just like one big giant compromise. Very much appreciate all your help and suggestions. Will definitely replace the front sight with something I can see better. You suggest there might be someone who can make such a custom front sight. May i ask who?  Thanks.

[Daryl]

"Can’t imagine using a .495 ball and/or a .020 patch"

That is where the muzzle-crown smoothing comes in, if done properly. Using a short starter to start the ball and get it 5 to 6" down the bore, then it goes down easily from there.
The end result is the best accuracy your rifle will likely ever produce and the cleanest shooting as in powder fouling cannot build up.
You will never have to wipe the bore while shooting.  I've been shooting muzzleloaders since 1972 and have never had to "shoot a barrel in". They produce excellent accuracy right
off the bat, as good as it's going to get.  We how have a standard formula for ball and patch combinations, as in a ball .005" under and 10 ounce denim. I measure 10 ounce denim at
.021". Other materials I use are 12 and 14 ounce denim, mostly.  In the shallower rifling of the .36 Rice barrel - about .008"deep, I will also use 8 ounce denim which I measure at .018" to .019".