Flintlock Long rifle

[Carlsen Highway]

Not really leverguns at all, but I thought some people might be interested.

Have long wanted a long rifle, and particularly a flintlock one. I didn't get one for a long time because I thought they would be fiddly and unreliable and too much new stuff to learn, but finally I decided to just jump in.
Not long ago I ordered a new Pedersoli Kentucky flintlock in .50 cal. I had hung back from getting one of these Pedersoli's because I felt that the stock shape was not "right", it had an odd hump to the butt stock, but after some reflection I thought I might be able to fix that.
So I got the rifle and the first thing I did was reshape the comb of the buttstock, and make it look more like what it should, a version of a roman nose style gun is what I think they were aiming for. To my eyes it now looks a great deal better.



About this time I started worrying that maybe I should have shot the rifle first before starting in on all these decorative aspects. What if the thing doesn't shoot? So off to the range I went with all manor of paraphenalia and accoutrements. My first range session I managed to dryball the gun, so that was a useful learning experience. Then, you won't believe it, I did it again. So I don't learn much it turns out - this time I had dry balled it - and I discovered I had run out of powder as well and couldnt shoot it out. So I suppose Flintlocks can be fiddly. Very fiddly picking powder through that vent.
Then I started ruining flints and sharpening them badly and going through them like chocolates...till I figured out to change the angle they are held in the jaws, so they scrape down instead of just ramming them into the frizzon...
I was getting flashes in the pan more than I liked, so I drilled the touchhole out to 1/16th of an inch, which is something I read on the interweb, and that seemed to fix things right up.

Despite all this fuss I managed to shoot two consecutive three shot groups at 55 yards. This is shooting with a six oclock old - I filed the sights up a bit to get the point of impact right where I was aiming and then shot these groups, with 80 grains of 3F and a .490 round ball. Patching was from a cotton shirt, about .010 thick:



This is my deer load. Next thing is to go back and figure out a rabbit / small game load, I am thinking of around 40 grains of powder, and hopefully it will shoot to point of aim at 25 yards, that would do.

[vancelw]

I likey

The only BP muzzleloader I've had are my Encore and my Kodiak K ombo.
I have issues with vertical stringing. I guess I'm not compacting my loads consistently.
It's time to get the Kodiak out and start practising again.

Nice looking rifle.
That's all I need....another obsession

[gamekeeper]

I had a Pedersoli Kentucky like that only in .45 smooth bore, they do improve with a little work but yours looks great, I really like how it turned out....

[Tanqueray]

Nice long rifle James. I’ve thought more than once that I’d like to give the muzzle loader scene a go, but am put off by lack of funds, lack of time and lack of knowledge regarding anything that doesn’t use a metallic cartridge. In no particular order.

[wolfdog]

Very nice indeed!

[guido4198]

Congratulations and welcome to the world of flintlock shooting..!!!!
In recent years, it's been my favorite obsession for some time. You've worked out some of the inherent issues with that lock already. "Rock maintenance" is a skill set you will develop over time and find your flints lasting longer and giving you improved ignition speed as you learn. I have 2 rifles with Jim Chambers locks that folks are constantly commenting to me how "Fast" they are. That is to say...there's no perceptible delay between the ignition of the priming powder and the explosion of the main charge.
Looking at your results so far...you've well on your way partner. I'd recommend that you evaluate some thicker patch material to tighten up those groups a bit.
For my 50 cal rifles...a hunting load is usually found in the 80-90 gn range with Goex, 2f or 3f.
For punching paper and ringing steel "gong" targets, I'm shooting 50 gns or so out to 50 yds and increasing that to around 70-75 for the 100 yd targets.
As to dryballing....there's 2 types of muzzleloading rifle shooters: There's folks who have dryballed, and there's liars. Mark you ramrod with one scratched in ring when your rifle is clean and empty, and another when it's loaded and ready to shoot. That will make it easy to check to see "where you're at" in the loading process if you lose track, or are at all unsure.
If your frizzen is showing gouges...clean them up from time to time with some emery paper (without getting it hot...). It will help with flint life.
If I can be of assistance, let me know. I fire several thousand rounds a year through my flintlocks for fun, competition, and hunting.
ENJOY...!!!

[Pitchy]

Looks great and good shootin also.

[Nath]

Now your hooked and it will itch and itch at regular intervals!!
Good on ya mate .

N.

[Pete44ru]

Not long ago I ordered a new Pedersoli Kentucky flintlock in .50 cal.

I also aged the brass fittings on the rifle, simply because I found the bright brass look very garish. (I would have preferred an iron fitted rifle actually, and a wooden patch box - but this is all I could get at the time.)

FWIW, I have found out that, if the clear overcoat is first stripped off the brass, cold blue will darken the brass, so that it will look like an iron-fitted rifle.


.

[Ray]

Bravo Zulu !

I have a pedersoli blue ridge percussion .54 which is a much plainer and cheaper version than yours.....

That carving you did would cost you at least $400 for an "artist" to do....

[M. M. Wright]

What Pitchy and Nath said +1.

[Ray]

I have 2 rifles with Jim Chambers locks that folks are constantly commenting to me how "Fast" they are. That is to say...there's no perceptible delay between the ignition of the priming powder and the explosion of the main charge.

As to dryballing....there's 2 types of muzzleloading rifle shooters: There's folks who have dryballed, and there's liars.

I am told that those chambers locks will set your shirt sleeve on fire.

I guess I've been a liar re. "dry balling" for over forty years but I've never gotten in a hurry either and have often had to double check by penlight or dumping out prior to seating......

[piller]

I have never shot a flintlock, and my muzzleloader is an inline from CVA. Even though it is rated for 150 grains, I have never gone over 100 grains. I get better accuracy with 90 to 95 grains, and at 100 there is a noticeable dropoff in accuracy. That carries through all brands I have tried. I don't understand why, but it is easily accurate enough for me with 90 grains and the 240 grain lead bullets with a plastic sabot that I use. There are places where sabots are not allowed for hunting, and some places where I must use percussion caps instead of 209 shotgun primers. My rifle is easy to switch to handle those requirements. Patched round balls just mean that I have to pay a little more attention to detail.

If you think removing a patched ball that you forgot to put powder under is a pain, you should try it with a saboted bullet. I bought a device years ago which fits over the nipple for the percussion cap and uses a 12 gram CO2 powerlet to push the bullet out. It is also a good way to unload without firing if you don't happen to see any game worth shooting that day and don't want to transport a loaded firearm home. I have not looked for such a device to be used with flintlocks.

[jnyork]

Yes, you can hunt with them.

[Ysabel Kid]

What a beauty!

[guido4198]

I have 2 rifles with Jim Chambers locks that folks are constantly commenting to me how "Fast" they are. That is to say...there's no perceptible delay between the ignition of the priming powder and the explosion of the main charge.

As to dryballing....there's 2 types of muzzleloading rifle shooters: There's folks who have dryballed, and there's liars.

I am told that those chambers locks will set your shirt sleeve on fire.

I guess I've been a liar re. "dry balling" for over forty years but I've never gotten in a hurry either and have often had to double check by penlight or dumping out prior to seating......
[/quote

Ray..buddy...
I'm not sure how to interpret your comment on Chamber's locks. Jim Chambers is offering locks that are EASILY the finest commercially produced products in the marketplace.
That said, if you're using a penlight to stare down the bore of a rifle that MIGHT...(or might not) BE LOADED.. ..you might want to try just marking a ramrod instead.
I've been shooting muzzleloaders for a bit over 40 yrs., competing in a lot of places and never been to a range that would allow someone to stare down a rifle bore with or without a penlight. Please tell me I missed the "joke".

[AJMD429]

I like AR-15's with laser sights, and 338 Lapuas with 10-40x scopes, but.....that's just COOL.....!

[Bill in Oregon]

Nice job making that rifle "your own." Those are nice hunting groups you are shooting right out of the box. By the way, your penmanship is a thing of beauty.

[Carlsen Highway]

Bill, thanks for your kind words - but I just took those stock carvings off!

I felt they were not well enough executed for my liking, plus I am not a guy that likes too much ornamentation.
Luckily the stocks on these Pedersolis have enough to them that I can do this kind of thing...I just made the stock more 'graceful'...