Two new to me muzzleloaders

[marlinman93]

We had our monthly Historical Arms Collectors meeting last night, and one of the fellas brought two muzzleloaders for show and tell. After telling us about these two guns, and how he'd built them back in the 1960's, he asked if anyone was interested in buying them? He's 94 yrs. old and said he thinks his kids will just sell whatever is left after he's gone.
After a few minutes passed with nobody speaking up I told him I'd take both of them. Not sure why others passed on these great guns at a paltry $300 each? One is a .45 caliber Kentucky rifle, with a 38" Douglas barrel, some brass pieces, engraving, and nice tiger striped stocks. A pretty little rifle I thought.





The other is a half stock and for a lefty (which my friend is!) and a .50 cal. Douglas barrel in 34" length. It's got a nifty little tang sight, and Bob said he's taken a couple deer with it. It's got a little nicer tiger stripe wood, and a pewter tip on the half stock that Bob cast for it.





I'll have to dig through my old molds and see if I have one to cast the correct size balls for these two, or go buy some correct from the local sporting goods store. He said they're both very accurate, so we'll see how they shoot.

[Old No7]

Wow, you did well!

To the right buyer, those could fetch 2X+ that amount based on a closer inspection of build quality.

For $300 each, I would have bought them too! (My identical twin -- from the other side of the egg -- is a lefty...)

Old No7

[TraderVic]

Wow, you did well!

To the right buyer, those could fetch 2X+ that amount based on a closer inspection of build quality.

For $300 each, I would have bought them too! (My identical twin -- from the other side of the egg -- is a lefty...)

Old No7

^^^^^^
Ditto !!!

[Ysabel Kid]

Wow, you did well!

To the right buyer, those could fetch 2X+ that amount based on a closer inspection of build quality.

For $300 each, I would have bought them too! (My identical twin -- from the other side of the egg -- is a lefty...)

Old No7

^^^^^^
Ditto !!!

+3!

[gamekeeper]

Great buy at that price and I'll bet they shoot as good as they look...

[Pisgah]

You couldn't buy the parts for one of those rifles for $300, much less the many hours of planning and handwork that brought them to life. Well done.

[Pitchy]

Very handsome rifles and great buy, congrats.
Bet the old guy has some stories to tell.

[RIHMFIRE]

very nice score!

[yooper2]

Very nice! I particularly like the half stock 50. I have its little brother in .32 (pewter nose cap and all) built by my dad.


Eric

[Bill in Oregon]

Vall, judging by the photos they look to be beautifully fitted. Well done.

[.45colt]

Wow . in todays world Lord only knows what they would bring on gunbroker. those look like a Treasure to Me. Stunning.

[Oldncrusty]

WOW. I've been hankering for an original fullstock, but I'da been on those like stink on it.

[Griff]

Very nice.

[marlinman93]

Thanks guys!
I really know nothing much about muzzleloaders, but Bob is a good friend, and I wanted the long Kentucky rifle just because I own a Remington #4 single shot that was also Bob's and an early one he did the engraving on. He told me he took the Kentucky rifle to a local guy to be engraved back in the 60's, and the guy told him he should do it himself, as it was "easy to engrave". So Bob went and bought some engraving tools, a leather mallet, and got an old axle from a wrecking yard, to make a swivel vise to hold work and turn it as you engraved. He read books, and practiced on scrap metal until he felt comfortable to do the Kentucky rifle.
In a very shot number of years Bob went from beginner to a Guild engraver, so he's obviously got the talent and skill back then to build and do good finish work. At 94 he doesn't engrave now, but he still did it about 3-4 years ago, and still did it exceptionally well!
Bob was also a flight crew member on bombers in WWII and later during Korea. He's definitely got some stories to tell, and wish I'd had a recorder when he's told some of them. He's part of that greatest generation we have so few left of.

[piller]

Now you need to take those rifles out and make some powder smoke. They deserve to be used for a hunt.

[marlinman93]

Now you need to take those rifles out and make some powder smoke. They deserve to be used for a hunt.

Well since Bob took care of the hunting with them already, I'll probably not go that route. But our club does have ML matches one Sunday each month. So if I get some time shooting them I may consider taking in one of those matches just for fun.

[piller]

That does sound like fun. Hope you can do it and enjoy the match.
Just guessing. Patched round lead balls?

[gamekeeper]

Today I took my muzzleloading 12 gauge loaded for Squirrel for a stroll in the woods and walked right into a Deer....

IMG_20210623_131332.jpg

[Scott Tschirhart]

Very nice looking rifles. A real find.

[marlinman93]

That does sound like fun. Hope you can do it and enjoy the match.
Just guessing. Patched round lead balls?

Yes, I will check the twist rate to be sure, but guessing it's slow and built for round balls. At least that's what I plan to load.