Range Report on Dixie TN Mtn. Flintlock

[Maven]

I finally got the time to retest my Dixie (Miroku) long rifle, which I purchased (used) last year. While the stock & bbl. show obvious signs of use, the bore is excellent, but was filthy when I got it. Yesterday I tried to determine which ball diameter & patch thickness the rifle performs best with. (Dixie Arms recommends 70gr. FFg with a .490" RB & .018" patch which I tried in the past with some success.) Ergo I tried a .490" RB & .018" patch to foul the bore and retest (good - very good); a .495" RB & .018" patch (excellent; more below), but I only had 15 RB's to test; and a .490" RB with a .014" patch (not bad; more below).

Instead of using GOEX FFg (60grs. initially), which was incredibly filthy, I switched to GOEX FFFg @ 60grs., which was much cleaner. Also, I used Ox Yoke (sadly no longer in business) Wonder Lube (yellow, strong wintergreen odor) that I melted and soaked my patches in. Let me tell you this stuff is excellent and significantly better than the 15 yr. old Winchester Sutler"Moose Milk" I had been using. Btw, the new Win. Sutler "Moose Milk" looks and smells different than the old formulation. The only thing I had to do with Wonder Lube was seat the patched ball and dry swab the bore afterward. Damp patching wasn't really necessary, but I did so only when changing the ball dia. & patch thickness.

Results: All testing was done @ 50 yds. from a rest. Also, I find the rifle too muzzle heavy with too long a pull to shoot [comfortably] off hand. Moreover, I'm not thrilled with the silver blade front sight either & would prefer a Patridge type.

.490" RB (Lyman mold, but closer to .4905") + .018" prelubed patch, 60grs. FFFg: Went into 2" or less @ 50 yds. with some touching.

.495" RB (Lee mold, but ~.4935") + .018" patch & powder charge as above: These required a plastic mallet to [short] start and a heavy range rod to seat. However, most went into one big hole: The flyers were due to hang fires and inattention on my part.

.490" RB (Lyman mold) & .014" prelubed patch, 60grs. FFFg: This combination would be ideal for field use as it started easily into the bore and could be seated with the ramrod that came with the rifle. The potential for accuracy was there (several were touching), but due to time constraints and eye fatigue, I only tried 7 or 8. The sunlight on the front sight didn't help matters either.

I'll try to photograph the targets and post them here in the next week or so.

[eka]

Maven is that the one with the cherry stock and the browned furniture? An old pal of mine had a lefty flinter and it was a beauty. His shot right well too.

Keith

[Maven]

eka, I'm not sure what type of wood it wears, but I'd be thrilled to learn it is cherry. Btw, the bbl. is 41" - 42" long.

[northmn]

Lot of folks are having good luck with the tighter patching using wet lubes like Hoppes#9 plus, or others. Clean between shots better to eliminate the tightness. I use 3-f in a 50 all the time and have found it to be considerably cleaner. Patched round ball ML's are very accurate and can usually shoot rings around the newer stuff. Good luck have fun.

Northmn

[Ricochet]

I believe that when I got my TMR kit in 1980, cherry was the only wood they offered it in.

[northmn]

Out of curiosity I am wondering if the wood is American Cherry or a Japaneese wood? Cherry when aged is an exceptional gunstock.

Northmn

[mazo kid]

Out of curiosity I am wondering if the wood is American Cherry or a Japaneese wood? Cherry when aged is an exceptional gunstock.

Northmn

I got mine in '81 IIRC; it's a left hand flinter. I would think the wood would be Japanese Cherry but have no way of knowing for sure. Mine is plain with no figure. Emery

[JeffinNZ]

Maven; I have a silver blade on my percussion rifle which is great in the bush on the gong range. Out in the open I spray a little sight black on it to matt it up.

[Maven]

Jeff, A removable coating of black, whether soot or dry graphite spray would help immensely. Thanks for reminding me that I need to do this!

[northmn]

While I do not know about the pull, I can appreciate your comment about it being barrel heavy. My one 50 that I like has a 36 inch 15/16 barrel (which is the same width across flats as the Dixie) and is quite handy. I purposely made it that way as I have played with longer barrels of the dimension and found them too heavy also. Off hand rifles are their own study and quite individual. For long barrels I have done very well with a 13/16 40 and 45. My favorite is a 54 with a 42 inch barrel at the breech at one inch and tapered to 7/8 . Lots of folks drilled holes under the buttplate and loaded with lead to balance out the heavier barrels. Yours likely balances about where the ramrod enters the stock and moving the balance further back helps. Sights are just a personal. To each his own there. Many rear sights on MLs are too "fine" and it also helps to cut them out a little for some of us that have aging eyes which you likely do not have.

Northmn

[Maven]

Northmn, I also have a .50cal. Mowrey rifle with a 1" x 32" bbl. that is a joy to shoot off hand because it balances so well. You're right about the Dixie, though, it DOES balance just about where the ramrod enters the stock. I'll give serious consideration to examining the wood under the butt plate to see if I can add some lead shot there.

All, I really do have the targets I promised to post, but my 'puter (Willy thinks its my server) won't allow me to open the attachments link and upload them from my "My Pictures" folder. funny, but I used to be able to do that.