Had to have it.

[Rockingkj]

Went to local gunshow today. Found this baby, had to have it. .45 cal, tapered octogon barrel, back lock, set triggers and a bore that shines like a new dime. No makers marking. It it old? Newer custom? Who knows.

[LAGS]

Nice find.
When are you going to take it out and shoot it ?

[Rockingkj]

Well wife has me scheduled for hard labor for the next few days but maybe I can escape long enough to touch her off a few times.

[TNsailorman]

Really nice looking rifle. Let us know how she shoots.

[lead chucker]

Very nice indeed. Hope you get to go burn some powder with it soon and give a report how it does. I'm excited for you. Thanks for sharing the pics.

[Sasquatch-1]

Well wife has me scheduled for hard labor for the next few days but maybe I can escape long enough to touch her off a few times.


Your wife or the rifle?

Beautiful rifle. I particularly like the inlaid work.

[Rockingkj]

Your wife or the rifle?

Beautiful rifle. I particularly like the inlaid work.

Well the wife has a hair trigger and not in a good way. lol. hopefully can shoot the rifle soon.

[pietro]

.

Congrats, and good luck with your green-eyed monster, too.... :2_high5:

[waksupi]

Nice late period rifle, I doubt it is a reproduction. Nice find!

[Rockingkj]

Discovered a couple small but nifty features. The wedge is captured by a pin and cannot be lost. The rod has a worm conveniently stowed on the rod.

[slim1836]

Well the wife has a hair trigger and not in a good way. lol. hopefully can shoot the rifle soon.

You're not the only one.

Slim

[firefly1957]

Great looking rifle.

[Woodtroll]

That's a sharp rifle, and the "features" are a neat touch. Don't forget to report back once you've had time to shoot her!

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Nice find. Have you measured the twist yet?

[Rockingkj]

Nice find. Have you measured the twist yet?

No I have not done that yet. Should to be sure it’s a round ball gun.

[Rockingkj]

Nice find. Have you measured the twist yet?

Looks like it’s 1-66 twist. Sold as a .45 and will know when I take it out to shoot. A bare .440 ball is snug at the muzzle. Bare .433 will roll in. Jury out as to cal. Until I make it to the range.

[45workhorse]

Nice looking rifle!

[stubshaft]

She's a beaut!

[Good Cheer]

Very nice sir!

[Rockingkj]

Thanks all. Hope to be able to get out and shoot Sunday.

[Rockingkj]

Still yet to shoot paper. Took her to the turkey shoot. Steel cut out of turkey head and neck as target. We start at 100yrd. If no one hits after 3 rounds we go to 50yrds. I managed to hit the target 1st try at 50 and win a turkey. Certainly a positive result given not having shot it before. And guessing what to load. Looking forward to load development.

[StrawHat]

Congratulations on the lucky shot!

Kevin

[1Hawkeye]

For a .45 caliber I've always had good results using 60 grs of 3fg with a .440 roundball and ticking lubed with wonder lube or bore butter. I just wound up with an real early T/C hawken because it had a williams click adjustable peepsight on it and a lyman 17a front its also a .45 caliber. It had one of those if you don't buy me your an idiot price tags on it so home it came.

[LAGS]

That sounds more like a Winning Shot rather than a Lucky Shot

[Rockingkj]

That sounds more like a Winning Shot rather than a Lucky Shot

Well lucky the rifle seems to use the same point of aim as my usual rifle. There was a junior shooter that tried all weekend to win a bird. Unfortunately he did not. However he was next to shoot after the match was over. Shot his “hot load” at the swinger and finally a solid hit that actually broke the target. I used that as a opportunity to give him my turkey as a reward for his excellent shot.

[StrawHat]

… I used that as an opportunity to give him my turkey as a reward for his excellent shot.

Very nice. Hopefully he will be back and you can get him to work up a target load for his rifle..

Kevin

[Rockingkj]

Very nice. Hopefully he will be back and you can get him to work up a target load for his rifle..

Kevin

The youngster has improved a lot in the past year. His grandfather brings him. Grandpa does not know much about shooting beyond knowing grandson really likes it. Levi gets a lot of support and advice from a lot of us. He felt great with his shot and the collective cheer and praise he received.
For me it was the best part of the day.

[Gtrubicon]

This is a very cool story, I think the gun is beautiful. I’ve been looking for an original like this, that is a shooter for some time. You won a turkey shoot with it, you’re getting a young man interested in shooting, it couldn’t get any better in my opinion. Keep up whatever your doing!

[Gtek]

Blessings to you fine Sir, he will never forget the gestures and memories!

[slim1836]

Nicely done, congrats.

Slim

[Rockingkj]

A range report. She likes .440 balls, .017 patch with bore butter lube and as far as testing so far 55 gr 3f. Target at 50yrds with a bit of a front support rest. Think the spread of the group is on the operator not the rifle.

[1Hawkeye]

Looking good, sounds real close to the load I'm using. Are you swabbing between shots or after every fifth shot?

[Rockingkj]

Looking good, sounds real close to the load I'm using. Are you swabbing between shots or after every fifth shot?

At this point after 5 shots. Going to try after each shot on the next trip out. 1st shot seems consistently the best so maybe a clean barrel will tighten everything up.

[1Hawkeye]

It might, you can also creep up the powder charge a little bit and see what that does too. I'm going to do more testing with my 150.00 T/C hawken tomorrow and see what i can find out about it.

[Rockingkj]

[QUOTE=1Hawkeye;5636512]It might, you can also creep up the powder charge a little bit and see what that does too. I'm going to do more testing with my 150.00 T/C hawken tomorrow and see what i can find out about it.[/QUOTE

Good luck. Finding what your rifle likes is half the fun. Also can be 1/2 the frustration. I’m old enough that constantly finding the same hold is a challenge, the old eyes ain’t what they used to be. Peep sights or a scope would help but not a viable option on this rifle as I do not want to modify it in any way.

[Baltimoreed]

Very nice muzzle loader. A talented smith put that beauty together.

[Rockingkj]

Very nice muzzle loader. A talented smith put that beauty together.

Thanks. I agree the wood to metal fit is flawless. Would have been nice to have a name on it but the work itself shows master workmanship. If it had been signed I probably could not have afforded it.

[1Hawkeye]

Very nice muzzle loader. A talented smith put that beauty together.

I agree it reminds me of a Vincent pattern Ohio rifle.