New to me info on cap lock rifles

[bigted]

Been reading a book ... "The Muzzle-loading CapLock Rifle". This book is written by " Ned H. Roberts".

Very good read and very informative in some hotly argued issues.

The first is ... Different styles of peep sights and ways to mount them.

Second is the mounting of scopes on muzzleloaders.

Third is the amount of rifles that resemble the TC reproduction rifles in their Hawkins and Renegade line.

Fourth is the use of smokeless shotgun powder for the the use of DUPLEX loads in the muzzleloader rifle of the day. In both hunting rifles as well as the target rifles. This one very much surprised me to say the least ... Now before any hanging is descussed... The practice involved 5 percent of the main charge and then subtracting the WEIGHED grains of smokeless shotgun powder.

Lastly the practice of the beginning loading of doubling the caliber in grains for the best load to begin with ... Such as ... A 45 cal would be 45+45 equals 90 grains to begin with.

So in conclusion ... I just thought I'd begin a post to promote descussion.

[mazo kid]

Ted, I have had this book for many years now (since the early 70s). It has been a long time since I read it though. I had only been shooting M/Lers for 2-3 years when I found it at a gun show, so it was a great source to answer my questions.

[pietro]

.

I was most impressed by both the outstanding results the rifle builders of the day got with the simple tools of the day, AND by the very small groups shot at tremendous distances.



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[Hanshi]

I have Ned R's book also and it's a good one. Got to say, and I hope you take this seriously, NEVER under any circumstances place any amount of smokeless powder in ANY muzzleloader designed and recommended for black powder or BP substitutes! I've been shooting black powder muzzleloaders for near 55 years and have seen the results of using anything other than black or appropriate subs.

[bigted]

would never do that Hanshi ... i was just startled by reading of others doing this duplex thing and his openness with it in muzzleloaders. i do it all the time in my BPCR's but that is slightly different metal in both the barrel and to include a case that further holds the pressure.

this and the fact that there are a bunch of rifles that ... according to some that hang out here and on other forums as well ... really do resemble the TC Hawkins rifles ... or the TC Hawkins rifles really do resemble the historic rifles a bunch more then some would have us believe. i find this both funny and absurd to be so narrow as to put such false questions on a perfectly good [might even say great] rifle because they are short and have only 1 barrel wedge ... oh and they use "coil" springs instead of flat springs.

i went into this to discover how i could mount a peep sight in a fairly historic way on some of my muzzleloaders [yep old eyes catchin up] and discovered ton's more info then i started to research. good book to have and read. wish i had read it years ago ... heck ive had the book for probably 10 years or so and just now got round to gazing thru it ... what a shame.

[mooman76]

I don't agree on starting out with double the caliber size for loads. I beleive most guns will have best groups before reaching double but it depends allot on the gun really. No need to burn or waste excess powder just to shoot heavy loads. Some people miss out on allot by starting out heavy and not even concidering that lower sharges may do the job as well or better. I'm not saying heavy charges aren't warranted either. And real surprized about the use of smokeless powder but I'll look around for the book before passing judgment though.

[wcandres]

I recently got the book from Amazon. I found it to be a great read; very comprehensive. I was also a little "shocked" at the recommendation of mixing smokeless with black powder, although he does give his reasons for doing this (I'd still be very wary of trying it, and I don't really feel it's necessary anyway).

[Eddie Southgate]

Some of the smokeless powders of Roberts day would work for duplex loading in muzzle loaders . Powders available today will not be anything you want to include in your load .

Eddie

[Col4570]

After buying a copy of Ned Roberts Book I embarked on building a similar Rifle.I made all the Parts and timber apart from the Lock,I used an old Back action Shotgun Lock and it was necessary to Modify the Tumbler and fit a Detent (Fly) to make my own made Single set Trigger.

[Col4570]

Another View.

[Nobade]

Neat! As for doubling the powder charge, he most likely was referring to using bullets. His recommendation comes out about right usually. I also start with a lot less, usually one caliber when shooting balls.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

Thats whats bad about books that old, they are out dated and a lot of the info in them doesn't go with todays muzzleloaders. Some of these books are down right dangerous to a new shooter.

[Good Cheer]

Yeah, nowadays we know you'll put your eye out.

Seriously though, there's nothing mysterious about putting a smidgen of smokeless in a black powder load.
You may as well spit in the brownies bowl for good luck. You won't change the taste of the brownies one bit and it won't hurt until you get a wooden spoon across the back of your head. Me myself though, it bothers me to duplex load black under a sub in a flinter.

[Col4570]

I personally do,nt trust duplexing and stick to black Powder only.I am sure that under controlled powder measuring it might be safe but having seen one disaster where a chap Mixed Nitro Pistol Powder with his Nitro Rifle Powder which detonated his modern Rifle it gives me the jitters.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

The book is a very good read for anyone who shoots. Many pieces of information that can be applied to other shooting interests.