My first boomstick

vice grip therapy eh? LoL! Looks like you might get this one functioning pretty well soon. Doesn't look like the original lock in that stock, but very interesting :)
 
Yup, other than missing the flash pan cover it should be operational once I reattach the flash pan and bend the sear tail a bit more. I still have to struggle to pull the lock back far enough for the tail to engage so I gotta bend it a bit more.

I have to say I have zero confidence in this lock as far as using it would go. For instance, that sear is supposed to hold the cock back yet it's made of steel so soft even I can bend it with a vice grip. How do I know the pressure from the cock won't make the sear bend and release the cock without warning? Plus, as you noticed it doesn't match the stock and is only held in with a single screw.

edit: I did some more bending and now it cocks and fires consistently and actually behaves pretty well!
 
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Hehe, behaving well eh? Well the advantage to these old rifles is it is VERY easy to light load them. In fact you could start with only the flash pan charge and no propellant charge and always keep it pointed down range when it has anything in it and sort of work up to whether you can trust it with a reasonable propellant charge and then decide the same thing about a projectile or not.

Or you can just enjoy it as a wall hanger. Sort of up to you how much you want to push it. But it is sounding like you are having a bunch of fun at least :)
 
I'm definitely going to buy a flint for it and I'm probably going to put some powder in the pan and see if I can get it to light up. Will I ever fire it? I dunno, the idea of filling this ramshackle thing with black powder and igniting it a few inches from my pretty pretty face does not sound too appealing. I could see firing it at a stump in the woods (within driving distance of a hospital) but I couldn't imagine hunting with the thing.
 
That's what they make fishing line or string for. Prop it on some sand bags with a few on top to hold it steady.
Tie the string or fishing line to the trigger, get her cocked and get behind a rock oh 2 or 300 yards back should be safe.

Safety first don't cha know?


Course you could end up with a small pile of junk, what parts you might find as opposed to a cool wall hanger you got now.
 
Very cool Blue! I've been following this thread but haven't really had anything to say. I don't know squat about muzzle loaders. Looks like fun though.
 
I predict a few failure modes for this thing:

1: lock goes off when I don't want it to, end up shooting myself.

2: barrel explodes

3: stock shatters

4: gun fires but force separates barrel from stock, barrel recoils into my brains


So if I ever do shoot it, first 5 times will be proped up against a tree with me hiding behind earthworks or something. I don't live too far from the Battle of Bull Run so sometimes you find random big ol' mounds in the woods that used to be artillery placements or something.
 
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Secured to used tires, a long cord and cover behind a tree works. Don't ask me how I know, I'd deny it anyway.
 
I glued the flash pan to the lock and ordered some flints and a cleaning kit.

The flash pan has a hole drilled into it directly below the touch hole... not sure why. You'd think gunpowder would fall through that hole and collect inside the stock. If a spark flew down that hole you'd have an explosion on your hands.
 
I finally got around to buying a flint for this thing from Track of the Wolf. It throws a fair amont of sparks on a reliable basis, but still don't have the nerve to actually shoot the thing.
 
Blue, be careful. Glue, small steel parts, and ignited gun powder.....yeah, I sound like Ma Hen.
I proof test barrel assemblies professionally and I do have concerns for you. I'd share a graphic photo of a fellow, but it is too graphic for some folks.
 
I threw up a little bit in my mouth just thinking about the graphic photo. I'm kind of sensitive ya know?
 
I am sorely tempted to just put a little powder in the pan and see if I can get it to ignite and leave it at that. What could possibly go wrong? (Famous last words)
 
I don't think you'll have any trouble igniting a little powder in the pan as you said your flint was throwing pretty good sparks.

Them famous last words are huge and meaningful though.

The powder isn't contained so very little pressure, nothing should blow up.

Perhaps Dr Bookie can add something to either add confidence or talk you out of it.

I'm with ya brother in wanting to do it but them words, ya know?
 
I wonder if I could use something other than black powder for the pan. Maybe diced up match heads? Looks like match heads have an even lower ignition temperature than black powder.
 
Did you have desires in your formative years to blow stuff up on a regular basis?

Whatever you end up doing, get it on video. Posterity ya know?
 
As a youngun I built a cannon out of a thick plastic straw from a sports water bottle. I'd jam one end up with pebbles and stuff a whole bunch of caps from a cap gun in there. Then I'd stuff a worm down the "barrel" as ammunition, put it down on a hard surface, and whack the part of the straw where the caps with a hammer. Boom! The worm would only fly about 5 feet or so but they never seemed worse for a wear.
 
Blue, if that gun were mine, I'd be wanting very badly to pull that trigger. My last words: Modern smokeless powder is a flammable. Black powder is an explosive--a world of difference. Close the pan on it and the powder will be confined. Be ye careful.
 
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