Hawken Flintlock, a kit in pieces, with ongoing range reports.

I picked up a Hawken flinter in pieces for $100.  It needs the barrel lug and the screws for the rail, etc.
Stock and barrel marked with the "K".  This will be my first flinter.

---

Not really assembled yet as the wedge is not installed because the barrel underlug is missing.  Rib screws also missing, etc.  Rear sight is missing the spring and adjustment screw, removed until the parts are found.

It has an agate rock which does not want to spark.
Barrel serial number starts with that "K" and is six digits long.  Stock barrel channel similarly marked "K".
Stock has one coat of Tru-Oil.  Hook breach.
Bore is clean.  Re-blued parts of the barrel.  Barrel had been sanded to see the stampings (not by me).

---

Range Report: Sept/24/2015
25 yards, 45gr Goex FFFg, prime with same, 0.440 RB, blue ticking patch with bore-butter lube.

---

First time for having and shooting a flinter, ever.

First hit just below the wedge on the top target.
Various hits on the top target while trying to sight in. Moving the rear sight up/down/left.right.
Lower target was next.  The two red  hits top edge of red area were the last two shots for the day.
I did run out of Goex FFFg and tried another unknown FFFg, had various fails to fire.  I will make sure that the powder is always Goex or Schuetzen and not a "substitute".
---
All cleaned up with just water, fun stuff.
---
I am not used to the slight delay between flash and boom.  I have always been shooting underhammers and this flinter delay will take some getting used to.  I don't expect this lock to be very fast as it's a "consumer model".
---
Now that I know that this one is a shooter, I can finish cleaning up the stock, brasses, etc.  There is a large gap between the stocks barrel channel and the right side of the barrel letting flash hole gasses down into the lock innards.  This will get fixed pronto.  The lock isn't absolutely tight against the barrel, will have to inlet the front area of the lock a bit more. (Done)

---

Touch Hole Liner, coned inside, 1/4" x 28.  Installed with high-temp anti-seize.
Newly refreshed frizzen (I hope it works now). Sept/25/2015
New flint, new leather.

---

Range Report, Sept/27/2015
25yds, 50gr Goex FFFg, .440 and .445 RB's, Blue Tick Patches.
Putting a double piece of thick leather under the flint+wrap elevated the flint to hit the frizzen a bit higher.  It seemed to shorten the apparent firing "delay".

My rear sight elevator kept moving up/down and I didn't notice it until I got home cleaning the barrel.
Hence the vertical movements.  I need a stronger elevator spring and proper elevator screw.  Will order same online.

Here the sight was too low and shots kept moving down, to my dismay.

---

Oct/15/2015
25 yards, 50 gr of Schuetzen FFFg, .445 RB, ticking patch.

 First shot, far left.  Next three bottom right.  Adjusted rear sight, shot all of the rest.  Some .440 some .445 RB's, some ticking and some commercial patches.  I like the two red dot hits.

Had some trouble with the patent breech, kept filling up with residue during loading, ggrrr!!!  It would take 3 to 5 re-primes to get it to go off using 1/2 pan of powder.  Would love to remove that patent breech and make it a flat faced breech, making it easier to clean.  The red dot groups; not sure if the lower group is 3 or 4 hits, I lost count.

---

Comparison of old lock to newer lock.  I have the old one (lower) and am looking for the new one (upper), or maybe just the complete hammer(cock).

---

Oct/22/2015 On-Going Range Reports
12 x 18 inch target - $1 at the range, 25 yards, 0.440 RB, Tick patch, Schuetzen FFFg main and prime.

First three shots were the wild ones around the center.
Then slowly walked the shots up and to the left ending above the center.
Last shots were the head shots (6+ or so), finally shooting higher that the POA.

That darn rear sight elevation screw kept moving (again) and needs a really strong elevation spring to keep the screw from moving.  Or maybe some paper tape :-)

I was having trouble with that patent breech and the brand of powder being a bit dirty.  I used a .30 caliber brass brush to help in cleaning out that breech pocket.  Helped save the day.

If after a pan flash but no boom,  I would trickle powder into the pan and tilt the rifle to the left to tap some through the touch hole, trying to get some more powder behind the main charge.  Then refill the pan and shoot.  This works for me.

---

Range Report:  Oct/25/2015
25 yards, 50gr of Goex FFFg, Blue Tick patch, Home-poured .440 RB's, some Hornady .440 RB's.
First three was learning the routine and sighting in (again) as the front sight keeps moving sideways.
Practice bull, 4 shots. upper left dirty-bird, 6 shots 5 near center.
Upper right dirty-bird 8 shots, was testing Hornady against home-poured RB's.

Upper left dirty-bird, 1 shot, upper right dirty-bird started with 1 shot upper right edge of red bull,
lower target bull, 1 shot.  I think I have it for now.  Went back to upper right dirty-bird and shot 4 more.

---

I will be adding a set-screw to the front sight to keep it in place.
Done.

---

Range Report: Oct/29/2015
25 yards, Goex FFFg 50gr, main and prime .440 RB hand-poured, blue tick patch.
As day progressed, shots got better and I relaxed too which helps.

Lost count of shots used.  Looks like left target = 10 shots, right target = 16 shots.

---

Range Report on new parts, Nov/05/2015
Goex FFFg main, Schuetzen FFFg prime, 0.440 Hornady RB, 0.018 inch thick Blue ACA Ticking Patch, 25 yards.
Targets as hung/stapled on target backer.
Left Target: 5 shots
Right Target: Belly 5 shots, Head 5 shots, left small 3 shots, right small 3 shots.
Pink flag/ribbon, left over from air gun shooters.
Sights did not voluntarily move this outing, Yay!

50 yards will be the next setup.

---

IdeZilla

Comments Welcomed.

Bench Rest 54

A Bench Rest .54 caliber "Rifle"

Range Report for Aug/28/2015 at bottom.

---

Here is the start of a bench rest shooter.  Action is from a well known website purchased second-hand.  The hammer has been remade as the distance from the plug end to nipple was too much for the original hammer.  I needed another 3/16 inch longer hammer.  Hammer head is unfinished until the nipple is installed.   Barrel is 1 + 1/8 inches across the flats and 35 inches long being .54 caliber with a 1:70 twist.  The barrel maker is Sharon Rifle Barrel Co.  Barrel plug is 3/4 inch x 16 threads/inch and the stub end is turned down to 5/8 inch to fit into the action block.  Action block has three set screws (1/4 inch x 28 threads/inch) previously installed.  Block also has a bushing installed to reduce the original quite large hole to 5/8 inch diameter.

After using this rifle several times not liking the current amount of drop, I will probably change the drop on the stock to much less.  This means another stock and some more time in the "shop".

---

The tape and line drawn show the end of the plug.
The nipple will be just ahead of the drawn line.

Full size barrel.

Simulated stock in tracing paper.

Tracing paper stock and date. 

---

July/06/2015
Cap Popped.
The background noise is my very large swamp cooler because it's 105F outside.
Cap Popping MP4



Cherry Stock from Timber Hardwoods, Mesa, AZ.

Through bolt installed (tang to trigger plate) a temporary one.

Now for front & rear sights and a whole bunch of wood trimming.

July/09/2015
Took her to the range today.
Got about 8 shots off then broke the rear sight away from the mount.  Now repaired.
Standing up.

Laying Down.

What is left of a 1982 Peso.  A bit ugly,  for that rear sight to work this front sight needed the heighth.

Range Report: 25 yards, 55gr of Goex FFFg, 0,012 inch patch, .530 RB.
First shots high and up to the left.  Remaining trying to sight her in.
One flyer near the bottom center???

May have to try .535 RB's or a thicker patch or both.  Rifling is quite deep.

Me at 70 years old.

Lumpy bag to hold those .530 lead marbles.
I used glass marbles to stretch it out hence the lumps.

---

July/21/2015
Range time cut short by sharp edges on the muzzle crown.

So re-crowned and removed all sharp edges at the muzzle.
Will be using Denim and a choice of .530 or .535 Hornady RB's.

---

July/26/2015
Range Report on thick patches, reduced diameter Round Balls.10 patches are 0.030 thick, see next picture.
3 patches are 0.025 thick
2 patches are 0.015 thick.

I think the two upper left patches are a bit thinner, maybe 0.025 while the rest are 0.030 inches thick.

0.535 RB's pushed through a ~0.52 ID diameter pipe.  These work, looks like I need 0.520 RB's for sure.

40 gr of 777 FFg,  25 yds
Red dots previous days shooting, burnt patches, 0.530 RB's.
Holes today July/26, two flyers are the burnt patches, center grouping 6 or 7 shots (?) not burnt patches.

---

July/29/2015
Today's Range Report and some other stuff.
I ran out of 0.530 and 0.535 RB's, bummer.

Lands, yes I know this is not the way to measure this stuff, but it gets me in the ballpark.
Looks like approximately 0.547 or so.

Grooves, looks like 0.572 approximately.

Two upper left patches my wife calls "Twill", around 0.022 inches.  Rest are 0.030 denim.
Upper left patch was used to launch a .50 cal 385gr lubed Hornady hollowbase bullet.

Having fun with those funny shaped (belted or simulated 0.520) RB's.
I lost count.  Yes, I tried to hit those four corner bulls.
25 yds, 60gr of 777 FFg.

All POI's were dead center.
I guess that it wasn't my day for 50 yds and everything just fell apart.
Hit just to the right of center is that Hornady 385gr bullet.
50yds, 60gr 777 FFg.

---

Aug/07/2015  Range Report.

Thicknesses or diameters all in inches.
50yds, 0.022 Bull Denim Patch, 55gr of 777-FFg, 0.530 RB's from my new 0.530 Lee mold.
All patches really soaked with lube.
Bull Denim is natural colored, not blue.  It tends to ravel a lot.

Paper target on the right for starters

Mixture of 0.022 Bull Denim and 0.030 Blue Denim shots.

---

Aug/28/2015
Range Report
All Targets:
50 yards, .54 cal, .530 RB self-cast, 52gr of 777-FFg, Bull Denim Patches approx 0.021 inches thick, Hoppes 9 Plus lube.


Fuzzy pix.

First target with 11 shots.


















Second Target.
Four+shots with two flyers.
I lost count of how many went through the clover-leaf hole, at least four.
Fuzzy pix.

Third Target.
8 shots for a 72.  One patched back-hump shot is previous day.  First two head shots were the wild ones.  Then I settled down and aimed above the front leg.  Rifle still shoots a bit to the left, probably just me.  Rear sight is a bit too close to me and becomes fuzzy.  I should move the rear sight down the barrel away from me.

---

Range Report: Sept/13/2015
Just one target.  First time using (borrowed) X-Sticks and sitting on the ground.  First time to shoot this rifle at 100yds.  Five shots, four hit, first one 10 ring, the rest - well I got tired. Fifth, who knows?

---

Mar/10/2016
Working on adding a buttplate.  It looks like Nickel-Silver and it's not magnetic.  Found at a swap meet, $10-US.  Brass screws show the contrast in color.

---

Getting ready for a sight tube.

The early mockup sitting on a metal box.
Tube is probably too long until the mounts arrive.

Stock has been cut at the narrowest area and glued/screwed back together.
This raises the butt about 1 inch.

---

---

IdeZilla

Comments Welcomed.

The Frontier Pistol

This pistol is wifely named "The Frontier".
.50 cal Knight DISC barrel front piece with 6x.75mm nipple underhammer style.  I am not sure if this barrel piece is stainless or not.
Older lock (finally!).
Cherry stock.
The front of the stock will have a brass band like rifles do, I like it that way.

I am hoping that this pistol will be target quality, I'll determine that after a time at the range.

---

Bench top layout.  Barrel is .50 cal with a 5/8-16 3-line bolt plug.  Old lock that will finally be put to service.










The inlet, part of it anyways.  I use a Swiss half round gouge for this part, really sharp!  Red sharpie for the inletting.  Really messy stuff, need to wear gloves doing this part.

Lock sitting in the stock, not secured yet.
Securing the lock could be with brass pins.
Brass band will be forward of the green zip ties.
My really old wood rasp here, it wouldn't work, so it was layed down on the belt sander and slightly flattened the points to become a collection of tiny chisels.  It works better this way.

Tang is screwed to the plug (8-32).  I will try to get my neighbor to weld it together so that the forward tang screws will disappear.  Rear sight can be on the tang (already D/T for that) and the front sight will be right about where the green zippies are.

---

Apr/25/2015
Action Mounted with 3/32 inch diameter pins.
Ready for cap popping.

---

Apr/26/2015
Popped a cap.  Now for range time???

---

IdeZilla

Comments Welcomed.