Recent content by Will5A1

You may be able to get it to shoot decently - is it worth the effort? If the bore has a constriction, plus pitting, I'd give serious consideration to your idea of a smoothbored barrel (least expense) or a rebore to a larger caliber (more expensive than smoothboring, cheaper than a new barrel)...

Go to Friendship. Wear decent walking shoes, have shorts and a light shirt if the weather is hot and humid and spend at least two days there, three or more if you want to take in the flea markets not associated with the NMLRA but located next to it. In recent years I have noticed that some of...

BP, stored properly, has an effective indefinite shelf life, I have used BP from some Frankfort Arsenal .45-70 rounds from the 1880's I was given and it worked fine. I know of guys turning up old cans of Dupont, Curtis & Harvey and Kings and the old powder performed fine. I have not looked...

This year's pricing from the NMLRA powder magazine - GOEX $17, Olde Eynsford $19, Swiss $25 and Schuetzen $17. No shipping, you have to pick it up at Friendship, and be a member, but if you live anywhere close, or don't but attend the Spring or Fall shoots it is a nice benefit. I can still...

Well done - as others have stated it looks period and is now functional. Is it a .53 or the latter .54? I have two, on a J. Smith Comm, the other just marked Western Arms, both barrels marked .54 but both with an actual bore of .53. I use .520 patched balls, others prefer .526. If you...

Ask the seller about your concerns, see how he responds, and then bid or not accordingly. Is he offering an inspection period?

I'm jealous - in the early '80's, I think, I read an article on this gun; I think it was in the old Buckskin Report, wanted one since then. Thanks for sharing and good hunting with it.

FWIW one of volunteers selling/helping at the NMLRA magazine, spring, 2013, said an industry rep had told him that the plastic containers were significantly cheaper to make than the metal ones. As I recall the mixed lot I purchased that day had the GOEX 3F in plastic, the 2F and 4F was in the...

Current pricing from the NMLRA website: http://nmlra.org/black-powder-sales/ I akways replenish at the Spring and Fall shoots, for anyone living in the midwest this is another reason to visit Friendship and join the NMLRA.

Before you buy consider handling one, for me all the traditional CVA's (Hawken, Frontier, Mountain) have a length of pull (LOP) that is too short for me, the T-C's fit better, the Lyman GPR fits me best of all.

PM me your address and I will send you some to try, if wads work you can make up your own or buy the pre-cut ones. You might also try a wadded up patch over the powder, but I think the wads give a better seal.

My .54 GPR blows patches also, I used J&B bore paste, fired it and cleaned it a bunch, and it still blew patches. So I gave up and started using wonderwads, and it now shoots great, cloverleafs at 50, 4" at 100 (off the bench) with 100 grs FFg, .018 pillow ticking lubed with mink oil, a .530...

Look at Don Stith's squirrel rifles, if you like what you see talk to him about a builder. http://www.donstith.com/muzzle_loading_rifles.html

"Who currently makes the best American flintlock?" Hershel House, hands down, if he will take an order, and it would probably be a 5 year wait. Maybe longer. There are a lot of fine builders/makers/artists working now, consider attending some shows and meeting and speaking with current...

If you have never been, go, and bring lots of money, along with a list of whatever supplies you might need, even if you think you don't need anything you will find stuff you can't pass up. NMLRA members can buy BP there from the association's magazine, at the spring shoot I think GOEX was $16.50...