Hand Built Percussion Rifle - Original Design

[arcticap]

Semisane, a longtime member on the HuntingNet.com black powder forum, decided to build a striker fired caplock of his own unique design that has the drum located underneath the barrel. And he wanted to be able to shoot patched round balls with it and also to be able to switch barrels too. He finally finished building it, mostly by hand and by using materials from the hardware store along with his own ingenuity.
Upon completion he named it the Swamp Dragon. And the first range report shows how amazingly accurate it performs.

The entire build was documented with photographs:

Let's Build A Gun

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/black-powder/373029-lets-build-gun.html

Here's the 1st range report:

And The Voice Of The Dragon Was Heard In The Land

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/black-powder/373593-voice-dragon-heard-land.html

Then he tried shooting some conicals with it:

Conicals In The Dragon?

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/black-powder/373624-conicals-dragon.html

 

[brushhippie]

Wow! That is impressive! Makes one think.....

 

[Mp7]

shock & awe.


That is a beauty.
I fear mine would look like Frankenstein & Koch ... as talented as i am.

 

[WoodchuckAssassin]

Word...no....words. Haha!

Very nice. Very, very nice.

 

[BADUNAME30]

Now that is jist way too cool.
Amazing what one can do with thier talents and simple pieces.
I was disapointed tho to see a scope go on there instead o' iron sights.
Peeps would be cool on it.

Thanx so much Steve for sharin this.

 

[bigbore442001]

I read through the entire thread on making that unique striker fired muzzleloading rifle. I am impressed and envious. I wish I had that ability at hand to create a work of art that actually works.

Maybe I am an oddball but I would have constructed a vertical post for a pistol grip ala Encore/Contender style. But that is me.

 

[arcticap]

Pecatonica River sells 5 different actions for building a muzzle loader without needing to construct the entire action from scratch.

http://www.longrifles-pr.com/actions.shtml

 

[robhof]

robhof

Wow, that's great and your tutorial is fantastic, To top it all off it's a great shooter, judging by your targets.

 

[BCRider]

I love what a guy can do with some hand tools and basic machine shop equipment. Too many folks out there consider files and hacksaws as something which is just not used any more. It was extremely slick to see that Semisane is not one of those.

The design is simple and geared to easy fabrication with basic tools. And best of all it produced a VERY slick looking shooter. What's NOT to like?

My only suggestion which would have made some of his work easier would have been to use annealed drill rod for the firing bolt. The annealed drill rod works easily with the same sort of tools he used and is easily hardened and tempered back to a tough and ready sear notch and primer cup. It would be much easier to use than the grade 8 bolt or even using a regular bolt and case hardening it.

Same with the trigger and sear. I'd have gone with some annealed "ground stock" O-1 tool steel which comes in easy to shape annealed state and is easily hardened and oil quenched in motor oil with a hot propane torch.

Design wise? His conceptual work for a simple and easily made home made rifle was EXCELLENT. The results certainly speak for themselves both in the pictures of the gun itself and the targets he's getting.

The only other "trick" I would have done instead of his method is to sacrifice a

 

[4v50 Gary]

Thnk you articap. That was a good read.

 

[snakeman]

That's too freakin cool!

 

[scrat]

Just Amazing


Just wait till Busyhands sees this.

 

[Caliper_Mi]

Wow, incredible! And a beauty to boot! I am truly in awe.