JamesKelly
Member
New Toy! Monday night met a fella & bought his slightly used Caywood Southern Mountain Rifle. .45 cal, 39" tapered & swamped barrel, weight something under 6 pounds. Flintlock, of course. I have a bad shoulder so need something I can lift.
Tuesday--It shoots! I can actually fire some decent number of shots without cleaning & still get the damn ball down the barrel. First try was 25 yards bench. Because that's what is readily available on Tuesday. Three shots one long hole, measures 5/8" ctc. Well, 25 yards, only three shots--that's not so spectacular says you. But I says it is one hell of a lot better than I've done with my .40 Dixie Deluxe Cub and my .54 Dixie Jaeger, same bench, same eyeballs.
Used FFg Swiss because that is whats in my horn right now. 40 grains because I wanted to start with a mild load. .440 Hornady balls because that's what the guy gave me with the gun. 0.010" TOW patch lubed with Mink Oil because I have some already made up. Yeah, I know I need to develop a proper load at a decent distance, but . . . New Toy hit a lot of hanging steel targets, about 25--70 yards, that had always thought they wuz safe when I'se around.
Barely see the rear sight notch with my young circa 1940 eyes . . . but did I mention I can actually hit things with New Toy? The Rayl barrel is supposedly 8620 nickel-chrome-moly steel whatever it is it sure loads & shoots nice.
Wife: What did you pay him for it? Me: $600 less than he did, new.
Wife: How much did he pay for it? Me: $600 more than I did.
Wonderful Woman!
Tuesday--It shoots! I can actually fire some decent number of shots without cleaning & still get the damn ball down the barrel. First try was 25 yards bench. Because that's what is readily available on Tuesday. Three shots one long hole, measures 5/8" ctc. Well, 25 yards, only three shots--that's not so spectacular says you. But I says it is one hell of a lot better than I've done with my .40 Dixie Deluxe Cub and my .54 Dixie Jaeger, same bench, same eyeballs.
Used FFg Swiss because that is whats in my horn right now. 40 grains because I wanted to start with a mild load. .440 Hornady balls because that's what the guy gave me with the gun. 0.010" TOW patch lubed with Mink Oil because I have some already made up. Yeah, I know I need to develop a proper load at a decent distance, but . . . New Toy hit a lot of hanging steel targets, about 25--70 yards, that had always thought they wuz safe when I'se around.
Barely see the rear sight notch with my young circa 1940 eyes . . . but did I mention I can actually hit things with New Toy? The Rayl barrel is supposedly 8620 nickel-chrome-moly steel whatever it is it sure loads & shoots nice.
Wife: What did you pay him for it? Me: $600 less than he did, new.
Wife: How much did he pay for it? Me: $600 more than I did.
Wonderful Woman!
