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.62 Caliber Flintlock Hunting rifle
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For about 5 years now I've wanted to build this rifle, I've actually been working on it a little here and a little there for almost 3 years now. The Mechanic's Car, the Shoemaker's kids and the Gunsmith's gun all seem to be the same story, you get so busy building for customers you can never find the time to build anything for your self. So I slowly put an hour or two at a time in on this thing for nearly 3 years to finally get the Flintlock hunting rifle I have envisioned for a while now.

I know when people look at this they are going to say how it isn't historically or period correct but that is actually the point. I have owned several flintlock rifles and I think they are fine guns for rendezvous or re-enacting but they have never been my cup of tea when it comes to hunting. They are long barreled, full stocked, heavy and just not my taste in hunting rifles. The few Halfstock Flintlock rifles on the market didn't interest me either, CVA, TC, Lyman all make a half stock flintlock but they are all patterned after a variation of the plains rifle, they all have untapered barrels, they all have underribs or at the very least pipes and a ramrod hanging under the barrel and none of them comes in a caliber bigger than .58. And they are mostly pretty heavy.

I wanted a rifle that feels, weighs, handles and generally looks like one of my modern cartridge rifles but is still legal to hunt anywhere in the U.S. during muzzleloading season.

Down to the details:
.62 Caliber Colerain Barrel Slow twist for Patched Roundball. 32" long tapered.
R.E. Davis Lock
Pachmyer Decelerator Recoil Pad, I like steel buttplates but I plan to be shooting this for many years to come and I like recoil less and less these days.
The Trigger, Triggerguard and Grip Cap I made myself.
The stock is American Black Walnut with an ebony forearm cap.
The sights were just extras I had laying around from TOTW...single leaf rear and a silver blade front.
The stock is oil finished and waxed to give a nice matte(low sheen).
The metal is rust blued and also done to a matte finish.
I don't like my hunting rifle to give off a lot of reflection.
To keep the weight down I didn't add an underib or pipes and ramrod instead I made a multi-piece ramrod for my possibles bag.
Weight is 6 pounds 10 Ounces.

The Rifle:






The Target:

6" x 6" square the black circle is approx 2" diameter
100 yards, offhand, un-supported
120grs FFG Goex
4Fg pan
.600 diameter 97% lead - 3% Antimony (325ish grains, I haven't weighed one yet to see exactly)
.018" Pillowticking Veg Lube

The one flyer was totally my fault I had a very slight hang fire and I didn't hold through like I should have. I think with more load development I can probably tighten the group up a bit more but since Muzzleloader season starts here in about 3 weeks I may not have time to get back out and do the load work so for now I am satisfied enough to take it hunting white-tail.

Thanks for looking,

Colin
 
Posts: 2329 | Location: uSA | Registered: 02 February 2009Reply With Quote
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That is awesome. I have been toying with the idea of doing a .58 or .62. Yours is gorgeous and and that is some solid off-hand shooting.
 
Posts: 518 | Registered: 28 November 2007Reply With Quote
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Very fine looking rifle!

What made you decide on 62 caliber instead of somethig larger or smaller, may I ask? You've obviously put a lot of thought into this rifle, and I suspect you put as much thought into choosing the caliber as well.


for every hour in front of the computer you should have 3 hours outside
 
Posts: 7757 | Location: Between 2 rivers, Middle USA | Registered: 19 August 2000Reply With Quote
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Thanks guys,

In a roundball rifle I think the .62 is the best all around caliber choice, with the most usability in North America. Moulds and accessories are readily available(20 gauge shotgun stuff works good). It's accurate enough to head shoot rabbits but also large enough and powerful enough to take Moose and Buffalo(Bison). Probably the only thing in N.A. that I would want a larger caliber for would be Bear in Alaska but if I was backed up by a guide or another hunter with a proper caliber, I would feel comfortable using a .62 in that situation.
 
Posts: 2329 | Location: uSA | Registered: 02 February 2009Reply With Quote
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Colin builds nice stuff...
 
Posts: 23062 | Location: SW Idaho | Registered: 19 December 2005Reply With Quote
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How are the barrel and lock attached?
 
Posts: 518 | Registered: 28 November 2007Reply With Quote
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The barrel has a tang screw that is threaded into the trigger plate and a cross pin through the forearm.

If you look closely at the third picture you can see a countersunk screw head in between the hammer and the pan skirt. It is threaded into the tang/breechplug. I think it gives it a nice clean look and I didn't have to inlet anything on the offside.

Colin
 
Posts: 2329 | Location: uSA | Registered: 02 February 2009Reply With Quote
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That is nicely done and well thought out. I like the alternate to the ramrod in order to save weight. Is this barrel 1" O.D. to reduce weight? I have a similar .69 caliber percussion rifle (Rigby style) from October Country when John Shorb still owned it. I love the rifle gun and it's a killin unit, but it also weighs about 12 pounds. Makes for a long day in the mountains.
 
Posts: 442 | Location: Montana territory | Registered: 02 July 2005Reply With Quote
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The barrel was a a 42" Colerain Swamped Barrel, by cutting off the last 10" it gives a very light tapered octagon profile for a .62 caliber barrel. It's 1.100" across the flats at the breech tapering to 0.825" at the muzzle.

Colin
 
Posts: 2329 | Location: uSA | Registered: 02 February 2009Reply With Quote
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Nice looking rifle!


"Peace is that brief glorious moment when everyone stands around reloading." Thomas Jefferson
 
Posts: 25 | Location: Dayton, Pa | Registered: 17 May 2013Reply With Quote
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How is the lock held into its inlet? Easy and simple would be two disc escutheons. But here? I know. Raccoon snot imported from Ohio.

Is it a standard flint breech? What do you use for a touchhole liner? I like a 1/4 28 stainless socket set screw. The outside recess of the liner keeps the crud from building up, and is always clean and dry for a longtime loaded rifle on a hunting trip. Jim Johnson of Golden Age Arms used to keep them in stock.

Give us more construction details.
 
Posts: 48 | Location: Elyria, Ohio USofA | Registered: 14 November 2003Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by swarf:
How is the lock held into its inlet? Easy and simple would be two disc escutheons. But here? I know. Raccoon snot imported from Ohio.

Is it a standard flint breech? What do you use for a touchhole liner? I like a 1/4 28 stainless socket set screw. The outside recess of the liner keeps the crud from building up, and is always clean and dry for a longtime loaded rifle on a hunting trip. Jim Johnson of Golden Age Arms used to keep them in stock.

Give us more construction details.

Not Ohio racoon snot, it's unicorn farts and pixie dust. If you look closely at the third picture, between the hammer and the pan you will see a screw that is coutersunk flush with the lock plate, that screw is threaded into the breechplug/tang.

It's a standard breech and I am using a white lightning touchhole liner.

Colin
 
Posts: 2329 | Location: uSA | Registered: 02 February 2009Reply With Quote
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Beware...don't let shootaway see this post or there will be 200 posts on how to improve your offhand technique and the perils of cleaning your bore Wink


"Experience" is the only class you take where the exam comes before the lesson.
 
Posts: 11137 | Location: Texas, USA | Registered: 22 September 2003Reply With Quote
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A .62 Caliber Flintlock Hunting rifle that feels, weighs, handles and generally looks like a modern cartridge rifle... but is still hunts during muzzleloading season...
-What a great idea... and nice execution, too, Cowboy Colin!! Glad your five- year dream came true!

salute
 
Posts: 450 | Registered: 20 August 2005Reply With Quote
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Love those 62s. I no longer have the patience to hand build a muzzleloader. But Danny Caywood built me a 62 caliber English Fowler that I greatly enjoy. The 62 barrel is smoothbore, so I can shoot either a patched roundball or a 20ga shot load. Very light and handy, and a great big game gun, but shots need to be inside 100 yards due to the smooth bore. He also made me a 54 caliber rifled barrel that will switch out with the 62 caliber barrel. With that barrel, you can shoot accurately as far as one could shoot with a 54 caliber patched ball, which is mighty far for iron sights.

Best Smiler

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Posts: 1190 | Registered: 11 April 2004Reply With Quote
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I have another question that your rifle has brought up that I am attributing to my CRS disorder...



There was an English style of gun, muzzle loading, that looked somewhat similar to this but of course was much smaller in size and had the ramrod hidden in the buttstock. I don't remember if they were rifles or shotguns but just remember they were somewhat small caliber/bore. IIRC they had that pattern so they would look like cartridge rifles even though they were black powder. They may have been referred to as a ladies gun or horseback rifle or something similar.

Does anyone know what the actual name of that particular style was?

Thanks! This has been bugging me for a while now. Smiler


Mark


for every hour in front of the computer you should have 3 hours outside
 
Posts: 7757 | Location: Between 2 rivers, Middle USA | Registered: 19 August 2000Reply With Quote
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Ive always had an itch for one of those Navy Arms 58 cal. rifled carbines, they look nice and slim and deadly..Hard to find them these days, missed one on AR a couple of weeks ago.


Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120

rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com
 
Posts: 41763 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000Reply With Quote
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