Building a muzzleloader rifle

[Wrknrvr]

  Finally got back to range. I had adjusted the scope just a tad. Got 5 rounds off.

 

  Really discussed about dam scope. Put three different colored targets at 175’ and looking through the scope I can hardly see white green or red. With or without glasses.

 

    Time to leave after scope subject.  Why is it that I can see through the scope better than I thought I could when building it. But out at the range i cannot focus with or without glasses. After I left the range I got to thinking (bad word) what if the heat from the sun on the scope is making heat waves inside the scope.( bad word again).

 

  This scope is about 32” long , 3/4” diameter with a 1/4”  holes at each end. It should be legal for long range competition.

 

 

 (Badddd word heatwaves)

 

 So I will test at sunrise tomorrow for clarity and sun hot exposure tomorrow.

 

(Good Word).  Vern

[Wrknrvr]

   So I did test the scope for  temperature fluctuations. So at 62 degrees it works as I thought when building the scope.    (  I never even heard of a scope as such until I started research on this style rifle and the time period they were used in. Even that a few were used on buffalo later in the 1800’s.   This scope is just a tube with small openings on both ends. 1/4” holes on both ends. No magnification at all.)

 

  So with the scope set out in the sun at 92 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes you could tell the scope was hotter than the rifle barrel. So I installed a remote thermometer into the scope.  114 degrees inside the scope.    So that may have an effect on seeing through the scope in those temperatures.

 

  So it should be cooler this week during the afternoon and I will be in the shade to correct the heat problem. I hope. I will try to take some ice along to cool the scope also just for a test.

  Since me and the wife are really social distancing as much as possible. (She wants to go along to the range) I need to wait for her to get in motion, then we mite as well eat lunch at home. No restaurant dining this year as for the covid thing.

 

  I also figured out how to adjust the scope as it is shooting about 12” to the left and at 8 o’clock. At about 150’ distance.

  I made the scope mounts by hand and just sighted it in as best I could at about

125’ without shooting it. So for just the first shots being off as it is. I feel ok with it.

  I am looking for a local place where I can shoot at longer distances when that time comes

 

  Many other things to be doing in between shooting at the range.

 

 

Stay safe in your travels,    Vern in a T-shirt 

[Wrknrvr]

Other news

 

  going to visit eye doctor. Not what I wanted to be doing. But getting less young makes these things more frequent.

 

 

   Vern in a T-shirt 

[Wrknrvr]

   First news is eye doctor appointment tomorrow. Will post results on that subject when it is known.

 

  Now to the rifle scope. Last time at the range I tried to adjust the scope. I cut the leather that the scope sits in when at it’s lowered position. Adjusted the leather to push the scope in the correct direction. It needed to move the line of sight of the scope to the left.  

  Now I have fired a few rounds. Guns barrel needs cleaned. You think I can find the brush that fits the cleaning rod that I have. DW is along and we have other stuff to do today. So we leave.

  So Sunday afternoon I looked at the rifle.

  So I cut the leather while at the range last time out. Rotated the leather to shoot to the right. Yes I did.    Looking at the cut angle on the leather???   It was moved to shoot farther left.

 

if you look at the picture you can now see the cut leather is on the correct side.

 

  What can I say,   Vern

 

[Wrknrvr]

   So yesterday I had a frustrating day in the morning. Will not say why.

  Got home and needed to do something fun. So I got the rifle out and decided to make a trigger guard for it. Did some marking and grinding on some flat iron. Drilled a few holes and taped some threads. Got a propane torch ( I know they did not have propane torches in the 1800’s) out and bent the steel to the basic shape I wanted.

 I am going to make sure it fits the rifle when screwedin place then grind to the shape I want it. Then the rear end gets curled back towards stock.

 

  I am thinking of building a small propane forge this fall.

 

  Vern in a T-shirt 

[Wrknrvr]

    Well goof news and bad news about the firing range testing.

 

  The doctor says I can still shoot guns. But the doctor is the one that did shooting yesterday.   Left eye had a problem that developed in a very short time. I am probably wrong on the short time call, but it seems that way. So I got a shot in the left eye for macular repair. I go back next week for the right eye. It is just starting to have a problem.

 

  So I may go to the rifle range today if my right eye will focus correctly. I believe that my right eye was possibly being confused with the left eye in focusing. Probably wrong about that but about a hour after sunup I will test focusing with scope.

 

  There is a 1000 yard range west of Missoula Montana. About a 2 hour drive from where we are. I am thinking of at least visiting it this next few weeks. Even if my eye sight is still not real good. I do have a open line of sight to some vehicles at about 1000 yards away. Also there is a concrete highway barrier at that distance. I measured it the other day . It is 32” high.   So with looking at it I can see if the wavy line in that barrier straightens out. Or not.

 

    May just go fishing,     Vern in a T-shirt 

[Wrknrvr]

  At least I have an excuse for por looking workmanship.

 

  Vern

[Darryl&Rita]

Personally, I always thought you were poor looking. Good luck with the repairs.

[Wrknrvr]

   So I had some time this am to look at the scope to barrel alignment.  Now there is a machine shop about 300’ from our location, but I have been trying to do this as years ago.   So I just happened to be looking at adjusting the scope for right to left. And the sun was just at the correct angle to see the shadow line on the barrel from the scope.

 

  I could see the rear was too low. I wish I would have noticed this natural alignment tool before.    Like when I was making the scope mounting brackets.

 Also the leather sticking up is on the wrong side. But it shows how I am using it to adjust scope right or left.  If I get this rifle to shoot on or near target I may file both mounts for the scope to correct the mounting problem.

 

   I do have a few days till I can shoot again.  The trigger guard is have a browning finish put on it now.

 

   Safe Travels this fall,    Vern

 

[strawdog]

Vern -

Bring the shooter down to northern New Mexico and go to NRA Whittington Center. You can stay in the campground and all the ranges are within minutes. Annual membership is only $30 single or $50 family, that covers range fees for all the informal ranges, ten if I remember correctly. The sight-in range has the White Buffalo, 6x10 ft. with 16 inch aiming point. Just a mere 1123 yards away. You can show the 308 boys how clang that gong.

PS. The Center also has over 30,000 acres of pine trees you can hug :~).

Dave

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by strawdog

[Wrknrvr]

   While waiting to get treatment for my right eye. I have not been thinking of shooting the rifle.

  But I decided to put the iron sights on the barrel. This is the rear sight.

 

  sothis is the front sight.

 

   Today I will try iron sights first. New white target with black center .it will only be maybe 50’ for first shot. Just see here it is hitting. Then I will try the scope at the same distance.. then if possible I will increase the distance to 159’.

 

   I was only really interested in modern guns in my teens until I shot a muzzleloader. Then I sold my smokeless powder guns all but a 22 revolver I still have. Back in the 70’s I was hunting small game with a double barrel muzzleloader shot gun that I still have.

  I think my left eye problem was making my right eye be in competition with the left eye.  My left eye is coming back into focus fairly good.

 

  Over the winter I have two other gun builds to do. There are both going to be off the rocks idea. One I seen in the movie Jeremiah Johnson. There is only one instance of that gun. But it has been in my mind every since I first saw that movie.

 

 The other one is going to take some metal casting of German Silver. I have the German silver. In the next few weeks I will try to build a small melting forge and try casting zinc for a few times. I need to do sand casting for this experience.

 Never did it before.  But I can tell you from experience that cutting and making steel parts by hand is very time consuming.

 

      Still thinking this scope idea. Vern

[Wrknrvr]

     Ddaaaaammm scope fix

 

 Yep it fixed it.

 

Vern in a T-shirt 

[Wrknrvr]

  I went and bought a 4’x8’ styrofoam board. Going to paint it white and go back to the range.

 

  Ok ok now I have never seen a rifle scope as such in person. So I am learning. Some times I am dense, sometimes not.

  Look at this picture.  

   Now this is for Darryl.     I know that there was no internet back in 1855. So seeing this photo could be considered cheating.

  A few days ago I was watching a utube video on mounting a William Malcom scope.  Aaand it said about the front mount is on the shadow tube. Yep I am dense until yesterday at the range. (Now the other day after I read about the shadow tube I looked around quick and found a piece of 1’ pvc pipe. Stuck it on the end of the scope and so what. No difference, but I did notice light coming through the transparent pvc pipe from the side ).

  I am guessing undensing is what my mind did. Is undensing a word.     Shadow tube.  So where  the heck is my shadow tube.    I brought along a small piece on black dense piece of foam for cushioning the barrel on the bench rest when. The photo on the last post is that pice of foam. Stuck on the door handle on our rv.

   Stuck it on the end on the scope. What the ————- is that black dot on the whit box. 150’ away I can see it.

Looking back in this adventure I believe there is a photo with shiny rings inside the scope tube.

  If you look at the scope in the picture there is a brass fitting towards the front of the scope.    Iiiii do believe that is the shadow tube I am missing and that brass fitting connects it to the scope. My 1/4” hole at the front of my scope is apparently leaving in shadow light.

 

    Vern in a dense T-shirt 

[Wrknrvr]

   So I am feeling better about this subject now the scope has possibilities. This is a picture of the foam shadow tube installed on the scope.

 

   I did sorta adjust the iron sights yesterday when out shooting. That determined that the scope was shooting left 15” and 3” low. At 150’.

  I set the gun up in the gun rest for shooting and supported the rear on the gun. Then used the iron sights for pointing the gun on target. Looking in the scope I could see where it was pointing. I did some adjusting with leather for shims and it did help.

  But now I am figuring out how to make a original looking scope shadow tube. And now I know the front mount of the scope is too high. I removed the leather shim on the  front of the scope to lower it. That was before I realized it was shooting to the left so far.  Thinking ?

 

   So I did talk to another person at the range that gave me directions to another range. Possibly 800 yards is the farthest distance to shoot there. I do need to get a bigger target for that range.

 

  So if I can get this thing to shoot at 100 yards with the maxi ball bullet that I am using then there is more thinking to do.

 

  Long range shooting with black powder requires heavy bullets as I understand. Maybe 500 to 700 hundred grain bullets. 

  Then will it be lubed or paper patched.

 

  Or the 700 grain bullet I designed. And my design does need more thought and work to build a consistent bullet.

 

  Different powder may cause effects of accuracy.

 

  Now if there is some time till the next post. It .just might be that the new range has not worked out. Or I am am embarrassed about this subject.

 

  On Wednesday I visit the eye doctor for the shooting eye. So it maybe almost two weeks till I get to shoot again.

 

   Stay safe,    Vern in a T-shirt 

 

[Wrknrvr]

This is a picture of shadows in the scope when I first built it and it was shiny inside. I was impressed with it then. Now I know it is bad to see light on the sidewalls of the scope.

 

   Vern in a T-shirt 

 

[Darryl&Rita]

20 hours ago, Wrknrvr said:

I wasn't sure if this was going to be an eye cushion, or a light blocker for the fore-end of the scope. ;; Either way, it's worth a try. 850 yds is getting out there, and should let you see how the combination is shooting. Get the grouping down before making too many changes.

[Wrknrvr]

   It is so smokie in Kalispell Mt that I cannot see 1000 yards at this time . Because of wildfires.

     Vern in a T-shirt 

[Wrknrvr]

   Today is my day to get shot in the right eye. Two weeks ago I had to see a eye doctor. Then sent to a optical specialist. After a diagnosis of macular degeneration in the left eye he explained what was happening to my left eye and gave me shot.

  It has helped greatly for my left eye sight. He did explain that it is starting to happen to my right eye. So he wants to treat it.

  So I agreed that day to do it. My left eye has come back 60 plus percent I do believe. So it will be till mid next week that I may get to shoot again.

 

   I have been thinking of the shadow tube situation. But since that last day at the range I have only seen the sun make shadows once because of the smoke in Montana.

   I will make a shadow tube out of copper tubing for now. I did search for when humans made copper pipe. Some say it could be 4000 years ago copper piping was used. That was just a quick search.

   I do have other things to be doing for winter preparation as we are not going south this winter.

 

 

    Vern in a T-shirt 

   Over the weekend I hope the wife will drive us out to that new range. Just to find it and see what it looks like.

[Darryl&Rita]

Keep an eye on that Macular Degeneration, Vern. It's a sneaky bitch. Both of us get tested yearly, due to Type 1 Diabetes, and have been able to stave it off so far.

[Wrknrvr]

   So my right eye is much better now. Will be back to the doc on Oct 14 for more treatment.

  Then there has been smoke. Like some times it’s hard to see anything at 1/2 mile or less. So I have not been to the old range or the new range yet. Bad for breathing smoke.

  But I have experimented with a shadow tube. Tried soot mixed with toung oil and the short term results were shiny. That was a bad idea. So I got to thinking about how to soot the tube back in the day.

   

 

  So I tried this yesterday and it works for elimination of almost all light reflection inside the tube.  But I did notice that the tongue oil and soot starts to dry out it get less shiny. Will do a test today and let sit a week to dry out. I mite even do a forced drying  with the candle trick.

   Thinking of testing a front sight in the shadow tube? I do need to put three screws in to hold the tube on. I think I do.  Bottom center screw could be a sight.

   Thinking about making a adjustable rear collar for the scope where it sits on the rear mount to facilitate distance shooting.

  Lots of other stuff to do today and then 3 days of rainy weather.

 

 

   Vern.   in a T-shirt 

[Darryl&Rita]

Couldn't resist! Sorry, Vern.

[Wrknrvr]

     Shiny is good?

  Maybe not?

 

  I used a nickelll to make the rear plug. Drilled the hole and silver soldered it in place. Nice and shiny.

 

 But hard on the eye to focus looking forward. So I did try soot and tongue oil as my two day old mix was getting duller.

 

   Vern in a T-shirt 

 

 

  My bad .  It is hard 

[Wrknrvr]

   But with soot and tongue oil it sure helps with focusing on the other end.

 

 

   More tomorrow am on scope subject.

 

  Vern in a T-shirt 

[Wrknrvr]

Thinking

   

Scope alignment can get confusing. I have not found a place to shoot closer that about 45 minute drive away. Then with smoke, doctors and other things getting in my way it is frustrating.

  Was going to the range yesterday. No matter what. Then a friend called about his furnace not working. I did try to talk him through fixing it last week. So he said he is leaving Tuesday. Bring it to me and testing found gas valve is bad. He said he can fix it his self.

  The DW and me went for a walk where there are some young swans growing up on a local pond. I have not seen them flying yet. They should be able to fly by now. We walked in and seen them at the other end of the pond that is about 1/2 mike long. So we were better than half way back and I heard them.  There they go flying by and landing on the water. Made our day.

  Forgot about shooting the rest of the day.

 

  So yesterday at sunrise I figured the scope was shimmed as far to the right as far possible on the rear. And to the left on the front. When comparing iron sights to the scope, It was of to the left 10’ at 300 yards according to my iron sites.

 

  So collect carving  tools last night and bring gun in for am adjustment as I am going to the range today. I was thinking I need to deepen the rear scope mounting bracket into the wood more.

  The picture has the scope shimmed to the right too far in the rear??? 

 

  So I am going to make adjustable shim for the rear scope mount. Maybe one for the front mount also. So that I can adjust sideways motion in a instant. Shimming with leather confuses the mind. Dammmm quick.

 

 

  Vern in a T-shirt 

 

 

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by Wrknrvr

[Wrknrvr]

   First thing I did not get to the range.  I tried to adjust the scope to shoot to the left more. With iron sights at a target about 800 yards the scope was to the right. Maybe 25’.. So I cheated and used a drill with a sanding drum, too open the adjustment to the left. Went about as far as I wanted to before making the mounts look stupid. So this photo is with the rear mount installed but not seated far enough in. So It will not get flush with the stock.

  But the next photo will show work in progress.

b

  Vern in a T-shirt 

Edited September 29, 2020 by Wrknrvr