Another project Trying a restoration

[Wrknrvr]

  So let’s say Allen was done at the bench and was cleaning his gun.  So I asked him how it was going . He said good but needs to make a small change on his gun. Then he was quit.talking.

 

  So I set my green case that has my charged cartridges in it. The box holds maybe 50 rounds. But only 18 are ready to load a bullet in it. Then there are some heavier charged cases in there also maybe 12.

  And then there are empty cartridge cases with paper patched bullets in them upside down to let them dry.   So I finally get everything ready to shoot. My target is set at 100 yards. My bullet case is to my right. I brought a small bag of kitty litter along for a sand bag. So I get a cartridge case out of the box. Get a paper patched bullet out of the case and slid it out of the empty case it is in for drying. Put the bullet in the case, loaded it into the gun, closed the breach, aimed and fired.

  Looked through my spotting scope and I did not hit the target???    So I get another cartridge case out, get one that has a red paper patched bullet in it. Installed the bullet in the case. Then loaded it into tha gun, closed the breach, aimed and fired.      Or so I thought.  But there was no bang.   So give it a minute for hang fire to go off.   Pulled the hammer back again, squeeze it carefully. No bang.    

 

  So Allen is sitting at the next bench, looking puzzled.

 

   I wait for a minute for a hang fire. No reaction, so I open the breach and look at the cartridge.   Oops.   Some one grabbed a case with no primer, or powder.      So now what happened.   I shake the cartridge case back and forth. Heck I grabbed a cartridge case with a drying bullet installed backwards to dry.     Now without thinking a loaded case with powder and a wad sorta feels about as heavy as one with just a drying bullet in it.

 

  So I loaded a good round, aimed and squeeze the trigger. There was a bang.  Look through the spotting scope for a bullet hole . Must have missed the target again.

  So load another round in the rifle, aim the rifle and heck my temporary front sight is missing.   I did not have a set screw in it. It was just pushed on snuggly.   Remove cartridge from the rifle and looked around on the table and the ground in front of the shooting table.

   It’s not to be found.    O yea Allen walked away from the area when he seen my cartridge problem a few minutes ago.

 

  So heck I just guest at the front sight and bang.

 

  So walked up to the target to get it. And I noticed the two holes just low of the bullseye.

 

  Looking through my spotting scope I was looking for black holes , not real lite gray marks.

  On a side note, while I was cleaning up the stuff for shooting a muzzleloader and the rifle I found the front sight.

 

  Yesterday I got one shot in my right eye for macular degeneration.  I have been getting them for a year in Montana. Very good doctor. But the one I went to yesterday was rough and unfriendly.

  I think by Wednesday I can go shoot again, all loaded cartridge cases Re now in a red enclosed box. All other bullets will be in the green box.

 

  Now those two bullet hole just under the bullseye has given me some confidence about said subject.

  Do not laugh, please,

 

   Vern

[Wrknrvr]

  I had time yesterday to go back to the range. It was cold, say 36 degrees but calm. So I get stuff out to try shooting again. Organize it to be efficient and routine. That is something I am not good at. But I must leaned to not have stufff all over the place.

   Another person was at the range for about fifteen minutes. He was done shooting. He said I could have his target as he had several of them. He was shooting a small caliber rifle. So small holes did not affect my seeing if I hit the target. The range has rail road rails with pockets welded on the back side to stick your target base in.

  So since he was leaving I walked up and grabbed his target.  Then I thought, maybe try to shoot at 200 yards.  If nothing else I could say I did it. So I installed it it at 200 yards just.    In case .

  So I go back to the shooting bench. Set the spotting scope up on my first target at about 85 yards. By setting it at 85 yards I have a smooth surface of sand and dust around the target  so I can see where the bullet hits the ground. Load a round, which is nice having everything in order, and that round  goes in like it is supposed to. Now since the last time out to the range I adjusted the front sight for elevation. I also made a new rear sight that sits maybe 8” in front of where my eye is when sight through the scope tube. The rear sight is actually inside the tube.

  So I squeeze a round off. 5” off to the left. Load and fire another round. Very close to the first round.    I also noticed I can see the target fairly good.

  Now I do need to thank Darryl for the idea of shooting with both eyes open. I always would shoot with one eye open.

   With a quick thought I adjust my front site to see what difference it makes. Then wipe the barrel bore with a wet patch, then two dry patches. Then load another round. Squeeze the trigger. Look through the spotting scope. 3” high from center.

  And then Allen showed up to shoot also.

  But then I loaded another round in my 45/70.   And with using both eyes to shoot I can watch where dust may fly when I shoot. So I aim at the 200yard target. Aim carefully and squeeze the trigger. And there was a zing at the target. Looking through the spotting scope I see a shinny spot on top of the railroad rail just to the left of the target. What was that.    I had to walk out to that target and see up close. I hit maybe 6” to the left of the target and hit the top of the rail. And I noticed part of fresh lead was laying there on the ground. I got it as a souvenir. 200 yards.   I need to try this again. I cannot believe it , finally.

  So I try two more rounds at 200 yards. They both bite the dust just below where the other one hit.   I did notice there is a steady wind ,say 5 mph coming at a 45 degree angle from the right.   I do need to start keeping notes on my progress now that I have graduated to 200 yards.

 

  I have learned it takes patience,  and I have wondered if I could find enough to do this in the first place.

  I have not talked to anyone that has tried this before. So this has been quit interesting,  and quite frustrating at many times.

  So now I need to keep everything the same.

  Bullet, it’s weight, it’s shape. It’s diameter.

  Then to use the same paper patching. It’s shape, it’s thickness   

  Then the same powder charge. Same compression, the same lube, the same grease cookie.

Vern

Edited December 14, 2021 by Wrknrvr

[Darryl&Rita]

Nice to see the progress, Vern. Almost every distance shooter I've talked to has a little notebook for wind, temp., humidity, etc. Next stop Ben Avery 1000 yard range.

[Wrknrvr]

    Last week I was back at the range again.. so I set a target at 80 yards, 100 and 200 yards.

  My eye was feeling good, but it was only 4 days since I got a shot in the left eye. So I went anyway. Things were looking good, got all my stuff out for shooting and cleaning black powder guns.

  Now I am really trying to figure this two eye shooting thing out. I have noticed that looking with either right or left eye things just are not perfect. I guess I have two old eyes. I do try shooting a few rounds.

   I cannot focus on my sights in the scope tube.    But Allen is there with his muzzleloader. So I ask him about looking through his scope tube that I built for his rifle.     Now Dammmmit. I can see the target fairly good at 80 yards through his scope tube. Get my rifle back on the bench.   What the heck is going on . I cannot focus on the rear sight and then the front sight in my rifle. Now the last time out to the range I figured out the rear sight in the tube was too small. So I made one the same size as was in Allen’s tube scope. So what is different from Allen’s scope tube and mine. His is 3/4” diameter and mine is 1/2” diameter. They are about the same length.

 

  So time to think. More thinking to be done.

 

    Vern

Edited December 26, 2021 by Wrknrvr

[Wrknrvr]

   We earlier today I had time to get my rifle barrel out and looked at why I have trouble seeing the target at 80 yards again.

  Decided that I need to see as much as possible while looking through the scope tube. So I removed the rear 3” piece of 3/4” tube that has a 1/4”  hole in it.

   Then I decided to take the rear elevation adjustment apart to reassemble it so I would have better view looking forwards. Bad idea. Could not get any better view. Well now, how was it before I took it apart.     Next move will be to bore sight it again. Next time at the range I will need to start at 25 yards. Yea I know, what did I do.

  So I tried two new rear sight inserts I made for a test. The test failed. Put my first insert back in.      So I spotted a bird on a electric line maybe 400’ away. Now I can see the bird really good through the scope tube. With both eyes open.     Also I did not put my eye up to the scope like a regular scope would need. Keeping my eye back from the tube end makes my eyes focus really good at a distance.

   I am thinking if I can get a few shots off to prove I am close on target up to 100 yards. I am going to put a big target up at 200 yards. I have noticed that I can see really good in my rifle and Allen’s rifle at 200 yards.

  Originally I had made a leather cup to eliminate most of the light from around the scope tube. I am thinking that was a bad idea.

  Also shooting with both eyes open, my eye sight is much better. But that habit takes some getting use to. And thanks to Darryl for the idea of using both eyes.

 

  I may get back to the range by Friday. I am saving up patience for that day. 

    Vern

 

   

 

[Wrknrvr]

   I took some pictures this am. 

 

   And I discovered that I made the new test rear sight out of too big of wire.

[Wrknrvr]

So the picture in the previous post shows I used the wrong size of wire to make the rear sight. With the lager wire it fills to whole outside of the tube when looking through the scope.

  The muzzleloader has a 3/4” tube. The 45/70 has a 1/2” scope tube.      Maybe i made a bad choice with the 1/2” tube. But like I said in the beginning I was doing this as I could find stuff along the Oregon trail. Just stuff that was abandoned along the way west.

  So let’s move forwards on our travels, as this fall we traveled the Sante Fe  trail, then turned south on the Chism trail.

      Now with the 1/2” tube I need to install a smaller tube inside with the rear sight on it . It is a 3/8” tube so now my view gets smaller.   I am thinking of finding a flat 1/4” wide piece of metal to mount the rear sight on ,so I have a bigger view. Or ,   Well I am just going to see what I could use that’s in my stuff.

    Vern       

[Wrknrvr]

This is a picture of my original idea. Just have small hole at the rear of the scope. But it has to be big enough to see through. That makes it to easy to have the eye move around too much. I really tried to control my eye centered in the opening, but it was very distracting and I know it would not be consistent in sighting the rifle.

   With the two wire loops for sights, in the 3/4” scope when I am looking through it at a target, if the rear sight is centered on the front sight. The rear sight blends into the front sight. I know that is hard for me to believe, but at that point there is only one round hole to center the target in. If they are not aligned just correctly. The rear sight loop is fussy.

 

  We are moving tomorrow to another space in the same campground, so will be busy on that subject for a few days. I am hoping to be at the range by Saturday 

 

  Have a good day,      Vern

Edited December 28, 2021 by Wrknrvr

[Wrknrvr]

    Back about Christmas time I received a telegram from a old friend. He was thinking about traveling our way in the new year. He also said his wife will be coming along also.

  This is good news, as he is a good friend. So I will ask him to shoot my rifle and Allen’s rifle when they are here. That way someone else’s eyes can test my sights and scope tubes. We will visit with them also for a few nights around a campfire.

 

    Now about three weeks ago I had received a telegram from a old hunting companion up in Montana. We have not seen each other for a few years. So I sent him a telegram back saying that me and the wife are doing good. And I asked about his wife, if she was still healing from her critter attack.  About the new rifle projects I have been working on.

    I also mentioned about my eye sight acting odd. But I have been seeing doctors about my problem.

  Told him to stay safe and to watch his topknot.

    Travel Safe,      Vern

  Will see you after the snow melts.,     Vern

 

  

Edited January 15, 2022 by Wrknrvr

[Wrknrvr]

   Well things have been confusing to me for quite awhile on this rifle project.   Sorta was thinking that I may be to old for this subject.  But I have been still thinking about why I cannot see a target with the sites I have made.

  So I will talk about being back in the 1870’s or 1880’s.

   After seeing several doctors on my sight problems, and taking medication from them.

  I got a telegram about maybe seeing a old medicine man. So I did a few weeks ago. He has treated me for a week and told me what to take every day for the rest of the winter.

 

   This is hard to believe but my eye sight has come back fairly close to what I had two years ago.   Now I had gotten new glasses back in the early fall.   But my old glasses work better than the new ones.

 

  And now I can see a target at 50 yards.

 

  Stay warm,     Vern

[Kirk W]

2 hours ago, Wrknrvr said:

And now I can see a target at 50 yards.

WOW! It is hard to argue with success. I hope that it lasts permanently. 

[Darryl&Rita]

That's great news, Vern. A Turkey Vulture told me that you still ugly, even if you lookin' better. Keep getting better, keep the Reaper at bay.

[Wrknrvr]

   Well some good news and some bad news.

  First the good news. My eye sight has still been improving. I now can see a 2” orange circle at 55 paces. Without glasses. I also can see a 4” black dot at 55 paces.

    Recently I found another 1/2” tube that is the same as on my rifle at the trading post.    So now I can test my sighting front and rear pieces on this tube and no one will see a gun attached. So I can walk around town and test my eye with a scope tube. To see if my eyes can focus now.

Yesterday I was working on my tubular scope. Since I can see that orange dot at 55 paces  I wanted to see if I could bore sight my rifle again. So I put the rifle barrel on a platform so I can see through the barrel and scope without touching the barrel.

   So I installed a empty cartridge case with now primer in it. Then I installed a small piece of metal in the front of the barrel with a 1/4” hole in it. Centered it on that orange dot. Then I worked on centering my scope on that dot. I am really close to both being centered on that dot.  Since the sun was setting I quit for the day. Will adjust the rear of the scope to today.

   I can also see better just doing doing things now that the help from the medicine man.

 

  Now the bad news,

  I had sent a telegram to a old friend to come and test my rifle on the range. As my eyes were giving me problems sighting this thing accurately. Now this telegram was sent before I had seen the old medicine man. 

 

    So he shows up and after lunch we start talking about him shooting my rifle.   Well there is a sorta bad word. Just a hint.

  He says he has trouble seeing now.     Not much but he says he has a problem. So we never go to the range.

 

   So overnight I was thinking how I could find the old medicine man again.   If I can I will see if he could see my old friend and possibly help him.

 

  Will keep informed,      Vern Allen

[Wrknrvr]

   Well I heard that the medicine man was near by.   So I walked over to see him. He said bad stuff in his native tongue. And not quietly either.

 

   I take it as it was too darn cold for him to get out of bed this am.

   Vern   

[Wrknrvr]

   Well now can you believe it. That old medicine man talked to Rich.. I cannot understand his native tongue. But Rich can.

 

  He post his findings on the health forum.

 

   Ver

[Wrknrvr]

     So today’s thinking is that I sure wasted a lot of time making all these sighting pieces. I was chasing the problem of not being able to see through the scope tube.  When I first was working on this idea I could see really good through the scope tube.

   I looked back at Allen’s muzzleloader project and found in August 17 th 2020 he posted about not being able to see different colored targets through his scope tube.

 

    Well since I have been following the medicine mans advice all those pieces I made turned out to be almost worthless.   I am sure there’s are a few more of those pieces are laying around.

   But I have what I need to see through the scope tubes, on both rifles, and these were extras that I thought I needed.

 

       Have a good day ,   Vern

 

[Wrknrvr]

    First of all, Darryl will call this not historical. But I am trying to convey what I have experienced with my eyes.

 

   I can see all 4 colored dots. All four are different colors. And while looking through a tube scope I can see them fairly good. I was 65 paces away from the wagon with the colored targets on them. Much better with glasses.  Although I know my new glasses are not correct as my eyes have changed since the medicine mans advice. I am now using glasses from 10 years ago.

   Since we are in New Mexico for another 6 weeks I cannot see my real eye doctor till we get back into Montana. I still need to see a eye doctor here on February 18 to see if I need shots again in one or both eyes. Or not.    This New Mexico doctor is too busy to understand and I trust my doctor in Montana much better 

 

  Now Darryl,   just think of the picture as having a whitewashed covered wagon. Hey that wagon even has mirrors.

 

   Vern

 

  well I will post a picture on the next post as I cannot get the correct one on this post

Edited January 29, 2022 by Wrknrvr

[Wrknrvr]

Edited January 29, 2022 by Wrknrvr

[Darryl&Rita]

Aside from the wagon wheels, I see nothing wrong with the pictured wagon. It's good to hear you're hopefully on the road to recovery. As far as the wasted build pieces, let me shine a Zen flashlight into the corners. They enabled you to learn a little bit about optics, manufacturing, and a little about yourself. No manual project is ever truly a waste.

[Wrknrvr]

    Well I will say I seen Allen at the shooting range yesterday. He finally got his you know what together.

   On the other hand I was sorta not so good with my day. I was trying to shoot at 50 yards at a 1 1/4” black dot on the target. 

 

   I need to get my bullet subject figured out.    The first thing was the paper patching was not coming off the bullets. So no picture today of my embarrassment. I do not want Allen to see my target shooting mess.

 

   Now I am thinking about trying a few maxi balls in the 45/70 the next time at the range.

   Also I was using a smaller size sight tube insert in the 45/70. I could see Allen’s target with the 45/70 scope tube insert. I need to try different sight inserts at the range to understand what is happening.

    I did drive up to the 680 yard target area. There is a metal target there about the size of a 55 gallon drum. Painted dark, and sitting against a light tan backdrop.

  So I wanted to see if I could see it through my scope.   And I could see it through the small circular opening that is in my scope tube at the time.    Now before I leave New Mexico territory this winter I am going at least try at least one day to see if I can hit the backdrop.    It is probably 400’ wide and 80 feet high.

 

 

   That’s a lot of thinking.

 

  No name today

 

Edited February 2, 2022 by Wrknrvr

[Wrknrvr]

[Wrknrvr]

    Well I was back at the range yesterday.

   But first I need to say my medication the medicine man gave me sure is working great. I set a white 9” disc on a tree at 600’ from another tree. With my glasses I can see it easily. So looking through my scope tube I can see it good. So I did figure out that shooting at say 100 yards takes a bigger diameter centering insert at the front of the scope tube, than at 600 yards. My idea is to center the target in the middle of the circle.

   So above is two of my test paper patched bullets. I have tried dry patching a bullet. With different thicknesses of paper. Different direction of wrapping the paper on the bullet. Wet patching bullets in different paper. Even sizing different bullets after they dry.

 

     The one paper patched bullet on the left is what is supposed to work. But it does not. The red one on the right in the picture works. 

  The white one will tumble about every other shot.     Yesterday I shot 10 rounds with the red patched bullets. I actually had small groups when I shot first at 40 yards. Then at 80 yards. These groups were less than 2 1/2”.  Progress is finally happening.

 

 I am using the same bullets for all test.

   This sure has been a really frustrating subject. But yesterday once I seen that these bullets worked. I calmed down and could see very well with my scope tube. Especially the the rear centering hole. I also noticed to not put my eye near the eyepiece. If I keep my head back I can center hole that I look through much better than if I put my eye up close.

 

 

    Vern

Edited February 10, 2022 by Wrknrvr

[Wrknrvr]

This is my rear sight on the scope tube. You can see the small hole to look through.

 

[Wrknrvr]

   Yesterday I went to see my ophthalmologist in New Mexico. They looked at my eyes and took pictures. I should have copies of my eye visit next Friday. I will take them to Montana so my regular Ophthalmologist in Kalispell Montana so he can look at them.

   I have not needed eye treatment in either eye since December. Yesterday I did tell the doctor I was using baby aspirin once a day now since January 2nd. He said it would not hurt to take them. No comment after that from him.

   So I will go back to when I first had problems in 2020. I noticed a slight seeing problem while looking for a target through my tubular scope in August of that year.  

    On a Saturday night I really had a odd thing happening in my left eye. Then it cleared up by the time i woke up in the am.

   But I will say things were not the way they should be for a few days. So I called the eye doctor at Costco.   They said to come in a few days later. That was a mistake to wait that long. I should have gone in the first Monday after the Saturday night episode. But never knew anything about said subject.

   The eye doctor looked at my eyes. Then left the room. Came back in ,in a few minutes. Said here is a business card. The address is on it. She told me how to get there. Within 45 minutes I had a needle in my left eye.

   That hurts like. Well just the thought of it hurts.

 

   So when I was driving to the first eye doctor I noticed for a short time I could not see a stop light with my left eye. I could not see a brake light with my left eye, if I was looking at the rear of a car in front me. Now that only lasted for a short while, at least I can remember. But I could with my right eye. So if the doctor says you need a shot in the eye. Well ok.    But I asked for a hammer. What the he?? Is that for he asked.

   I said if I hit my thumb really hard with a hammer then the darn eye won’t even no it just got shot! 

  So I have have been getting the eye shots in both eyes since September of 2020. My vision has really came along way from back then.

 

   In the first office visit to the eye poking guy I asked if this could be covid related. He flat out said no. Period 

    Well last September I asked about it being covid related.    I did not get a no nor a yes. But I do believe he had some thoughts on this.

   My eye doctor in Montana was on the board at the local hospital for some time in during his career.

   So that explains how this subject started.

  So I found a article about using a baby aspirin for treatment on covid caused eye problems.   I will say this was my medicine man I was talking about previously.

    After two weeks of the baby aspirin I began to notice I was thinking I could see better. But I needed a few control subjects to verify as good as I can.

   So I found a 1/2” and a 3/4” metal tubes. I duplicated my scope tubes that are on my rifles with the little o shaped front site. I can walk around the campground and look at known subjects that I know the size of . That way I could tell if I could see through the scope tubes I had on my rifles.  Walking around a campground with a rifle may not be a good idea to do.

 

Remember I could not see out of them to see a target. Even ar 50 yards. Now I can.

  Since I unknowingly had been writing about my restoration project and at the same time, actually have good records on my vision. Sorta.

 

   For another control subject I put a 9” white paper plate on a brown background at a target range. At 680 yards. I can see the brown target which is 3’X 4/2’. But I cannot see the white paper plate with my glasses on at that distance.

  So then I put a 9” white paper plate on a wooden backing at 650 feet’. I can see the plate at that distance. Then two days later I put another target the same size with a 9” paper plate on it at 600 feet farther out in the desert. Distance is controlled by the top of hills where I can see the target in the desert as the terrain is up and down where I am doing these test.

  So at 1250 feet I can see both targets. The right eye is better than the left. And this is through the scope tubes. Now the 3/4” tube  works better than the 1/2” tube does. Changing the front circular site needs to be addressed as for sitting comparison.

 I can see the target with my right eye at about 1500’ but not my left eye.

 

   I can say getting a paper patched bullet to shoot every time is quite a challenge. For every straight shot I get then I get what is know as flyers.    Another words that just does not work. One set of bullets every bullet was wrapped wet. The glue in the paper glued the paper to the bullets.

 

  Now using regular bullets, the rifles shoot good. But my time in the desert ends in two weeks.  So I may get two more times at the range. I am now thinking my bullet diameter need to be increased a few thousands.  Back in Montana I will make a few more molds to try.

 

   Have a great day,     Vern   

   

Edited February 19, 2022 by Wrknrvr

[Darryl&Rita]

Vern, that's great to hear that the eyes are coming around. Another variable corrected. In no time, you'll be hitting out at 1000 yards. Or crazy, all depends on your personality. Keep your powder dry, partner.