doublegunshop.com - home

The saga continues�

My new percussion nipples arrived this morning from Track of the Wolf. Track of the Wolf told me that these old shotguns normally take .250-28 thread nipples. However, after borrowing such a nipple from my Pedersoli and having it fit very loose I measured the threads on one of the old nipples with my micrometer and it was exactly .265. That�s a damn good clue but I was still a little worried when I ordered the oversized .265-28 thread nipples, but they fit perfectly.

After lunch I loaded the old gurl up with 3 dram BP/1-1/8oz shot loads and fired it four times (actually three times, but I digress). The first two firings went great, I fired the left barrel first and then the right barrel. Everything was fine. The best part was I still had all my fingers and my eyesight, WOOOHOOO!!! Life is good. I decided to fire it again only this time firing the right barrel first. That�s where the fun started! There was an enormous KABOOM!!! as both barrels fired at once! Apparently, the trigger sears need some fine tuning. I also noted that it�d fire from a half-cock. However, there�s nothing that can�t be easily fixed.

I�m literally a happy camper, dressing the sears isn�t a problem and the heavy barrels held up just fine. I�m already looking forwards to taking it out in the field next season after I adjust the trigger sears.

Steve

I love that place!!! Track of the Wolf is the first place I go to find anything for my black powder guns.

life is good...enjoy.

Here's an update to this earlier post. The other day I finally purchased a set of jewelers files and redressed the sears on both locks, attending to both the half-cock and doubling problems I was having. It didn't take long and now it doesn't fire off the half-cock, both trigger pulls are smooth and feel great, and after shooting numerous clay targets it never once doubled. With twin cylinder bores it's very effective out to 25 yards and should work great on pointed quail or pheasants. I'm really looking forwards to using it this hunting season.

Steve

Steve, You did a great job on that muzzleloader. How do you outfit for the field? Shot bag? English or Irish head? Powder horn or flask? Possibles bag?

Gunbearer totes all that stuff...Geo

I use a possibles bag (actually an old thrift store brown nylon shoulder bag). I pre-measure shot and powder loads into small plastic sample vials before I take to the field. Along with shot/powder loads, percussion caps (loaded in a dedicated percussion nipple capping tool) and wads I carry several small tools such as a percussion nipple wrench and pick. I also have a threaded attachment on the butt end of my ram rod. With the threaded attachment I can mount a cork screw on my ram road for pulling wads (ie: unloading), as well as a bore brush, to occasionally field clean the barrel. Our ancestors knew what they were doing!

Steve

PS reloading�s still a PITA! A gunbearer to tote and reload would be nice.

Good job Steve!

You need to get one of these and get rid of the plastic pre measured loads. More field flexibility.

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/100/1/SHOT-DIPPER-D

Just a suggestion.

I know why Steve uses the premeasured loads .......speed of loading, and simplicity. I have a couple of the adjustable shot and powder dippers, but I can reload with little premeasured pill bottles while my buddies are getting ready with the dipper. I know it's not "period", but most of us make compromises when we shoot these old guns anyway. I competed with m/l guns for many years, but I never got into "buckskinning".

Steve, someone gave me a little 20 ga. shell carrier about 25 years ago that has a foam block with 20 ga. sized holes in it, in which you were to take individual shells and place them. It is camo, and has a soft top that folds over the shells and secures with velcro. I found it perfect for shooting doves with my Manton 16 ga. percussion double. My little "pill bottles" of powder and shot fit snugly into the holes, and it will hold more than enough to take a limit.

Wish I could get pictures to post on here again, I'd put one up showing it. Really is a neat trick. I also have a "dove field and range" hickory ramrod with an old brass doorknob for a handle that works well. The problem with "extra" ramrods is ....... what to do with them between loadings. I solved that by taking a length of 1/2" EMT conduit and flaring one end of it. The other end I flattened and ground into a point. The length of it is just a hair more than the length of the ramrod, so that when the ramrod is placed into it, the base of the brass knob rests on the funneled end. It is a simple thing to take it in hand and use the big knob to push the conduit into the ground beside you, when shooting doves, or loading in the same spot in the field. Doesn't work well for quail, where you're constantly on the move. I just use the under barrel one for that.

Enjoy that smoke-gun.

SRH