Ruger Forum

Whiskey 6 · July 25th, 2011, 06:51 AM

I know its not a Ruger, but it is my favorite rifle.
A good friend of mine made this rifle. I've had it for about 12 years now.
The wood for the stock came from a local walnut tree that was hit by lightning.
A charge of 80 grains of 2F, a .15 patch and a .530 round ball does the trick nicely.
Andy

Bassleg · July 25th, 2011, 07:01 AM

That's a nice smoke pole you got.

rich e · July 25th, 2011, 07:07 AM

Your friend certainly did a wonderful job, that is a beautiful muzzleloader.

Whiskey 6 · July 25th, 2011, 07:12 AM

Thanks y'all. It is nice to have a rifle you can count on to get the job done. I hope everyone has a rifle that" always works" in their collection, be it a humble .22 single shot or a full blown custom job...
Andy

1billy43 · July 25th, 2011, 07:13 AM

I want It PLEASE

Whiskey 6 · July 25th, 2011, 09:03 AM

Well, Billy if you are ever out this way, I'll let you shoot it...
Andy

freebirdfb · July 25th, 2011, 10:34 AM

That is "BEAUTIFUL!" A few years ago I asked for something like that for christmas. I recieved a very modern bp rifle topped with a Nikon Prostaff. I haven't shot it yet, but it seems to be rather nice. I'ld rather have a more traditional rifle than something that looks like a single shot center fire. BY the way, my step brother recieved the same rifle and it fired 3/4" group at 75 yards.

cyrille · July 25th, 2011, 10:35 AM

I like your frontstuffer! I have two one is a Conneticutte Vally arms "Hawken caplock in 54 calibre made way before they went "modern" and started building --- I think they call then "inliners"? and a Dixie Gun Works flintlock "Po Boy" Tennessee Rifle in 50 calibre.

Whiskey 6 · July 25th, 2011, 10:41 AM

freebirdfb, thanks, Lots of choices for a more traditional rifle T/C, Lyman Great Plains come to mind. If you can check out Track Of the Wolf. They have lots of Kits and used guns.
cyrille, thanks, those Dixie Gun Works Tennessee rifles are very nice. I wish they still made them.
Andy

firescout · July 31st, 2011, 10:08 PM

I bought a Lyman Trade Rifle in .54 cal well over a year ago. For the price, it is a nice shooting gun, even if it isn't quite as nice as the Great Plains. The local gunshop owner got me started with .015 patches and .530 round balls. I started off with Pyrodex RS (only thing avail at the time), but moved to using Goex 2F and Triple Seven 2F. Backing off the charges from 90+ grs to 70-80 grs significantly improved the accuracy. The .015 patches were dead-on, with no cut or burnt patches. The round balls seem to do quite well with the compromise 1:48 twist. I was considering playing with some maxi ball loads, but the rounds have been shooting so well for me.

I'm looking forward to taking this smokepole out hunting sometime.

Whiskey 6 · August 1st, 2011, 07:00 PM

firescout, The Lyman Trade Rifle is a good no nonsense rifle.I have found through trial and error that a "light" charge of 70 - 80 + or - works real well out of my rifle as well.
Hunting with a Muzzleloader is a great experience. I find it much more satisfying than using any thing else, except maybe my long bow...
Andy

DunRanull · August 2nd, 2011, 03:27 AM

I have had 2 .54 Hawken-types.. a T-C flinter I found in a pawnshop. The other was a Traditions caplock gotten off a guy who thought he wanted it and didnt. Both are "alright" but too many modern aspects.. the sights mainly. What I wanted and never got was a more "original" like the Lymans Plains rifle bored out to .72 cal.

lafflin rand · August 2nd, 2011, 09:03 AM

I occasionally hunt with an English manufacture repro 1853 enfield. It was purchased in 1978 when the enfield replicas were actual english production. Now they are Italian. I hunt with 100 grains of goex 3 f powder and have had full front to back penetation of a 300 lb boar. Slow bullets and big mass kill efficiently. Oh yeaH THATS WHY THE 45 ACP AND 45 COLT WORK SO WELL.