Shoot...file...tap...shoot.....file...tap...and tap a bit more!

[Rick Mulhern]

It took a bit but I think I've about got this Hawken I've recently acquired close to where I want it! At 70 yards, as the holes in target show it was low and right. I had to file the front sight down about 4 different times a total of .150" holding a 6 o/clock hold on the 2" piece of tape to get it where I wanted it and had to move the rear sight 3 times to get to center! The upper two holes adjacent the tape were two of the last 3 I fired which took a little more tapping. Last shot I fired is in the tape. When I made that shot some company drove up and I had to quit for the day. Tomorrow I'll do a confirmation shoot! Load is 100 grs. KIK 2F with Hornady .530" roundball, CCI cap, .025" pillow ticking with virgin olive oil for patch lube.

Untitled by Rick Mulhern, on Flickr

[Don McDowell]

Have fun with it Rick.

[Kurt]

Rick,

Looks like it's getting close for sure.
You might work with different thickness of patch materials and lubes. It makes a lot of difference. especially for the flat bottom grooved barrels. I find the round bottom grooved barrels are a little more forgiving what you use for patch thickness. I been reading some are using Teflon coated patches at friendship and setting records using them. A friend send me some precut Teflon coated patches to try that look like Twill fabric with a green Teflon coating on it and a bottle of liquid to use to moisten the patch with. It's a little to thick for my rifles and I need to palm the ball starter pretty hard to get it started but the accuracy is good.
I have 100% .013" Twill and Trill fabric I like better then pillow ticking. The Twill is a little softer but very tough that holds up good from getting blown patches.
I like using straight Vaseline on my patches I use in my reproduction flint that J. Henry was building for trade with the American Fur Company around 1831. This .54 has a Rice round bottom grooved 44" barrel that likes the .013" thick Twill patch with the Vaseline lube. I cut 2" wide strips and take a putty knife and spread the Vaseline on thin on one side and scrape most off with the knife then roll it up for loading. This lets me shoot a 25 or 30 round match with out having to clean the barrel. Accuracy is great.
My sights are set for dead on at 50 yards using a 65 gr load and it's on at 100 using 90 grains.
Hunting load I use 110 in the .58 Hawken.
I hope you keep liking the front stuffer. I get a lot of enjoyment shooting mine. Just don't expect .308 performance out of it past 100 yards

Kurt

[Rick Mulhern]

Rick,

Looks like it's getting close for sure.
You might work with different thickness of patch materials and lubes. It makes a lot of difference. especially for the flat bottom grooved barrels. I find the round bottom grooved barrels are a little more forgiving what you use for patch thickness. I been reading some are using Teflon coated patches at friendship and setting records using them. A friend send me some precut Teflon coated patches to try that look like Twill fabric with a green Teflon coating on it and a bottle of liquid to use to moisten the patch with. It's a little to thick for my rifles and I need to palm the ball starter pretty hard to get it started but the accuracy is good.
I have 100% .013" Twill and Trill fabric I like better then pillow ticking. The Twill is a little softer but very tough that holds up good from getting blown patches.
I like using straight Vaseline on my patches I use in my reproduction flint that J. Henry was building for trade with the American Fur Company around 1831. This .54 has a Rice round bottom grooved 44" barrel that likes the .013" thick Twill patch with the Vaseline lube. I cut 2" wide strips and take a putty knife and spread the Vaseline on thin on one side and scrape most off with the knife then roll it up for loading. This lets me shoot a 25 or 30 round match with out having to clean the barrel. Accuracy is great.
My sights are set for dead on at 50 yards using a 65 gr load and it's on at 100 using 90 grains.
Hunting load I use 110 in the .58 Hawken.
I hope you keep liking the front stuffer. I get a lot of enjoyment shooting mine. Just don't expect .308 performance out of it past 100 yards

Kurt

Kurt & Rdnck

Give me some feedback on what you see below please:

Recovered Patches by Rick Mulhern, on Flickr

[Don McDowell]

Top patch looks alright, but the other two suggest to me that what ever you're doing for lube isn't getting the job done. You might also want to seat the ball just a tad deeper before using a really sharp knife to cut the patch material.

[Rick Mulhern]

Top patch looks alright, but the other two suggest to me that what ever you're doing for lube isn't getting the job done. You might also want to seat the ball just a tad deeper before using a really sharp knife to cut the patch material.

I may not have let the lube soak in enough! Maybe I'll give your vaseline a tryout! I thought the outside edges of the patch look over frayed a bit myself! I'd be interested in hearing/reading more on the Teflon patch material maybe. We've heard the Pro.....wonder if there's any Con??

[Kurt]

The patch looks good to me. A little dry and a little frayed but I see that with mine too if I'm a little short on lube.

[Don McDowell]

Rick, I don't know if they still sell it or not, but I always liked the Blue and Gray lube, came in a tube , worked like a champ, next best thing was TC bore butter, or an outfit called 10-x sold some liquid lube that worked really well.

[Kurt]

Here are the teflon patches and the liquid. It only takes a drop to moisten the green. Green goes down and the patch is 1-1/8" square. Just center the ball and push it home.
By the way that ball was run through the tumbler with water to get rid of the sprue cut. They look like a swaged ball.



Here is what the patches look like fired. They hold up really good.
Before you ask if I shot that 5 shot offhand no not in the wind that day. I used the sticks.

[Rick Mulhern]

Thanks guys!

Rdnck agrees that a couple of the patches broke down on the outer edges and that the ball needs to be seated a tat deeper possibly before cutting! I'll find out when I shoot again!