ol Klatch

[Don McDowell]

My old flint gun "klatch" will be coming home . Many years ago I gave it to a dear friend. He kept it all these years and often when we spoke would say I still got ol Klatch and if you want him back I'll sure bring him to ya.
Well sadly that dear friend died a while back, accidently shot his self in the leg with his 45 got the femoral artery and bled to death before he could call 911, and his attempt to use his own belt as a torniquet failed.
Today his youngest daughter brought Klatch to Powderburner, for safe keeping and for the return to my guncabinet.
Welcome home Klatch fairwell old friend.
   
   

[bruce moulds]

don,
please tell us all about this rifle.
bruce moulds.

[Don McDowell]

Bruce it's a fullstock Hawken, built by Barney Lawrence in Ca, about 1977 or 8. Patterned after Mario Modena's rifle. 54 cal douglas xx barrel, L&R triggers, and I can't remember now if it was an L&R or Ron Long lock. Prefers english knapped flints, 55 grs of goex 2f with a pillowtic patched 535 ball for most shooting 110 grs when the distance gets long or something needs killin, and by long it will shoot with a trapdoor carbine to 450 yds.

[bruce moulds]

thanks don,
i know little of muzzle loaders compared to cartridge.
when you say 535 ball, i guess that is a 535 gn round ball.
it would speak with authority.
does fouling alter as the charge increases?
i used to hunt pigs with a 58 cal hawken replica (el cheapo) using a minie and 200 gn of 2f
in those days we had a choice of dupont or curtiss & harvey here in oz.
the thing kicked like a mule. in retrospect, a lighter charge would have been better.
50% beeswax/50% tallow gave me 6 to 8 shots before a clean.
keep safe,
bruce moulds.

[Don McDowell]

Like Bob said 535 is the diameter of the ball, as I recall they weighed about 220 grs. The fouling wasn't bad, of course humidity plays a part with that just like in the cartridge guns, sometimes a quick spit patch between shots was a helpful thing.

[bobw]

535 would .535" in dia for a 54 and thin patch about 230-240 grains in weight... bobw

[bruce moulds]

thanks guys,
bruce.