.50 Farmingdale '63 Carbine

[Todd Birch]

My as-'new' Farmingdale '63 carbine arrived yesterday and was immediately taken to the range. This is an early one and lacks the primer 'hump', which makes placing a musket cap very easy.

I fired it at 25 yds off hand and at 50 and 100 with an elbow rest against sand bags from the bench, three rounds at each distance. Respective groups were: 1-1/4", 2-1/2' and 6", a tad to the left in all cases. The rear sight has been moved accordingly since.
Next time I'll shoot at 150 and 200 yds as well.

I seated a lubed/sized bullet by hand and put in a paper charge holding 60 grs FFg. This is a perfect chamber fill.
I thought I was shooting 55 grs but I weighed a couple of charges when I got home and found out otherwise. Now I know why recoil was a little more than I expected, but quite manageable.

I fired 12 rounds in total and wiped between groups with a wet patch followed by a dry one. I also wiped the rear of the barrel. At the end, it was definitely getting tough to lower the breechblock and further shooting would have required it to be pulled and wiped.

This is Shiloh product #5 for me and a very welcome addition to the family.