Fat doe and a flint rifle
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Fat doe and a flint rifle
Here's a photo of a nice doe I shot this past Friday afternoon during the MN general firearms deer season. I'd watched her feed all summer on my alfalfa, clover and corn and never saw any fawns with her so I guess that could be why she was in such good shape.
I was about to call it a day late Friday when I spotted movement along the edge of a willow swamp just a couple hundred yards from my stand. My stand is on the fenceline overlooking a small cornfield and she was in a hurry to get to the stubble to pick up some scattered shelled corn. She stopped just before she was in the corn stubble at about 45-50 yards and I was ready. When the smoke cleared she was down and it was getting dark so I was glad for the one shot kill.
The rifle is one I built last winter using a .52 caliber swamped barrel from Charles Burton. The lock is a Davis Colonial American flint, single set trigger from Muzzle Loader Builder's Supply and a curly maple blank from Wayne Dunlap.
The load was 70 gr. KIK 2fg, a 204 gr. .513" round ball, .015" ticking patch.
Ted K.
I was about to call it a day late Friday when I spotted movement along the edge of a willow swamp just a couple hundred yards from my stand. My stand is on the fenceline overlooking a small cornfield and she was in a hurry to get to the stubble to pick up some scattered shelled corn. She stopped just before she was in the corn stubble at about 45-50 yards and I was ready. When the smoke cleared she was down and it was getting dark so I was glad for the one shot kill.
The rifle is one I built last winter using a .52 caliber swamped barrel from Charles Burton. The lock is a Davis Colonial American flint, single set trigger from Muzzle Loader Builder's Supply and a curly maple blank from Wayne Dunlap.
The load was 70 gr. KIK 2fg, a 204 gr. .513" round ball, .015" ticking patch.
Ted K.
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Re: Fat doe and a flint rifle
Congratulations on the very nice deer! Lots of premium quality venison there. I really like the rifle you made, and you did an excellent job on it. A couple of questions if you don't mind; what is the barrel length and weight? Is it a full length stock? Enjoy!
Regards
IR
Regards
IR
"So many liberals, and so little time to teach them how to balance a checkbook." (Unknown)
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Re: Fat doe and a flint rifle
Beautiful gun! Thanks for posting the story, I admire what you have done and understand the joy and pleasure that you got from your experience. Congratulations!
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Re: Fat doe and a flint rifle
That is a beautiful rifle. Congrats on the successful hunt.
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Re: Fat doe and a flint rifle
Hi Ted.
That's quite an accomplishment to first build the rifle and then use in the field. Congratulations.
Ron
That's quite an accomplishment to first build the rifle and then use in the field. Congratulations.
Ron
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Re: Fat doe and a flint rifle
Ted that's a great looking scratch built gun. I don't think I've ever seen a modern .52 caliber barrel also. Do you have more picutures posted elsewhere?
Great job on both deer and gun!
Great job on both deer and gun!
I had gotten possession of a big "50" gun early in the fight, and was making considerable noise with it.
~Billy Dixon~
Adobe Walls 1874
~Billy Dixon~
Adobe Walls 1874
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Re: Fat doe and a flint rifle
Thanks for the kind words everyone. I enjoy building a couple rifles each winter, the only time of year I seem to have some spare time.
I don't have any other pictures of the rifle yet, but it is a fullstock. The barrel is 38.5" long. I had Mr. Burton profile it at 1.0625" across the flats at the breech, down to .900". then back to .9375" at the muzzle. He's located in Morehead, KY and makes custom barrels in the common bore sizes and a few uncommon ones. I like odd stuff so had him make this one in .52. The rifle is fairly heavy, I'd guess around 8.5-9 lbs but balances well.
My wife and I cut the doe up this afternoon and there was near an inch thick layer of fat on the back and ribs.
Thanks again,
Ted
I don't have any other pictures of the rifle yet, but it is a fullstock. The barrel is 38.5" long. I had Mr. Burton profile it at 1.0625" across the flats at the breech, down to .900". then back to .9375" at the muzzle. He's located in Morehead, KY and makes custom barrels in the common bore sizes and a few uncommon ones. I like odd stuff so had him make this one in .52. The rifle is fairly heavy, I'd guess around 8.5-9 lbs but balances well.
My wife and I cut the doe up this afternoon and there was near an inch thick layer of fat on the back and ribs.
Thanks again,
Ted
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Re: Fat doe and a flint rifle
Guys,
I got to hold that rifle this summer and look it over and I can tell you that Ted did a splendid job of building it and it's great to see him make meat with it. Again great job Ted.
Ron
I got to hold that rifle this summer and look it over and I can tell you that Ted did a splendid job of building it and it's great to see him make meat with it. Again great job Ted.
Ron
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Re: Fat doe and a flint rifle
Congratulations Ted! The reward must be high getting meat with a rifle you built yourself. I build my own fly rods and tie my own flies, but it would sure be fun to do it like you did with a flint rifle.
Gorgeous rifle by the way!
Mike
Gorgeous rifle by the way!
Mike
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Re: Fat doe and a flint rifle
Nice trophy.
I've been itching to build a flintlock. That must be rewarding as heck to take one with your own rifle you built.
Good job,
DR.
I've been itching to build a flintlock. That must be rewarding as heck to take one with your own rifle you built.
Good job,
DR.
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Re: Fat doe and a flint rifle
Well, I'd think it'd be pretty neat to be able build a fly rod, tie the fly and go catch a nice trout with it too. That's something I've never tried.
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Re: Fat doe and a flint rifle
Nice rifle and a good job using it. I've built a few muzzle loaders and have killed deer with each one I've kept. My first rifle was a Hawken that I built in about 1974. I got a deer with it the first fall I hunted with it. Then I built several flinters. My .58 caliber Allentown style has done the most duty. I haven't hunted with it for several years. They have the muzzle loader season so screwed up here with allowing almost anything to be used I just don't like being out there with anymore with all those folks.
"Perfection consists not so much in doing extraordinary things as in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well"
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Re: Fat doe and a flint rifle
Nice rifle and nice deer. Congratulations.