Finally shot my 63
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 7:25 am
I got a new to me 1863 Farmingdale carbine serial #4xx. In 50 caliber. Love it and that was before shooting it! Could not get the gas plate off and had to use phosphoric or phosphorous acid to free it up with a huge amount of prying the plate off. Just guessing but it looks like it had never before been fired. The plate was clean underneath just was not fitted to the block very well. Basically had to tap it back into plate then a lot of prying to get it off again. Performed some very careful firing and it will press on fairly easily and have to be easily pried off now. I placed some bore butter under it so it would be ready for my range session.
After using the acid it took off the finish on the block, that will have to go back to the mother ship.
So I get her out to the range yesterday and using the Hornady 385 grain 50 caliber Great Plains bullet and 48 grains of FFFg Elephant black powder, started to try to make some holes in my 100 yard paper target.
Took a good 10 rounds to get the feel of the gun and how to hold the forearm up. At 100 yards it has potential. Me thinks it does shoot better than me. I am not a 100 yard shooter but it was fun!!!
I swabbed the bore a bit between shots and was not to hard to clean up at home at all. The gas plate even came right off easily and I did not experience any blow by at the range. I assume I would have noticed?
After using the acid it took off the finish on the block, that will have to go back to the mother ship.
So I get her out to the range yesterday and using the Hornady 385 grain 50 caliber Great Plains bullet and 48 grains of FFFg Elephant black powder, started to try to make some holes in my 100 yard paper target.
Took a good 10 rounds to get the feel of the gun and how to hold the forearm up. At 100 yards it has potential. Me thinks it does shoot better than me. I am not a 100 yard shooter but it was fun!!!
I swabbed the bore a bit between shots and was not to hard to clean up at home at all. The gas plate even came right off easily and I did not experience any blow by at the range. I assume I would have noticed?