Shiloh Rifle Forums

I am new to the forum, but have been reading these post for over a year. I use to shoot muzzleloaders. Back in the seventies, then I got married.
So I finally started to shoot muzzleloaders again. I finished building one that I started 45 years ago. With the internet I found some of those guys were shooting really long distance, at least to me. I only ever shot at 200 yards with a muzzleloader. And that was iffy.

So back in the seventies I was given a original gun from say 1875. It was in a box, in pieces. So I did put it together and use it a few times. That was before I got married.

One day while I was shooting a muzzleloader I found a big bullet laying at the range. Still have it.

This gun I was given in a box has a rifle barrel on the left side, 12 gauge on the right. Turns out it is a 45-70. Let me say it has taken some time to figure out how to load cartridges and shoot this rifle. I only ever loaded colt 45 in a loading press before. I do know to load fire formed cases. Last fall I finally did get somewhat accurate with it out to 300 yards. Once I bought a Paul Jones mold did the accuracy improve.
I hope to stop at River Bend gun club in Georgia to watch some competition. And see what I can do there. That is this Friday.

We will be going back to Montana in a few weeks. Hopefully I can shoot at some of the different ranges up there this summer.


Vern

Looking forward to seeing you on Friday or Saturday, we are glad to have you.

It would be interesting to see photos of this weapon!

Vern,
Welcome aboard. I too started my target shooting with muzzle loaders and still love shooting them. Your "cape gun" sounds very interesting and it would be great to see some pictures of it. I have an original muzzle loading over/under 40 cal/12 ga made around 1835-1840 that is really fun to shoot.

Johnny,
Vern's "cape gun" is not a "weapon," it is a sporting firearm. The media has turned all firearms into "weapons." Weapons are what the military and police use. We, citizens, have rifles, pistols, and shotguns. Lets keep it straight.

George, “weapon” is a term I picked up in the Marine Corps, not from the media. Sorry for any confusion.

Would sure like to see some photos of Vern’s cape gun. I have one too. Mine’s a 9.3x72R/16 ga. Finely engraved (near 100%) CCH, and uses a lever under the forearm to open the action. Have never fired it although I do have brass.

I will try and post a picture tomorrow.
If I have time I need to load some more rounds for tomorrow. Although I do have maybe 40 or more loaded.

So this gun is made with parts that would be found along, say the Oregon Trail. So trying to get it to shoot accurately has been a challenge. There is only one part that was available to gunsmiths before the original manufacturing of this gun, that is used on this gun.. There is a name of the original gun manufacturer.
The sighting system was from parts assembled to work from things found. And not intended for the final sighting system.

To give you a idea of its sighting adjustment, 3 1/4 turns up on the adjustment and using 60 grains of black powder. Paul Jones style bullet, gets close to being on target at 300 yards.

I also need to learn how to post pictures of this forum

There is another project that I need to do today.

Vern

George Babits wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:44 pm ... "cape gun" is not a "weapon," it is a sporting firearm. The media has turned all firearms into "weapons." ...

[cough]BS[cough]


That is about the ONLY damn thing the media has EVER gotten right about firearms.

According to Webster:
"WEAPON:" an insttrument of any kind used for fighting; any means of attack or defense.

Thus "weapon" refers to use or intended use. Certainly a firearm used for target shooting can be used as a weapon, but it is not, of itself, a weapon. When I was in the Marines, I don't recall ever referring to my M-14 as anything but a "rifle." But that was long ago and far away.

Vern's cape gun certainly sounds vry interesting.

Semper Fi,

Ok George you win.

Vern: you can set up an account for free on a site called Imgur. Then you can post your photos to a Imgur and get a link. It will allow you to post high res photos on this forum and others. It’s really simple once you do it.

Well that apparently was a mistake.

If the moderator could delete that. I would appreciate it.

I tried to get that photo from another forum where I post pictures. And yes it did not work.

Can you edit a post on here. I do not know how to, or I would.

Vern

You can edit only for a very short time

I finally had the ability to visit a real shooting range, with regular black powder shooters there. I went Friday and had a very good time there and acquired quite a bit of knowledge on shooting.
I visited the River Bend Gun Club In Dawsonville Ga.

So after introducing myself, I picked a shooting bench and arranged my shooting equipment and my gun on the rear cleaning bench, that was behind the red line. So the match director and another shooter inspected my gun.There was some talking and discussion on said gun. They finally said I could shoot.

I could tell there was some thinking going on. About my gun and my ability to shoot at the targets.

I finally adjusted my sights to what I thought would be close at 200 meters. So one shooter said he would spot for me. After chambering a round I tried shooting at the (10”) target? I hit center. But about 2” high of the 10” black target. I then shot a second shot and it was to the upper right of the target. I tried another round or two, still upper right corner.
So after multiple attempts at making a easily replaceable rear sighting disc, and several other attempts to construct a rear eyepiece that could be found along the trail? I remembered that muzzleloaders use nipples on there guns. Well I think one could be found along the trail somewhere. Maybe several of them. So the rear eye piece is now a nipple. I think they normally have about at .028”to .031”diameter holes in them. I drilled about 5 of them out to different diameters up to .061”

So if you look into a small diameter hole as such, you can see what some call spider webs. I tried adjusting to bigger sizes. But time was running out for the day. I had driven 3 hours to get there. I have a idea how to eliminate the spider web in the small diameter holes in the nipple.

So I asked the match director if I could shoot at the rams, just to see what I could do. I have never shot over 300 yards before. There was a square metal target at the end of the rams to the right. At 500 meters. Now there was a turkey under that target I was shooting at. It was at 400 meters I believe.

So I aimed slow and careful. Squeezed that trigger. Spotter on the right said I hit the turkey that is under the target I was shooting at. Can I quit I said. He said go up 3 clicks.... I said what are clicks. I have turns. As in 1 turn equals 1/32 of a inch higher. He said to figure out how much to adjust. I think I shot maybe twice more but neither spotter could tell where I was hitting. In the grass somewhere.

I have looked at my sighting adjustment and need to calculate what elevation 1 turn will make at different distances. I did have really good time at that practice session, although I could not be there Saturday or Sunday.

There were some photos of my gun taken. Hopefully the will be posted or the forum so you can see what I am using.

One person suggested I buy a real rifle. But that would take some interesting thoughts away.

Vern

Trying to post a picture again.

Well I finally figured this out. I do have more photos to follow.

I was supposed to be in Montana by now. But I am still in South Carolina for a week or so. I do need to get back home so I can visit some different shooting ranges.

Now with this cutaway photo a person think about what I loaded cartridge looks like.

This is my gun.