Range Time, again...(finally)

[Adam Helmer]

It has been a long and cold Winter here in the northcentral part of PA. Last Winter it hit -21 degrees and it is snowing today. Yesterday, it hit 55 degrees and was sunny. Old Golden and I took 4 muzzleloaders to the backyard bench and burned much powder. Webley lies nearby at the pear tree and observes my sessions at the bench. It was a nice Spring shirt sleeves sort of day.

I shot a .45 Hawken flinter and ball, a .50 Hawken caplock and ball, a .54 flinter Hawken and ball and the parade gun, the M1853, 3-band .577 Enfield and maxis. It was nice to make smoke and noise and relax at the bench. Later we cleaned the iron while sitting on the front porch.

I relearned a few things: I like flintlocks a lot. I like shooting patched ball and my sight settings from last Fall were still zeroed. Finally, the little woman remarked about the "rotten-egg" smell eminating from my clothing after a long range and cleanup session. Wotever.

Adam

[Rustywreck]

Your spring is far more advanced than ours. Everything is still snow covered here.
A day at the range sounds like fun though.

[kt]

and just when you think it is time, we have another 6 inches in east stroudsburg!
any how. last weekend when it was a little nicer i thought about taking the flinter to the 50yd range and realized i have next to nothing in the way of goex about 15 lubed patches and zero, absolutely zero round balls.... as it turns out i need to go shopping before shooting.
kt

[Adam Helmer]

kt,

We got 7 inches of snow last night here in Mansfield, but it is 40 degrees and the stuff is melting. Next month I will set up my Coleman Stove and cast up needed balls and conicles. On Monday, when it was 55 degrees, I shot off all the odd items left in the old musket shooting bag from last Fall.

Do you have problems finding Black Powder down your way? I have only one source in this entire county nowdays. The Mansfield gun shop carries Pyrodex, but the town regulations, insurance regs and fire code prohibit the sale of BP. At the next re-enactment "battle" I will restock on 2F and 3F Goex from a suttler.

Yep, it is time to assess inventory of powder and projectiles for the range sessions in Spring and Summer.

Adam

[kt]

no its not too bad actually. i can get it through army navy store in whitehall. cabelas carries it and my favorite place is in a hole called Portland on route 611 along the delaware , called the longhunters mercantile. he builds ml's of all type, i asked him about a .32 flinter a year back, all pedersoli hardware ups of 1500 bucks if i remember:eek:
so now once again i am waiting to shoot. cant now had wisdom teeth yanked
kt

[quigleysharps4570]

Sounds like you had a good day. Haven't had the ole muzzleloader out lately, been playing with Graf blackpowder in my cartridges though. BTW...you all can keep that snow where it's at...THERE. :D :D :D

[Adam Helmer]

quigley,

Who makes Graf BP? I can get Goex and occasionally Elephant, but never saw any Graf in the shops. Is Graf BP made in the USA?

Adam

[quigleysharps4570]

It's manufactured by Wano Schwarzpulver...Kunigunde, Germany. I took to ordering my blackpowder from Graf & Sons after my other place quit selling blackpowder. They have a 4lb. minimum order on powder. www.grafs.com is their site. Here's a pic of their can.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v381/quigleysharps4570/g3f.jpg

[Adam Helmer]

quigley,

Thanks for the information and the link. It is good to know of another source of BP.

Adam