My .54 gets a new sight and a tune up.....

Darkhorse

Handloader
Mar 14, 2014
800
149
I've finished and installed a peep on my .54 and made some changes based on the prototypes and the first one I made. I set the peep a little higher in order to have more bare front post when aiming. This gives me a better look at the target as the end of the barrel and sight base doesn't block so much of the target. I also increased the hole size a couple of number drill sizes. Instead of the front blade being .100 thick I made this one .090 and kept the sighting surface at an angle forward and left it straight with no radius.
It is more refined when shooting and doesn't blur.
I also tuned the locks on both rifles. Friction is the enemy of the flintlock as it slows down the operation of the lock. Both lockplates were bowed and so they were flattened and polished. I coated the plates with black majic marker and put them back together and worked the lock. Any marks made by the lock parts were highly polished out until no marks were made on the plate at all. Both frizzens had some wobble and were rubbing the barrel making them difficult to open. I fixed both of them. The .54 has a single trigger and the lock work actually decreased the pull weight by half. That's about as slick as I can make a lock work.
After next hunting season this stock will get a complete makeover. There is some bad architecture I want to fix, and add some incised lines. The metal really needs the browning redone but I've been carrying this rifle for 20 years and it's all honest patina. If I redo the finish now I'll never get the patina back so I'm still considering.
I think she's ready for hunting season.
 

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At 50 yards! That is some fine shooting! Oh, yeah, I'd say you're ready to hunt. Excellent, and a fine looking piece.
 
Dr. Mike, 30 or more years ago I would have scoffed at the mention of a group like that at 50 yards from a flintlock rifle. But now, after long association and finally learning my rifles and how to shoot them, I no longer doubt.
I am amazed though, it seems the rifles will shoot all shots into the same hole with the right loads.
The determining factor seems to be the shooter and how much effort the shooter wants to put into the rifle and himself.
 
Darkhorse":1r7ifzf3 said:
Dr. Mike, 30 or more years ago I would have scoffed at the mention of a group like that at 50 yards from a flintlock rifle. But now, after long association and finally learning my rifles and how to shoot them, I no longer doubt.
I am amazed though, it seems the rifles will shoot all shots into the same hole with the right loads.
The determining factor seems to be the shooter and how much effort the shooter wants to put into the rifle and himself.

Well said, and quite obviously accurate. Congratulations on mastering that flintlock. (y)
 
This is from a .50 Flinter made by Tom Watson in Georgia:

100yd by Sharps Man, on Flickr

The two high shots were first two fired when I was learning how much of the front sight NOT to hold at 100 yards.
 
Very fine riflery. Congratulations! Impressive, to say the least.
 
Wonderful. I still have Hawkins stuff to build. I hope to start next year. In 1977 I met the American Mountain Men in Kentucky. Most had 54 flints, some caps. I helped the wildlife people remove a jawbone for aging. They got some big deer. Got to watch them shoot offhand and they were marvelous. And a 54 round ball tears a very big hole.

Another memory, during that deer check we found one with a huge lump in the roof of his mouth, near the rear. It was all gristled over and grown over. It was an arrow point from a few years back. They used cedar arrows then. The buck raked the shaft off and recovered. That was 1977 at TVA Land Between the Lakes. They allowed farmers to farm some areas but leave a part for wildlife. Some huge deer to me. I am from Texas and those were way bigger than any Texas deer.
 
Amazing groups from that flintlock! Expert rifleman-ship.


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