Recent content by Hawkeye748

Barrel Blaster is the same thing as Blue Wonder Gun Cleaner, just under a different name. This is great stuff for cleaning guns. Removes rust, lead, copper, what ever. Used it in some "shot out", corroded Mauser barrels, restored them to very good accuracy, Not great but very good. Used...

Be very careful about any non-vented reproductions. There are several instances of barrels failing even when used for re-enacting. Most likely due to poor maintenance but still a failure. Be sure of one thing, if you alter a non-vented firearm, you will be responsible, no one else, for any...

Forklift, If you decide to get serious about BP, you live in the Deep South Region of the N-SSA. There are shoots monthly where competition is held with CW era arms. Might want to check us out. www.n-ssa.net

The reason is that oil tends to make BP residue "gummy" which makes it harder to clean off the gun. BP residue is soluble in water and will easily wash away in hot soapy water. There are other solutions used for cleaning BP that work well also. My personal favorite is the 3 equal parts...

Yes, there were Flintlock Rifles. The .54 Cal. US Model 1803 is likely the most famous as it was carried by Lewis and Clark on their Expedition to the Pacific after the LA. Purchase. The Model 1814, Model 1817, the breechloading Hall Model 1819 was also a rifle. There were also several...

The South made a sharps version and Captured many!

I cannot consider the Sharps an ancestor of the Winchester lever action repeaters. The Sharps and Winchester lever developed seperately. Winchester 94 is a direct descendent of the Hunt-Jennings, S & W lever action, the Volcanic and the Henry. Hunt developed his repeating designs a year...

If you are having to force them through to the extent you are damaging the skirts, something is wrong. I don't use that type anymore but used them for many years. If you are using anything other than a wooden dowel to push them through, there will likely be damage. Actually, Need more...

Ditto!!!!

There are rifles found today, from the CW, that are still loaded. I have had 2 come to me this way. Mistakes can happen.

There is a special cleaner for Pyrodex if you can find it. Essentially, it is base to neutralize the acid formed by pyrodex and moisture. You can also use a solution of Baking soda as a step in cleaning. Where in AL are you? Bass Pro carries real BP. Just have to ask for it.

Was getting pretty good for a while, but lack of practice is showing. Know others a lot better than me. With my smoothbore, I am classed as expert but only there. Not retired, just love to shoot. Shoot with N-SSA and shoot revolver, carbine, rifle musket, smoothbore, repeater and Single...

Sile was an importer in NYC that contracted for their name to be put on guns from Italy.

GOC, I owe you an apology. I missed your question earlier. I go through about 30-35 pounds a year. I have roughly 8-10 matches a year plus practice. Each match takes about 2 pounds. I also buy smaller quantities of other grades to for particular guns (I feed each gun what it seems...

I don't think the ban on BP is likely. More likely is a requirement of adding "Tagents" to the powder. As long as some fool does not make a bomb with BP that hurts a lot of people we should be okay. We may be small in number, but we do have friends that see what is coming if they don't help...