Jeff, I wouldn't take a pot shot at an animal. I'll be at the range tomorrow. I did some redneck engineering on the sights. We shall see.

100% reliable? It doesn't sound like there is a cap lock rifle on earth that is 100%. I would guess I had 10-15% failure to fire yesterday. In all instances, the second cap set it off. As long as Mr Deer sticks around an extra 15 seconds and listens to me curse and fumble for a new cap, I'll be fine.

Gun dad is using is a well sorted inline with a scope. Supposedly a tack driver at 100yrds. The last deer my dad shot was 20 ft away. The last one I shot was about 40ft. The hunting we do is up close.

I don't bookmark TC's or Lyman's or Traditions...I skim prices after auctions...especially looking at the things I do bookmark. I have absolutley no interest in those rifles.

This is what I am interested in.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290987643.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290987708.jpg


This is a 4 Barrel Rifle or Rifle/Shotgun combo...by LL Hepburn..of Remington Hepburn fame. Circa 1860.

Or Krider and Choate....

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290990018.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290990068.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290990108.jpg


Both of these are circa 1870 and were built by the best of the best...Last Krider sold earlier this year to Jason Devine of Amoskeag Auctions for $23K, and this one is better.

Actually, when I said "100% reliable" I was referring to accuracy, as in no flyers. Many loads that are approaching optimum will continue to throw a flyer well out of the group. This is obviously not acceptable from a hunting rifle.

Now that you mention it, though, 100% reliability of ignition is expected from the caplock. (I would not accept a 10%-15% failure to fire from the flintlock.) This is all a part of the learning process - there are techniques for achieving utter reliability with the caplock, and getting damn close to it with the flintlock. And I'm talking in the field, in the wind and rain, exposed to the elements. Not under the roof at Kenmore.

The source of your ignition issue is your choice of propellant. Pyrodex is much more difficult to ignite than real black powder. We can't even use it in the flintlock for that very reason. Pyrodex is also the reason for all of the modern 209 shotgun primer ignition systems. One thing you can do to help your situation a bit is to switch to musket caps. This will require a new nipple and, of course, musket caps. I bet Adventure Sports might have both.

Either that or you can switch to black powder. The antiquated ignition system of your Hawken was designed around it, and works quite well with it. If you choose this route, your dad will have to purchase some and have it waiting for you - you can't fly with black powder anymore. I'm not sure you can even buy it around here anymore, so if you want some to try, that could be a problem.

Tell you what - I want to see you get this thing sorted out, so, if you would like, I could meet you at Kenmore tomorrow. The gate doesn't open until noon (and I'll have a hard time getting out of work much sooner than that anyway), so if we are there when they open, that would give us all afternoon to get this thing sorted. I'll even bring a pound of black powder to try. How does that sound?

I'll be there. I'll PM you my phone number. Your not allowed to laugh at what I did to the sights. I can only stay until 2.

Just in case what you did turns out to be too "funny", I have a couple of sets of sights for these that I'll bring along.

You do realize they do not open until noon, right? I was thinking one afternoon with a brand new muzzle loader (and muzzle loader shooter) was being pretty darn optimistic. Two hours is just plain unrealistic. You really, really need to be able to free up some more time than that if there is to be any chance of success whatsoever. Send me your number and we'll talk...