Another muzzle loader... Nothing special about this one, but it was my main hunting rifle for an awfully long time. It's another kit I built as a teenager; actually the first kit I ever built. It's a .54 caliber Thompson / Center "Hawken". Standard hunting load is 120 grains of FFg with the 450 grain Lyman "Great Plains" bullet shown, for just over 1,500 fps. I've killed several dozen animals with this thing, and have never managed to find one that will actually stop one of these heavy bullets. It even achieves full lengthwise penetration on our Washington elk. My plinking load is 100 grains of FFG and a .530" round ball, patched with .015" pillow ticking and lubed with bore butter. I have a second barrel sighted for that load.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391309751.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391309775.jpg

This one of a kind JJ Luke was custom built for black powder competition. Note the side lever set trigger. It feels incredibly sweet resting in your hand.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391309959.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391310010.jpg

If I remember correctly, Dave offered me $150 for it a couple of years ago.

Is that a false muzzle on it?

good to know. i was concerned about hunting deer with my muzzleloader. i use a 270 gr/.50 cal bullet over 82 gr of FFG.

I've got the .50. Love that gun. Fun being at the range and having youngin's take a break from shooting their black rifles and come over and take a look. Last time I was at the rifle range with it, I was set up next to two guys in their 20s. The one guy had an AR with so much crap hanging off it, I wouldn't be surprised if it made espresso.

I set Hawken off with 110 grains of FFG and some flavor of Powerbelt. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see both guys jump. :D One of them said, 'holy schit!'.

mine is a .50 thompson/center firehawk. i really love that rifle. it is very light, well balanced, and wicked accurate. i have a peep sight on it. my wife got it for me for christmas 18 years ago.

Yes. Here is a closer look.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391312747.jpg
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391312829.jpg

Very handsome... I love these flint locks because there's a delay between pulling the trigger and the gun firing. It takes discipline to fire them accurately.

Front stuffers are kind of poorly understood in today's world of high velocity, small bore, light bullets. Their "paper ballistics" are not all that impressive. They kill in a different way, however - bullet mass and diameter. They penetrate like no one's business. Their pure lead projectiles simply do not break up, no matter what they hit.

The only exception, in my mind, is the round ball. I've hunted enough with them to have determined we should probably not hunt with them. Unless they are really big - like 12 bore and up. Even the .50's and .54's are very marginal with the round ball. I have never had one exit - even on a broadside shot. They are just too light for caliber and lose velocity like a badminton shuttlecock - use a conical bullet if you are going to hunt with a muzzle loader. They maintain velocity much better, and penetrate better as well.

Oh, and yes - if you really want to learn to shoot, pick up the flint lock. You will find no more demanding task master.

Some very interesting things here; thanks for posting, guys!

Somewhat rare Colt 1905. The first version of the 45 ACP. Original magazine and grips. Check the serial number.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391357367.jpg

that's a beautiful thing Henry!

I'm on the fence about having it restored. What are your thoughts?

it's pretty rare gun Henry. I would think tampering with it would kill any collectable value. But it's your gun, do as you wish.

The reason I ask you is because you know your TIHS backwards & forwards so I value your opinion.

You know me: I need quality but I like them young. So a 45 year old that looks 25 works for me (even if it took a face lift to get there) lol

I noticed a restored 1905 go for $ 5,000 at auction recently, so I'm thinking the restoration didn't change to value much if any?

rare is rare at any price and condition I guess. If it were mine, I would leave it. But I do know how you are LOL. You do have the right guy for the correct bluing process, so.....

Colt 1905
 

Very nice example of a rare Colt! There were only 6100 of these made. Serial numbers ran up to 6210 but some numbers were not used. The first one was shipped on December 1, 1905 and the last one (3 actually) on September 11, 1917. The guns from #1 thru about 3609 had the round hammers with the later guns having the spur type hammers. The earliest hammers had hand cut checkering while the later ones were stamped checkering. A few of these guns were cut for holster/stocks. All were finished in the high polish blue also known as the oil finish blue. All of the production 1905s had checkered walnut grips. For more info, find a copy of "The Colt Model 1905 Automatic Pistol" by John Potocki printed in 1998.

Like classic cars, they're only original once. Nice spoon.

Well I got the 3 Hawken style muzzle loaders that Doug Knoell made about 25 years ago and I shot the one with his Border Patrol name tag this morning at our monthly match. For a gun I had never shot I was really happy.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391381173.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391381193.jpg
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Not just NO! BUT FK NO!!!! Your an idiot if your restore that Pistola. The patina on that one is HISTORY.

5K for a restored one...OK but what was the cost of the resto????? then add in the price of the pistola....

Igf you want a cleaner one step up to the plate and buy one...I imagine it would cost you around 12K to find one that would meet your expectations...

GOD I can not believe this cr@p.

I agree with Tabs. It is only original once! Let it be what it is.

Xanax?

Leave it alone.

do NOT restore that thing
its worth more to people like me with its original finish
let it show its age. that thing has a lot of stories to tell.
Dont change a thing !

I wouldn't necessarily restore that nice old pistol either (unless it was completely non-functional and required restoration to be useful again).

I normally don't pass things like this around, but it appears timely (and maybe a good deal for Henry):

http://sigsauer.com/upFiles/CmsContent/documents/2014%201911-PROMO-V2.pdf

I don't want to start a debate regarding the merits/issues with the Sig 1911's either...

Wow!!!
 

Unbelievable guns to start a fantastic collection with! The fact that they were your father's makes them priceless!!

Here's the fun part: It's mine and I'll enjoy it the fashion I choose.
Your over the top rant might fly in PARF but I don't appreciate your bluster and will give it the value it deserves, zero.
The 1905 is just an old firearm (one of many I own) and much like Porsches, old firearms are enjoyed by a plethora of personalities not just the concourse gizmos.

BTW: I have an old Colt 1900 piston being restored by Barons as we speak, I bet that makes your *ss pucker.

slap slap slap...LOL!

for what its worth, i'd leave that pistol as is and shoot it. i'd clean it up really good and maybe put new grips on it (put the old ones away to keep them from getting damaged) and use it as it was intended.

but that's me.

d.

The only reason I'm on the fence about restoring the 1905 is that I only own one.
With the long slide Colt being restored now and with the 1902 I recently had restored, I have more than one and appreciate owning a fresh version. Shoot me for doing what I want with my own weapons...........

Before, after results are still out.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391481348.jpg
Before

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391481383.jpg
After

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391481404.jpg

Many of you might remember my tired old ELSIE that Dave brought back to life for me. Mistake...? Hardly, she's one of my favorites.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391481858.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391481979.jpg

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oh, certainly, do what you want... you asked, some gave an opinion. some were more forceful than others... :)

Again, Henry - I like your style. The collectors can kiss my big fat rosy pink hairy old ass. They have been the death knell of true enthusiasts of many a fine pursuit, be it old firearms, old Porsches, or what have you. As a man far wiser than I once said, "they know the price of everything but the value of nothing". They neither shoot their guns nor drive their Porsches, and likely understand the nuances of neither. Yet they will pontificate endlessly to those less knowledgeable than even themselves about the particular artifact at hand, never failing to mention how much they paid for it, or how much it is "worth". And everything of value that falls into their clutches suffers the same horrible death - to be locked away and never enjoyed how it was truly meant to be enjoyed ever again.

In actuality, I was having a conversation with a friend and like someone at a party, others just joined in on a conversation.

Thanks for your reasoned opinion. My problem is with buffoonery /bullying disguised as advise. Civility seems foreign to so many keyboard warriors.


Imagine if you will, how these cars would look if I chose to "just leave them alone"?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391483414.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391483442.jpg

Oh, and a gun picture, just because that's what this thread is really about.

Ruger Old Army - the finest cap and ball gun ever made. I load mine with 40 grains of FFFG, a wonder wad, and a .457" round ball, for over 1,200 fps from this gun. Ruger says it's safe to load with FFFFg (flintlock pan priming powder), but I've never tried it. As it is, it darn near matches modern .357 magnum ballistics, and it's actually one of the more accurate revolvers in the house - for the first few cylinders full, anyway. I use this as a sidearm during our muzzle loader seasons. It's killed a pretty good pile of grouse in it's day...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391483123.jpg

Jeff, I think I like yours better than mine. Maybe I'll nickel plate mine? LOL

As it is the purists must hate the brass trigger guard.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391483678.jpg

Are those the old Herter's grips?

LOL Chrome plate it!!! henry you are SO bad sometimes .... heh heh heh.

Damn thanks for refreshing my memory on the Elsie. She's a beauty.. so glad you let me ruin it.

Me Too Me too

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391484401.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391484414.jpg

somebody ruined this one too by converting it to .38 special..

I don't remember but the trigger guard and grips came as a package.
The stock grips were too small for my hands.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391484582.jpg

Seeing it's ruined, perhaps you'd like to sell it?

No No thank you. Like I said, the Elsie is one of my favorites and that's all you.