Flintlock Mountain Rifle Facelift

[@waltdelbo6445]

Mr P is a craftsman and a perfectionist! He is legit. Thx boss for a great film.

[@waltdelbo6445]

I bet O’l Haggy would love to try one with a 120 grain load 😂

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@waltdelbo6445 does know about that.,Hagy might be a wussy!!

[@jeffe4478]

Very few people can master hand filing, rifle looks great. Thanks for the videos and stay safe.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

It turned out pretty good in spite of all I did.

[@TeresaBernierBernier]

I have the same gun in percussion. Browned barrel cherry stock. Barrel is made in Japan by the same company that now make Browning shotguns. One of the most accurate guns I own. Warms my heart to see how long and we’ll used yours is.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

You are correct about who made them. Good rifles for factory made. I liked everything about mine except that brown color it had. And those blasted waves all over it. But those issues are now history. I have no idea how many shots have been fired through it.

[@rorymartin329]

Geez, that rifle has a kick to it! You're a better man then me for shooting it. Carful you don't set your beard on fire! LOL! Great video.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

I reckon I need to wet my beard down a mite!!! Thank you for the advise.

[@TheModernDayMountainMan]

Well done. There nothing like bringing new life to an old front stuffer.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

You are right about that. Love the flintlock.

[@TheModernDayMountainMan]

@@dennispritchardoutdoors7882 indeed. I’ve always shot cap rifles and pistols but I’ve got the flintlock itch.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@TheModernDayMountainMan scratch that itch!

[@TheModernDayMountainMan]

@@dennispritchardoutdoors7882 I’m planning to!

[@wisconsinhunterwhitetail5040]

Hi Dennis. I wanted to take a minute and let you know i really appreciate and enjoy your videos! Always excited to see a new deer hunting or load testing video, hell i like them all!! Was wondering if you plan on anymore spring turkey hunting videos? Thanks for all your work doing the videos! Ron

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

Thank you for watching and for commenting. My videoing has been slowed down due to my wife having an accident and breaking a hip!!!

[@wisconsinhunterwhitetail5040]

@@dennispritchardoutdoors7882 very sorry to hear, wishing her a speedy recovery 🙏!

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@wisconsinhunterwhitetail5040 thank you.

[@stevenhorden1113]

Dennis Very nice looking rifle and barrel looks great.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

Thank you Sir

[@dronestrikeaudits3369]

The barrel really looks outstanding. Great kick with the 100 grain.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

Thank you. And ,yep, it does kick with 100 grains of Swiss.

[@randyhensley150]

Love how the barrel came out.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

Thank you. Sort of like it myself.

[@JohnJones-nk7yq]

That looked like a pack of lucky strikes in front pocket.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

Nope. Actually an old cigar box. Very handy for a lot of things. But back when I did smoke I never cared much for Lucky Strikes. I liked Marlboros ok. But my favorite smoke was always cigars. I have a small collection of cigar boxes and a few wooden humidors.

[@davefellhoelter1343]

shhhh

[@davefellhoelter1343]

@@dennispritchardoutdoors7882 thanks! as a reformed? same.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@davefellhoelter1343 I have a couple if high end cigars that I have had for months. One day I will light one of them up.

[@joemolf3894]

Ah Dennis you’re always playing except for maybe when you’re harvesting your walnuts now that was a lot of work! Nice job on the Poor Boy!

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

I put off doing it long enough!

[@skratch-do9nd]

Good video Dennis! Been there, done that,,,,,

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

Thank you.

[@tinman8622]

like how that smoke rolls out at 18.54....ka boom!

[@allenjones4949]

Great video. Very instructive. Thanks

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

Sort of fun!!

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@allenjones4949thank you!

[@charleswatson7154]

Looks good!

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

Thank you.

[@TODinWY]

Hi Dennis. The hammer on mine cracked. Any thoughts on where I might find another? No go with Dixie.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

L&R makes a Flintlock for this rifle but I don’t know about a cap lock. Track of the Wolf has them. Might even have the hammer. I have the original cap lock that came with my rifle that I may not ever need.

[@TODinWY]

@@dennispritchardoutdoors7882 Mine's a flinter. Don't want to pay 2 bills for the L&R, although it would be a big step up. Thanks.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@TODinWYthe L&R’s are not cheap that is for sure. I have never owned one of them. My factory lock has always been very fast and totally reliable. I hope you can find the part that you need.

[@loupuleff571]

Dennis, call Bobby Hoyt tomorrow and tell him what's going on he will check the barrel and the flash hole and install a liner for you I bet your rifle will shoot the way it used to when he's done with it.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

Anything is possible I reckon, but I don’t think the problem is the rifle itself. The last shots fired from the can of old Goex were very accurate. Then the first ones out of a new can went hell. None of my rifles shoot the new stuff like they did the old. I have found a very accurate load with Swiss so I don’t think the rifle has a problem. Thank you for the info though. Dennis

[@loupuleff571]

I was shooting a state match one time and my yaeger rifle started throwing the shots all over the place and this rifle is always a tack driver I could often run the steel in the matches it turned out the nipple was shot out and after I replaced it it started shooting just the way it used to I believe flash holes can have the same effect on accuracy along with the lands and grooves being worn down from shooting those powerfull loads all those years. Well anyway's I hope you figure it out I won't say anything further on the subject.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

I have found an accurate load using Swiss powder so I don’t think there is a problem with the rifle itself. Thank you for the info. Much appreciated.

[@453421abcdefg12345]

Your velocity at 80 Grn of Swiss is probably the same as 120Grn of Goex, can you check the velocity you are getting? If you rub chalk on your file when drawfiling the file will not get pinned and leave scores in your surface finish. Stay safe! Chris B.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

I will run my loads over the chronograph one day. As much draw filing as i have done it never dawned on me to use the chalk trick. Thank you for sharing.

[@TODinWY]

Actually closer to 100 grains of GOEX. Same gun. Oehler 33.

[@453421abcdefg12345]

@@TODinWY That is an interesting comparison, many thanks for that. Chris B.

[@randallross7683]

I spray paint the stock black and carded it off with steel wool I didn't like the redish color it made it a darker brown color

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

I like your profile picture!!! Was the stock you are referring to made of Cherry? I, personally, like the red of cherry stocks. But cherry varies greatly from one piece to another. Thank you for watching and for commenting. Dennis

[@davefellhoelter1343]

This man made his chioce! 50 years! BAMM! he will see this to it's end! Go!

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

It seems that most of my guns are getting long in the tooth!!!

[@davefellhoelter1343]

@@dennispritchardoutdoors7882 or loved and used a long time?

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@davefellhoelter1343 as Charlton Heston said in the movie “The Mountain Men”, when told he was getting to old fir the mountains, “Could be Henry, could be.”

[@davefellhoelter1343]

@@dennispritchardoutdoors7882 Charlton also said "IT"S PEOPLE!"

[@loupuleff571]

I would have sent it in to Bobby Hoyt in Pennsylvania to do a barrel refresh on the lands and grooves before finishing but I guess you can still do that later that is what a old timer gunsmith mentioned to me when you were having your accuracy issues he said you'd be surprised how linen can wear the inside of the barrel after all those years of shooting.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

I have found an accurate load using Swiss powder, so I don’t think there is a printer with the rifle. Thank you for the info.

[@joemolf3894]

Back when you had your 40 year old goex did you ever chronograph your most accurate round? IMO once you find your perfect load chronograph it so you know where you have to be when you change powder again. The felt recoil has to be very big especially using 3f. You would get reduced recoil using 2F which is more appropriate for a 50 cal that’s not too say people like you swear by 3F. It looked like you were shooting a 30-06 with that 110 grain load. You need to chrono your shots imo. The science is out there for the use of 2f over 3f in 50 cals. With 2f you will get significantly less felt recoil. Something is obviously different and it is the powder you can’t compare goex old or new to Swiss. Chrono your steady state group and always strive for that same velocity when trying a different powder. I think with swiss 3f you’re going to find your accuracy round around 65 to 70 and 70 to 80 using 2f. I think there’s like 700 grains of powder in a pound dropping that much each shot the powder companies are going to love you! Bench shooters strive for the same velocity shot to shot and sometimes you have to tweak it when the lots of powder are different. Just my opinion. Borough a chrono from a friend just to see.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

First of all thank you for your comments. Much appreciated. However I have been a bench rest shooter for over half a century. The gun club that I was President of for many years hosted bench rest shoots that had shooters from all over the World would attend. My club holds more World accuracy records than any other range. I am quite familiar with virtually any technology that lends itself to accuracy. I own and have chronographed thousands of shots. As a rule the load that has the smallest extreme spread is your most accurate. But not always. And once you establish your most accurate load of course you will chronograph it to determine your average velocity. I personally have concocted many loads that give the same average velocity , but not once have those loads ever given me the accuracy that my pet load delivered. So when shooting any modern type firearms I have, and will, avail myself of any tool or techniques known to man. But I draw the line at primitive weapons, be they bow or firearms. I am a traditionalist and to me primitive means primitive. I shoot longbows , not compounds. And I shoot flintlocks not inlines. I have never chronographed a single ball from a flinter. Somehow it just didn’t seem right. And it is a welcome change from the high tech world. A simplistic way of doing things. Not for everyone but it suits me. I am 80 years old and have been exposed to muzzleloaders virtually my whole life. And like everything else in life, muzzleloader opinions have changed greatly over the years. Until fairly recent times 3F was THE powder for everything up to and including .50 caliber. The usefulness of 2F began at . 50 caliber. The .50 being the cross roads if you will. So it was up to the individual to try both in their rifles to see what suited them. I surely did. Except for one .32 all of my muzzleloaders are .50 caliber. And in every one of them 3F has always out performed 2F. I have also learned to not accept anything at face value. Conventional wisdom may say this or that but I have learned to make my own decisions based on my own testing. Science is nothing but conclusions based on experiments and observations. And nothing changes it’s mind more often than science . Wether it be the microscope or the telescope hardly a day goes by that you don’t see some new discoveries that forces science to abandon one train of thought in favor of another. Always remember that science once said the world was flat. And the findings in DNA have proven that Darwin was full of shit. And hardly a scientist today believes that the Colorado River cut the Grand Canyon. So I test dang near everything and draw my own conclusions especially when it comes to traditional arms. And many of my findings do not line up with conventional wisdom. And when it comes to accuracy I have found that paper doesn’t lie. I try every ball-patch-lube combo I can come up with and read the story that my target reveals. And as far as recoil is concerned I have never been bothered by it so it is not a concern. My experimenting with Swiss powder so far has shown your opinion that somewhere around 70 grains would be my most accurate load are totally correct. To date 70 grains is my best. Thank you once again fir youe thoughtful comments. Dennis

[@joemolf3894]

@@dennispritchardoutdoors7882 I think you missed my point! Let’s use 80 grains of 3F Goex; if you’re poor boy got the best groups with 80 grains of 3F Goex that tells me those shots were all averaging a similar fps. True or false? So if you knew what that average fps was of your old goex when you tried the new goex and then Swiss and your shots were all over the place using the same 80 grains obviously something was different. What else could it be than the fps? Old goex shot at 1200 fps new goex shot at 900 fps and swiss at 1400 fps. I would expect point of impact to vary from one to the other. Why because the velocity is different between each. So yeah you had a good load until you ran out of powder. The new powder doesn’t have the same performance as the old good or bad no way to tell. So I watched your video and I felt you were getting frustrated understandably. But as it turns out the new powder is not the same performance as the old. I’m saying if you knew what the fps was with the old if you tested the fps and brought it up or down to the old powder fps your group would be similar. I have vials of powder starting at 65 grains up to 90 in 5 grains increments for when I sight in a new gun. When I find a good load i beg my son to setup the chrono. I’m curious as to how fast the ball is going that gave me a good group. I would expect the same group no matter what powder im using as long as the fps is approximately the same. Otherwise what point is it to measure your loads. I felt bad you had a powder problem it was frustrating to watch and hear you comment in disbelief. I would really like to know between those three powders what the average velocity was for a given amount and given ball. I’ll bet they varied widely. Water under the bridge at this point. You did everything right reworking your loads but something is missing what else could it be if not the powder. Did you shot the wood runner with 60 to 80 grains of powder. It will be interesting to see what mine likes hopefully next weekend.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@joemolf3894 OK, I don’t think I missed your well thought out point at all. But perhaps I have not made myself clear. But since I have never chronographed my old loads we will never know their velocity. But whatever it was the extreme spread was most likely very small. I would actually bet on that. You asked what else could it be but velocity. It could be literally a whole host of things. Repeatable velocity is only a small part of accurate shooting. The list of things that have to be right in order to obtain an accurate load is incredible. As a long time accuracy nut I was aware of a myriad of things that will make or break your shot groups.Then I came upon a Pod cast from Hornady on achieving an accurate load. It was both amazing and mind boggling. If you have not seen it I think you will find it most interesting. Consistent velocity across the chronograph is only one small part of the puzzle. And the fact that a reasonably consistent velocity was ever achieved in the first place is a major miracle. And why is it that you can have several loads that have the same velocity but widely differing accuracy? It was a three hour podcast featuring engineers and ballisticians from around the industry. There is no way I can even begin to cover all of what they did. But measurable velocity is just one ingredient in the accuracy cake. Much of it had to do with harmonics and vibration waves that are induced by differences in any part of that recipe, and especially the powder. They give many examples of how the velocity can be the same but not the accuracy. Most of the things that go in to giving us an accurate load are not in our control. We are depending on people and materials that must be incredibly precise all along the manufacturing process. The slightest change can result in catastrophic results. After watching that podcast you will wonder how you ever hit anything. Most of us shooters do not have access to the testing facilities that these guys have. And we certainly have no control over the production of anything. Many of us have access to a chronograph which can be very helpful but also confusing. In the end we as shooters are left with holes in paper and we try to interpret what they are telling us. We are left with good old fashioned trial and error. And along the way we do a lot of head scratching. And when it comes to powder there is always a difference lot to lot. Hopefully that difference will be small and make no real world difference to us. But all too many times it makes all the difference in the world. And velocity, as important as it is, is still only a part of the puzzle. I understand fully where you are coming from, and it is a very reasonable position. As discussed on that podcast, the measured velocity may be the same from one load recipe to another, but HOW that velocity was obtained inside that barrel is a whole different ball of wax. At any rate after watching it I had a better understanding of what I thought I already knew. But I also found out that most of the time the poor results that I was getting was not me or my fault. To some extent that made me feel better. But it was also exasperating to know how little in the pursuit of accuracy was under my control. As to why you would want to know the velocity, well it depends. Using modern firearms it might help me calculate such things as trajectory.? Which would help set my point blank range. And the list goes on. But with my flintlock I simply set up targets at 20, 40, 60, and 80 yards and blast away. That gives me my accuracy potential as well as my trajectory. Low tech I know, but it works for me. Always good conversing with you Sir. Thanks again.

[@joemolf3894]

I find it incredible that guys can shoot bull elk over 150 yards away with a flintlock. There was a video following one of yours. Of course he was 30 years if not more younger than me! He could see for sure lol. So I forget if it was one of your modern guns or your Poor Boy but do you set your flintlock up to be dead on say 100 with allowing for bullet drop or rise depending on distance? That turkey you took that was a nice shot at what distance was that? Dennis my legs are messed up from a failed spine surgery I had in 2014. Before that happened I was thinking I would like to start hunting as some family and friends would go hunting every year. So I can walk but my balance is compromised so I am basically an enthusiast and a plinker. I don’t want to burden the party but if I had setup like you I’d be out there all day. LoL that reminds me I need to sell my silver pigeon as I’m never going to go bird or field hunting. No big deal I am content playing with my flintlocks. I’m close to finishing my Wood Runner. Hopefully next week I’ll get it dialed in and I am even going to try 3F in it. But with my back I may like 2F because supposedly the recoil is less. I hope to give you a range report. Any way I appreciate everything you share like many I hold you in high regard! Respectfully always! Joe

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@joemolf3894 Joe, I am so sorry for your physical problems , but it seems they have not gotten you down. Can’t keep a good man down. The longest shot I have ever made on an elk was 135 yards plus or minus a bit. And that was with a traditional muzzleloader. However it was a cap lock. I have taken six more with modern scope sighted rifles. Two were just over 100 yards. The rest from 25 to 50 yards. Odd that my longest shot was with a primitive rifle with iron sights. I have taken about a dozen with my longbows. The longest shot was 23 steps!! Most were from 8 to 12,yards. I like them close. But when I took that shot on the elk with the iron sighted muzzleloader I was much younger with perfect eyesight. My eyesight is very good for my age, but a far cry from what it once was. So on deer sized game I limit my shots to around 80 yards. I feel confident to that distance. The sights or target are not clear enough to go beyond that for an ethical shot. I could probably hit them much further but probably ain’t good enough. I want to feel certain not hopeful. The turkey was taken at about 25 yards. That was as far as I felt I could hit him in the right spot. I was having trouble getting the Woodsrunner not only to group well but I could not seem to get it zeroed. Every day it shot further and further to the left. I would adjust the sights to be centered today but tomorrow they would be left again. Plus there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to its accuracy, or more correctly, its total lack of accuracy. It literally shot all over the place. I contacted Jim Kibler and he asked me to send it back to him. I told him I did not keep the box it came in. He sent me a new box to ship it back in as well as a pre paid shipping label. You can’t ask for more than that. I ,of course, videoed the whole thing. I was at my wits end and frustrated to no end. And I made no bones about how utterly disappointed I was with the Woodsrunner. The video is posted to KZbin but not for public viewing. I probably got the only kit ever to leave Jim’s shop with a defective barrel. He doesn’t actually make the barrels but he does do all the outside shaping of it. I personally think there is stress in the barrel. But we will wait and see what Kibler comes up with. So I will probably not make that video public . At least not until we see what Jim does with that most exasperating rifle. Jim Kibler makes an incredible product and I would never want to do anything that would throw a bad light on anything he produces. I think the problem that I was having was something beyond his control. The rear sight is hanging way off to the right side of the barrel while the front sight is just as far off center to the left. And it still shoots left!!! And ridiculously high!! The sights look down right weird.

[@Buddha-of8fk]

Getting ready to hunt some deer?

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@Buddha-of8fk i am.

[@Buddha-of8fk]

@@dennispritchardoutdoors7882 PA flintlock season is what we look forward to in this family. I don't even go rifle hunting anymore. Way too many city slickers. Black powder must scare them. A lot of people look forward to Dec. 25. I look forward to Dec. 26 when flintlock season starts.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@Buddha-of8fk here in Virginia we have some fairly liberal deer seasons. Including 5 weeks or so odd muzzleloader hunting. Two weeks in early November and the the other 3 comprising the last two weeks of December and the first week or so of January. The bad part is nearly anything that calls itself a muzzleloader can be used. And that danged blaze orange law. But few. Take advantage-of the late season.

[@steemerxaxon1643]

I thought your Cattarack surgery helped your eyes

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

It helped greatly but nothing that man can do will ever be able yo replace what God gave you in the first place.

[@Antonino-t3y]

you are a bit crazy ... ‼️ because you don't use the glove and your hand have contact with toxic cold blue when you put it on the barrel ... ⁉️ 😮👋🤔 strange and dangerous work for refurbishing the barrel ...

[@skratch-do9nd]

I've been working on restoring and refurbishing old guns for over half a century. Done every thing with cold blue except drink it, well there was that one time when picked up the wrong bottle. Gloves? We don't need no stinkin gloves! And I ain't crazy yet. Came close one time though, damn near voted for a democrat, hmmm, come to think of it it was the day I picked the wrong bottle.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

Well heck fire , shoot gosh darned!!! How in the name of socially correct do gooders did I ever get to be 80 years old without their help. You are welcome to all the gloves you want to use. Be my guest. I generally refrain from using gloves when I eat my meals with all those preservatives in everything you buy. I don’t even use gloves when eating at restaurants !!!! Talk about being a risk taker!!!!

[@davefellhoelter1343]

@@dennispritchardoutdoors7882 "I Like to use Gloves!" when I use my hands to pop all my light split shots' in my mouth for the morning or evening trout bites, gloves help with teeth bite placement too.

[@dennispritchardoutdoors7882]

@@davefellhoelter1343 I do the same thing. That is about the only time I use gloves. The full arms length ones work best for me.

[@TODinWY]

And I'm guessing YOU are too young to have had your Mom slather every wound you ever had with MERTHIOLATE. Mine did. I'm 77 and in very good health for my age.🤣