Shooting a .58 Caliber center fire BROWN - MERRILL 1869 bolt action rifle.

Loading .58 Berdan cartridges and shooting a Civil War Enfield that was converted to an early bolt action breech loader.

[@musketman7804]

This was really cool, so glad to see the younger generation enjoying it.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

We are pleased that you enjoyed the content, and there is reassurance that the next generation will carry on our beloved traditions.........Doc

[@poppasquat8483]

Love these old conversions! Glad you seem to have younger generations in the family interested as well

[@dr.durellshepard398]

I was impressed with the advanced design of the massive twin locking lugs ! Yes, we must get the next generation involved. Doc

[@steveblancard5566]

Another rifle I've not seen before 😀 Its so nice to see a young person interested in these old guns.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi Steve, It is not a common rifle, but fit in well into the .58 conversion series of videos. My niece sincerely loves the old guns, that's so refreshing.......Doc

[@zothantluangatepuia9023]

I love your channel love from mizoram

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hello to Mizoram from USA. Thank you for watching and commenting.......Doc

[@vidostuff]

another fine shooting rifle. You amaze me Doc you come up with all these old rifles some (like this one) i have never heard of before. Can't wait to see what you come up with next. Great video.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Thank you Phillip. I've been going to shoot this one for years and finally got around to it, along with the other .58s. .....Doc

[@richardhillman9745]

Good to see young people take an interest in our hobby!

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi Richard, President Kennedy said it best, " The powder flask has been passed to a new generation", ..................Regards Doc

[@versal339]

Good job Doc. And "Doc's niece." Shooting another fine old rifle that only Doc owns. Thanks

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi Hugh, Appreciate the comment. I'm pleased that my niece really likes the old guns.....Doc

[@jeffe.9904]

Thanks Doc, and as usual another fine & well put together video!

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi Jeff, Glad you could come along on the shoot....Doc

[@Dimwit_the_last_mountainman]

Interesting guns. Thanks for sharing! I must have seen them on pictures, but never live. Good job, the both of you!

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi John, Thanks for dropping us a line. Good luck on the cabin restoration......Doc and Niece.

[@christopherwarters8271]

Nice gun you never cease to amaze me you truly are one of my favorite KZbinrs as well as you deserve more subscribers.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi Christopher, Thanks for watching and the continued support......Doc

[@justhavingfun675]

Enjoyed the video. I like the underbolt hammer system.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

It sure is a simple mechanism, only a few parts. Thanks for the comment........Doc

[@albertogonzalez9152]

Otro ejemplar de colección magnifico, y me alegra mucho que una chica valiente pueda continuar con su afición. Un saludo desde Toledo Spain.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hola Alberto, gracias por el amable comentario. A mi sobrina le encantan las armas antiguas, eso me hace feliz. Doc ((Another superb collector's item, and I'm so glad a brave girl can continue her hobby. Greetings from Toledo Spain.)) ((Hi Alberto, Thank you for the kind comment. My niece really loves the antique guns, that makes my happy. Doc))

[@blackpowderfirearmenthusia3194]

Awesome

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Thank You Sir, Glad you could come along on the adventure......Doc

[@fabiscia72]

now we know the family! nice video as usual anyway

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Appreciate the comments, Thanks so much......Doc

[@matthewbilly3252]

Hello Doc, another great video !!! It is so nice to see these old military firearms come back to life. You are a master at producing these videos with the history of the firearm, the making of the cartridges and the live firing. Someone did a great job teaching your Niece how to shoot a firearm, she has great trigger discipline keeping her finger off the trigger and having it point down range. I didn’t know that Brown had made a carbine 😮 that was something to see that shoot. Was there a problem with the extractor on the rifle ? It looked like there was no problem with the carbine. Hope you and yours have a great 4th of July !!! Also enjoyed the video on the rolling block that was converted from the Springfield musket. They tend to shoot a little high at short distances with original sights.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hello Matthew, good to hear from you and thank you for the benevolent commentary. My niece sincerely loves the old guns and her Grandfather is a big influence in that respect. Sorry for any confusion on the carbine, it is a Ward - Burton, which is very rare in its own right. I will make an other video showing more of that one. I believe you are correct in stating Brown did not make a carbine, I have only heard of one and I think it was an experimental Van Choate. The extractor on the rifle is broken, the firing pin is in the way of it's removal, and I can't get the firing pin out! But I really wanted to shoot the gun. Please have a happy 4th and shoot something big and noisy.........Regards Doc

[@matthewbilly3252]

@@dr.durellshepard398 My bad about the carbine, that is what happens when you watch your videos on a cell phone. The Ward Burton is a rare carbine to have. I have a parts gun of the 1870 Springfield Trials rolling block carbine. I think they made about 350 of them. I found a original carbine frame and a cut down 1870 trials rifle that I used to build the carbine. I hope to shoot my original 1870 trials rifle and the carbine in August. It will be fun to see how the parts carbine does against the rifle. Have a great 👍 day !!!

[@dr.durellshepard398]

@@matthewbilly3252 Very cool (and rare) project, please let us know how it shoots.......Doc

[@bobo12055]

It'd be cool to see what Gardiner Explosive bullets did.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Yes, that would be something to experiment with. If I recall correctly, they were made of a hard pewter so they would break apart. I hope your relic hunting is going well. .....Doc

[@bobo12055]

@@dr.durellshepard398 I Have dug some explosive bullets. I've found eight so far. I traded one for a breast plate that I saw dug at a 2nd corps army of the Potomac camp. So I only have seven left. My buddy has one that has been fired. The nose is blown out. His dad found it in Gettysburg. The weather has been mild and the ground is soft. Were doing pretty good relic hunting. I'm hunting Gettysburg campaign. Mostly the retreat. Thanks

[@robertrobert7924]

Doc, What brand of mold do you use for these hollow based minies and what diameter do the cast bullets come out to? I think you should have bought a grey Confederate kepi for your southern belle.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hello Robert, I must have fifty bullet molds, but no 58. I have been purchasing them from Dixie, Track, or Buffalo, at .575", .580", or .585". The old Enfield barrel on the Brown-Merrill wanted a bullet of .575" but the old Springfield - Remington transformed wanted a bullet of .580" . I didn't have a Confederate Kepi but I compensated but playing a Southern song in the background. Happy 4th .....Doc

[@robertrobert7924]

@@dr.durellshepard398 Happy 4th to you too, Doc. My Snider Rifle loves a .585 round ball. I compress .580 minies to .585 for it to shoot them, but they are not as accurate as the round balls.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

@@robertrobert7924 If you have the .580" mold you may try a shim, but that doesn't produce a true round either.

[@robertrobert7924]

@@dr.durellshepard398 I have a Snider carbine which I experimented with a cast .580 minie that I plugged the hollow base with a beveled wooden 3/8" dowel piece and it worked. Is that what you mean by a "shim" ?

[@dr.durellshepard398]

@@robertrobert7924 The term "Beagling" a bullet mold is what I was referring to, which is generally putting a piece of Aluminum tape on the mating surfaces of the mold to increase the bullets diameter, but the bullets are not true round. Lapping is more involved but should yield a truer round. I like your wooden plug, that is a traditional method in some loadings. I have also seen historic instances of a plug of clay being used. Regards.....Doc