Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Ramblings of another tinkerer.....

Like Wildswalker, I too tinkered around with a muzzleloader recently. I didn�t get as in depth as him, nor do I think it came out as well, but I am happy with the results. The rifle is much more aesthetically and well as functionally pleasing to me. I am definitely a wood and steel guy.

I started with a basic blue/synthetic Omega. I took one doe with it in Ohio�s muzzy season but didn�t like the �cold� feel to it. I was also surprised with how much noise a hollow synthetic stock makes when a twig slaps it while walking. I found an ad for Weatherby �seconds� stocks that had flaws for about $30 (can�t remember exactly). They were advertised as un-inletted and roughly outside shaped. Perfect I thought�.no big investment when I screw it up. Purchased a steel grip cap and Pachmeyer pad for ~$35 and I was in business.

The stock had some nice mineral streaking/fiddle but some serious knots and voids�.you get what you pay for. It also was in the Monte Carlo Style which I am not fond of. I did the rough inletting on a milling machine and outside shaping was do by rasp and file�..lots of file! I filled the voids with a mixture of glue and sawdust. Then I taped off half the barrel and steel bedded the whole thing for strength. I was a little concerned about the lack of contact area for both recoil lugs against the wood. There also is not a lot of wood between the barrel and rear action screw. I still think I am going to install some sort of cross bolt. Some checkering may get done if I build up the courage�or drink enough dirty martinis.

Here is the completed rifle. I used Hacker Martin�s rust bluing recipe for the grip cap and bottom screws�.this is the only link to traditional muzzle loading this rifle possesses. I removed the open sights and the mounted an older Leupold Vari-x II 2X7 in a one piece Tally Mount. I did a little stoning to reduce the massive amount of sear engagement that caused a long heavy trigger pull. It�s now better but not what I would consider good. I wish I knew of a better fix.

A target is shown with my first three shot group fired from 100 yds. Load development obviously over. The load is 100 grains Pyro Select and 250g Barnes TMZ. Also pictured is an expanded bullet fired through a log and recovered in the ground. This is one GOOD bullet.







Thanks for looking....

NICE WORK...NICE PIECE OF WOOD! CAN'T BEAT THOSE BARNES T-MZ'S.
THEY ARE ONE GREAT BULLET!!! NICE JOB!!!!

WOW, very nice job on that!

Very nice!

Thanks everyone.

The TMZ are the best bullet I have used in a muzzy. They load easy too. I noticed Knight is marketing an all-copper tipped bullet. It looks remarakably like the Barnes bullet (even the tip and sabot are the same color). Cabela's price is $.56 per bullet and the TMZ is $.95.....It would be a good saving to shoot these Knights if it is the same bullet. Anyone tried these???

Great job!

THAT came out sweet!

Lots of character......go on and checker it, it'll make a big difference how it "feels".

Been thinkin' on that bullet myself.......

DAMN!

That, looks FANTASTIC!

The grain pattern on that stock is stunning, and the work, is understated and quite well done.

NICE JOB!

djb,
It is exactly the same bullet - Barnes makes them for Knight. Just looking at Cabela's prices, you can pick up 30 Knight's for less than 24 Barnes.
I've settled on the 250 TMZ after trying the 245 and 285 Spitfires and the 250 and 290 TMZ's. That 290 would make some serious elk or bear medicine!!!!

Barnes also came out with an "EZ" load version with a new sabot. probably to give them something against the superglide shockwave from T/C. But at $20.99 for 18, I'll push a little harder starting the sabot down the barrel!

Thanks again everyone...

Kimber7man, thanks for the info. I'll give the Knights a try as the are literally half the price of the Barnes. The deer I shot with the TMZ looked like a bomb went off inside it.

Wildswalker, you show me yours and then I'll show you mine Seriously, I'd like to checker the forearm only. I have done some "freshening" of checkering on some re-finished rifles, but never started from scratch. I have a couple old mauser stocks I may break out later and practice on. I would definately stick to a very simply pattern.

Hard to not like a combo like that...nice and nice.

Use sharp checkering tools, keep your lines straight...and don't "overwork" it. You'll do fine.

I'll probably do it this summer after the beans get too tall to shoot groundhogs and it gets hot.

Yeah, checkering requires a "touch". As you said, you don't want to force the cutter but I found you do have to push hard enough to keep it in the line your cutting. Otherwise it likes to run over.

djb, I've borrowed your picture links and posted two of them on another forum. Hope you don't mind. I really think those pictures should be shared.

this is high praise from another "tinkerer extradinoire"

Very beautiful craftsmanship DJB . I would be proud to carry that rifle afield. Stock turned out truely beautiful. I agree with the plastic stocks feeling cold, also prefer a wood stock myself.. Great job