Finished my CO elk getter, a homemade underhammer percussion .50 cal (more pics added)

[Wapiti1]

How often do you get a second shot with black powder? I can only think of a handful of times in the past few decades where I've had the opportunity to take a second shot.

Not a second shot immediately. But I always reload for the follow up if I can't see the animal. Or I will reload and sit for a couple to several hours before I take care of the first deer. Muzzy season here is in December and I usually have no dexterity due to the cold.

Jeremy

 

[Fordguy]

I have a 50 cal cva pistol that I assembled and finished as a kid- I take it with me when I muzzleloader hunt. Its not accurate at any great distance, but if a finishing shot is needed, it's there just in case. I grew up hunting in Michigan, muzzleloader season was in December, but I hunted in areas where my longest shot was usually 50 yards, and some of my shots were measured in feet rather than yards. I don't remember any of my deer than made it out of sight after the shot. A 50 cal round ball can do a surprising amount of damage.
That's not to say that there wasn't a significant learning curve when I started out. I had plenty of muzzleloading mishaps. Everything from cleaning the night before and not having a completely dry barrel- to hunting from a tree and having the pull rope break and ending up with a barrel full of mud- to breaking a wooden ramrod while cleaning a barrel and having the broken section stick inside the barrel... Lol. I miss being a kid sometimes not so much at other times.

 

[FrontierGander]

what unit did you draw? We pulled multiple deer and elk tags in 84.

 

[Wapiti1]

what unit did you draw? We pulled multiple deer and elk tags in 84.

501

 

[Wapiti1]

Started at 70grs of T7 and tried 3 different bullets until I settled on 90grs T7 behind a 360gr Lee Minie. The Lee 440gr also showed promise, but it got too hot out to keep shooting.

This is the last 3 shots (the ones ringed in green) at 50 yards with the 360gr Minie. A little more work to dial it in, but I'm happy with this as a start.

You might notice some of the holes are smaller. Those were from a .45 revolver. I ended up re-using a target because I forgot to grab the new ones.

 

[Cedarsavage]

Here are some more photos of the rifle to show some details.

The copper is a small blast shield to keep the forearm from turning black over time. I'll make a cup at some point out of brass or stainless.
View attachment 297829
The barrel has the original breech plug thread and I made a plug from 17-4 PH stainless. It extends 3/8" from the barrel breech and threads into the breech block. That is locked with a screw on top that also attaches the top tang.

The breech plug is counter bored like in Frontiergander's pictures and the fire channel ends in that counter bore. The drum threads through the barrel and breech plug with a 5/16" thread. The drum is also made from 17-4 PH stainless.

The mainspring is 1075 steel at 0.055" thickness and 0.75" width. It was formed and then heat treated in my shop. The trigger and hammer are made from 4150 plate. Cut out, milled, and finished with files to get them shaped. They are very close to the old Numrich H&A in shape. Once finished they were also heat treated.

The breech block and lock plates are 3/8" and 3/16" mild steel welded together. Pins and the screws that I made are drill rod.

The stock is big leaf maple. I cut it to match the drop of a Hawken style sidelock that I have that fits me well. I added 1/4" cast off to the stock as well to fit me better. The forearm uses the original hanger the Omega had and I just made a bushing and screw for the forearm. The finish is a thinned brown stain with sanded in spar urethane. It gave the maple a nice tone and it really pops in the sun.

Like I said, it is simple and could be made with just basic tools and time. I thought it turned out well.

View attachment 297831
Top tang inlet.
View attachment 297832
Bottom tang and lock inlet
View attachment 297833
Top tang, needs some filler screws for the TC scope base holes.
View attachment 297834
Bottom of stock.
View attachment 297835
View attachment 297836

Jeremy

Awesome workmanship. Makes me wanna build one

 

[Cedarsavage]

Here are some more photos of the rifle to show some details.

The copper is a small blast shield to keep the forearm from turning black over time. I'll make a cup at some point out of brass or stainless.
View attachment 297829
The barrel has the original breech plug thread and I made a plug from 17-4 PH stainless. It extends 3/8" from the barrel breech and threads into the breech block. That is locked with a screw on top that also attaches the top tang.

The breech plug is counter bored like in Frontiergander's pictures and the fire channel ends in that counter bore. The drum threads through the barrel and breech plug with a 5/16" thread. The drum is also made from 17-4 PH stainless.

The mainspring is 1075 steel at 0.055" thickness and 0.75" width. It was formed and then heat treated in my shop. The trigger and hammer are made from 4150 plate. Cut out, milled, and finished with files to get them shaped. They are very close to the old Numrich H&A in shape. Once finished they were also heat treated.

The breech block and lock plates are 3/8" and 3/16" mild steel welded together. Pins and the screws that I made are drill rod.

The stock is big leaf maple. I cut it to match the drop of a Hawken style sidelock that I have that fits me well. I added 1/4" cast off to the stock as well to fit me better. The forearm uses the original hanger the Omega had and I just made a bushing and screw for the forearm. The finish is a thinned brown stain with sanded in spar urethane. It gave the maple a nice tone and it really pops in the sun.

Like I said, it is simple and could be made with just basic tools and time. I thought it turned out well.

View attachment 297831
Top tang inlet.
View attachment 297832
Bottom tang and lock inlet
View attachment 297833
Top tang, needs some filler screws for the TC scope base holes.
View attachment 297834
Bottom of stock.
View attachment 297835
View attachment 297836

Jeremy

What do you do for a living?

 

[Wapiti1]

What do you do for a living?

I'm the quality supervisor at a flat roll steel mill. Formerly a plant metallurgist.

Jeremy

 

[Cedarsavage]

I'm the quality supervisor at a flat roll steel mill. Formerly a plant metallurgist.

Jeremy

Makes sense, I was figuring something in the trades or engineering. Did you shape and temper the steel/mainspring?

 

[Wapiti1]

Makes sense, I was figuring something in the trades or engineering. Did you shape and temper the steel/mainspring?

Yes, I did. Not too difficult with a MAP gas torch and bucket of water.

Jeremy

 

[Cedarsavage]

Yes, I did. Not too difficult with a MAP gas torch and bucket of water.

Jeremy

What type of steel did you use?

 

[Wapiti1]

What type of steel did you use?

Cold roll 1075, I think 0.055-0.065" thick by 5/8" wide. I got it from scrap at work since we make it, but you can buy spring stock from Brownells, or online metal suppliers.

I bent it nearly to shape in the soft state. By nearly to shape, I mean I left it a little more open knowing it would take a different set after installation. I think I added 1/4" to the distance between hammer and retaining screw. Then quench and tempered it.

Jeremy