Ok, I'm over the space lingo, and today was a big, big day.

After a lengthy conversation with Sabotloader yesterday, I came a way with a strategy for making this new GM 1:28 barrel fit the Cabela Hawken stock. Without Mike's guidance and encouragement I'm not sure this would have worked out. It did, and really well, it seems. The nipple to hammer contact point had to move back and left 1/16th" (in each direction). We decided I should remove material from the inside edge of the tang to allow the new barrel hook to enter as it was a hair wide. Then I would remove material from the tang face to let the barrel come farther back. Last, I would remove the hammer and add a washer to shift the hammer right.

The deed is done. Not only does the new barrel fit and fire caps, but the 54 cal barrel still fits and fires as well, without removing the washer( teflon, from a fishing reel). The under rib is trimmed, the brass rod retainers transferred to the new rib, the black retainers transferred to the 54 barrel and all reassembled.

This is a load off my back, having put $300+ into the combo and not knowing if it would work out. Mike's willingness to share his knowledge and time with me and others here should not go unnoticed.

Thanks Mike.

yeoman

Congrats! - I knew you could do it and the telphone conversation was a combination of two people working through some problems and I deserve not extra credit - it was just fun...I love solving problems.

Pictures and targets..... can't wait to see...

SL -

pictures s/b available Sunday.

BTW, the hammer on this gun is a short stroke. Compared it to your pics. About a caps worth of clearance at half-cock.

I'm glad to hear all fit up nice for you. Now you get to go out and start working up loads. You will find they are a good shooting barrel for sure.

Cayugad -

I'm excited about the prospects! I'm going to leave this gun open sights, at least for now. I'm at that age where my peers are all in reading glasses so I guess I should expect to join them one of these days. 'Till then I'll play with it this way, unless of course, I set a date for antelope. My father and I discussed it last week. He'd like me to tack days on to our Alberta duck shooting in the Fall, an annual event, and head to Montana for a 'lope. I'm thinking '08, god willing. By then I'll probably need that scope!

yeoman

I have a good friend that comes to Montana every year to hunt and we, my hunting partner and myself, are suppose to go hunt deer with him next year... he hunts on a big spread over by (I can not spell it but you will get the town if you have ever heard of it) Eekalatica somewhere almost to New York by the Dakotas... When I look at it on the map it is only about 4" but in Monatan that could be a week's drive.

Go shoot...

Sabotloader -

Ekalaka, down near Broadus. Good spot and stalk country. Montana doesn't have special MZ seasons. What gun(s) wouldyoutake?

yeoman

Ted is suggesting that I should bring my 300 win mag because of the distances to be shot... I said I wanted to use a ML - he laughed @ that. Said you will be crawling around on the ground for some distance come to a ridge top and somewhere over in the next state there will be a nice buck... My answer is if I am shooting deer class animals my 270 will work just fine... Ted has no faith in my "A" bolt - cause it is not a magnum. think he is using a 257 Wearterby Mark V Mag in Montana. When he comes here for elk he shoots a 270 Wearthby Mag also.

Sabotloader -

Why not take the MZ, give it two days of effort, then break out the 300 if you don't have meat on the ground? You can't like being laughed at. Take the muzzleloader and make the buck come to you.

yeoman

That is not a bad idea... think I'll take the White and some of those 200 grain XTP's... but you know sure as the world there will be a big buck @ 300 yards - but @ least I'll get to see one....