Almost finished flint mountain rifle from Track of the Wolf parts. Took it out last week and started working it up, here is the first group. Has potential...

Fifty yards, two distinct groups. I like the three...

Charley... nice job on the rifle. It sure is a nice looking long rifle. As for the target... WOW!! looks like you have a real shooter on your hands. TOTW has some nice kits. What caliber did you get, and what make of barrel?

The Green Mountain Barrels I bought from TOTW look like they are going to be some real good shooters also.

Again, nice job.

Thanks. The rifle has some warts, but still should work into a good shooter. Green Mountain barrel, .45 caliber, 13/16 across the flats.
I lapped the barrel and put a slight choke into it. The muzzle is as machined, and the rest of the bore is relieved about .002 to .003. Followed the procedure in Ned Robert's The Muzzleloading Caplock Rifle Loads very easiley, those five shots had no swabbing between shots, and the fifth loaded as easiley as the first. I'm going to lap everything I build in the future that way, I am convinced that it helps.

Nice barrel and caliber. I also lapped my barrels. I think if anything, lapping at least it takes all the ruff spots out of the barrel. It sure seems to make the rifle break in faster. You can shoot a barrel true, but like you said, lapping seems to be a good way to get a good shooter.

I bought a .58 caliber 1:70 twist and a .62 caliber smoothbore Green Mountain Barrel. Both look like they are going to be excellent shooters.

Cayugad

Is your 58-GM barrel 1-70" twist overbore like mine?

I have seated roundballs (.570 with .020 patch), 315 & 460 grain Minies, 380 & 405 grain Buffalo Ballets -- all loose going down the chute. I can use a .005 cotton patch around my minies and ballets -- still loads without grunting. Without any patches, the conicals just slide down... could use a coat hanger to seat them...lol.

Is yours that big or should I mention it to GM by phone? It shoots fine at 50 yards with everything I've tried... haven't ventured out to 75 & 100 yet!

I shoot a Hornady .570 round ball and cotton pillow tick patch from Wal Mart and have been using mink oil as a lube. On mine you better be ready to push because it is a chore getting it to go down the barrel. In fact the Hornady loaded so hard I was running out of them so I ordered 200 Speer round ball which I like better anyway.

Mine is shooting excellent groups all the way out to 88 steps which is about 90-92 yards. I was holding a 3 inch group off my homemade bench with it the other day. I sure wish those barrels had come with fiber optic sights though, my poor old eyes are sure having a hard time finding everything at those longer distances....[&o]

Nice! Flintlocks are the most fun of all!

nice gun and shooting. i bet you can't wait for fall.