Tradition Woodsman Hawken
 

I have owned this rifle for years. But since the acquisition of the custom flintlocks, my mass produced model have went by the way side so to say. Well today was beautiful outside. Fresh snow, 35 degrees, sunny, not too windy, and I wanted to shoot. So I looked the gun rack over and spotted the Traditions Woodsman Hawken Flintlock with the 1-48 twist in .50 caliber. I purchased this rifle to match the percussion model of the same rifle. Except the percussion has a 1-66 twist. I always knew the rifles were both good shooters. So I looked them up for loads on my gun directory and this one likes 85 grains of 2f black powder. So off I went.

I set the target out at 34 yards (the distance varies on my range depending on how far and were I set the shooting table.) and then got the rifle ready.



The notes for the rifles said hold dead center under the bull for in bull hits. So that is what I did. While the hits were technically in the bull I wanted them higher. I liked the group mind you but just an inch or more up. So with handy Swiss army knife in hand, we adjusted the sights.

While the height was fine, why they suddenly moved slightly right I do not know. Then an important phone call came in and kind of ended my day on the range.

Over all this rifle impresses me. The lock is very fast. I use an agate in the jaws of the lock and never had a misfire or hang fire. All ignition was fast and sure. Just a real nice rifle to shoot.

yep, a real pleasure to shoot. Its my favorite flinter i own. Agate flint? I'll have to give one a try some time.

It is a Lyman agate. And I would hate to guess how many shots I have on that thing. If it gets dull they claim you can sharpen them with a Mizzy Wheel. I have diamond stones that fit my Dremel and I am sure that would put a new edge on the thing.

Good shooter there Cayugad. Funny how some sights do that when adjusted, and some don't. I've even had it happen with a scope on occasion.

It's those dang GREMLINS!! :s6:

BPS

Really ... I have to admit it surprised me. I figured I would be right on top of the center bull. And I shot and saw the hit. Of course my first thought .... flinched? Reloaded, and I was swabbing between shots with isopropyl alcohol. Next shot, just a hair closer.

Also this is the first time I cleaned my removable barrel type rifle like my custom flintlocks. I plugged the vent and filled the barrel with dishwater. Then as that soaked I put the shooting stand away and then the shooting bench. When I came back in, dumped the water, pulled the tooth pick and it cleaned up really easy. I might do that more often with these flintlocks.

I do that often also Cayugad.

You don't mention what you use to fill the barrel. I use 8 Oz Plastic Cylinder Bottles with Flip Top Pour Spouts as shown in the link below. I got mine from a local craft store.

I fill one with a dish soap & water mixture and one with plain water. They make it real easy to fill the barrel.

https://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Cylin.../dp/B008IS1802

I fill the barrel with dishwater. Nothing but water and some Dawn Dish soap. I am so cheap I even take it from the sink, after doing the dishes. :D

I have a small funnel and an empty dish soap detergent bottle (Ajax) that is filled with dish water. I put the tooth pick in and hold it in place with the frizzen. Then insert the funnel and fill the barrel. Set that to the side and get all the other stuff put away.

I bet it only took five patches to have a clean patch come out. Then I alcohol swab the bore and then dry patch it. After that I use Birchwood Casey Barricade to protect the bore.

I went to the dollar store where they sold four ever increasing sizes of plastic funnels for a buck. One I use to fill my small powder frizzen pan measure tube. And one I use to fill bottles with powder. And the narrow one I use to fill the barrels with water. I hate to spill water on the stocks of my rifles.

The flip top spout works great without a funnel. Does not leak when folded down either.

Very nice shooting there Dave. I'm not sure why the sights do that after an adjustment. I've had a couple rifles do that to me also.
Maybe you could possibly be canting the rifle slightly. Try cranking down the sight and see if it shoots low left. Or move it down where it was and set the front sight a little higher in the rear sight "U". If you're canting the rifle a bit both methods should move the POI horizontally.
That little bit of movement would only take a couple degrees of cant.

I believe you'll find out it's actually the stock weld. If a person doesn't mount the rifle the same way it will cause a slight change in impact due to the positioning of the eye and how the sights are viewed. Case in point shoot an AR platform rifle with standard peep sights. The shooter needs an anchor point to accurate shoot. I always taught touching your nose on the charging handle. That way there is a constant anchor point that places your eye in the same location so the same perspective of the sights are viewed. Just my .02 cents. Still good shooting cayugad.