My intro to muzzleloading... - The Firearms Forum

cdg · 11-26-2006, 03:59 PM

I'll say my story briefly first. I'm 19 years old. I own a Marlin 336 .30-30 rifle, and a Baikal IZH-18 single shot 12 ga shotgun. When I'm 21 I will officially get my 14th birthday present- my Ruger MK II pistol in .22 LR (naturally). However, I've always entertained an interest in black powder. Don't have much spare room for another rifle.

So through another forum I got hooked up with a project pistol. It was a single shot CVA Tower Pistol kit which I offered $20 shipped for. The gun showed up in OK shape, but it was evident the gun wasn't well put together from a kit. Missing nosecap, rusted barrel (good bore), OK stock finish and a misaligned buttplate, missing nipple and a few other details that needed attending to (hideously corroded brass for example). Wish I had a good comparison picture. Anyway I am just posting to brag a little, and pop a few pictures up.

Overall I'm calling the project done. I'm going to do some final finish sanding and polishing to the nosecap, but the basica fitting is done (it needed a lot of work).

So the gun cost me 5 bucks. I ordered about 15 bucks from CVA (mostly for the purpose of having spares for a few of the screws that needed restoring from being rounded out). The nosecap screw CVA did not have in stock, so I went to the local Ace hardware and got a 4 x 3/8 slotted brass wood screw. So overall, I'd say 20 for the gun, 16 bucks in spare parts, and about 5 bucks in polishing and cleaning supplies got me a decent looker, and hopefully a good shooter.

Rifled barrel, no sights. It's a .45 caliber. CVA recommends a 20-50 grain charge of fffg with a .440 roundball and .015 patch. I plan on sticking to those recommendations.

Oh, if you are really really astute, you might notice that the nipple allignment was a little bit wrong. The previous owner over tightened the drum. I just removed the drum, put some 271 LocTite thread locker compound on the threads, and screwed the drum in to the point where the nipple allignment was correct. It should be good to fire next time I'm back from college on break!

Well, just posting it up there. Feel free to comment or offer your own words of wisdom to one just starting into the field of muzzleloading. My hope is to build a derringer by summer, but it all depends on how money works out...

southernshooter · 11-26-2006, 11:04 PM

Looks good exspecially for what you got in it

cdg · 11-28-2006, 09:57 PM

Hey Thanks! I can't wait to shoot it. When I'm back on break from college, I'm going to pick up on some percussion caps and powder. I'm thinking I'll start out with the real thing- FFFg powder. But I'm going to give it a fair shake with black powder and pyrodex later on. Anyway I'm just excited to finally own a muzzleloader, and that this one came out so nice considering what it looked like when I got it.

southernshooter · 11-28-2006, 10:28 PM

You should have posted before and after pictures
FROM BEAST TO BEAUTY

11-26-2006, 03:59 PM	#1
cdg V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 54	My intro to muzzleloading... I'll say my story briefly first. I'm 19 years old. I own a Marlin 336 .30-30 rifle, and a Baikal IZH-18 single shot 12 ga shotgun. When I'm 21 I will officially get my 14th birthday present- my Ruger MK II pistol in .22 LR (naturally). However, I've always entertained an interest in black powder. Don't have much spare room for another rifle. So through another forum I got hooked up with a project pistol. It was a single shot CVA Tower Pistol kit which I offered $20 shipped for. The gun showed up in OK shape, but it was evident the gun wasn't well put together from a kit. Missing nosecap, rusted barrel (good bore), OK stock finish and a misaligned buttplate, missing nipple and a few other details that needed attending to (hideously corroded brass for example). Wish I had a good comparison picture. Anyway I am just posting to brag a little, and pop a few pictures up. Overall I'm calling the project done. I'm going to do some final finish sanding and polishing to the nosecap, but the basica fitting is done (it needed a lot of work). So the gun cost me 5 bucks. I ordered about 15 bucks from CVA (mostly for the purpose of having spares for a few of the screws that needed restoring from being rounded out). The nosecap screw CVA did not have in stock, so I went to the local Ace hardware and got a 4 x 3/8 slotted brass wood screw. So overall, I'd say 20 for the gun, 16 bucks in spare parts, and about 5 bucks in polishing and cleaning supplies got me a decent looker, and hopefully a good shooter. Rifled barrel, no sights. It's a .45 caliber. CVA recommends a 20-50 grain charge of fffg with a .440 roundball and .015 patch. I plan on sticking to those recommendations. Oh, if you are really really astute, you might notice that the nipple allignment was a little bit wrong. The previous owner over tightened the drum. I just removed the drum, put some 271 LocTite thread locker compound on the threads, and screwed the drum in to the point where the nipple allignment was correct. It should be good to fire next time I'm back from college on break! Well, just posting it up there. Feel free to comment or offer your own words of wisdom to one just starting into the field of muzzleloading. My hope is to build a derringer by summer, but it all depends on how money works out... -->

11-26-2006, 11:04 PM	#2
southernshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Deep South Mississippi Posts: 5,943	Re: My intro to muzzleloading... Looks good exspecially for what you got in it __________________ Only you can see this

11-28-2006, 09:57 PM	#3
cdg V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 54	Re: My intro to muzzleloading... Hey Thanks! I can't wait to shoot it. When I'm back on break from college, I'm going to pick up on some percussion caps and powder. I'm thinking I'll start out with the real thing- FFFg powder. But I'm going to give it a fair shake with black powder and pyrodex later on. Anyway I'm just excited to finally own a muzzleloader, and that this one came out so nice considering what it looked like when I got it.

11-28-2006, 10:28 PM	#4
southernshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Deep South Mississippi Posts: 5,943	Re: My intro to muzzleloading... You should have posted before and after pictures FROM BEAST TO BEAUTY __________________ Only you can see this