Questions on building a long rifle

[Northwoods]

I have built several traditional muzzle loaders from kits, and would like to build a 32 cal long rifle for squirrel hunting to sort of reward myself for finishing my degree. I have some questions for the aces here on somethings that are on my mind.
First of all, every traditional ML I ever had was equipped with wedges, and cleaning by removing the barrel was a snap. However, I'd like to build my new rifle in the image of the grand Pennsylvania long rifle of old, with pins and inlays. My big question in, how do you adequately clean a barrel like this. I would assume it is impossible to remove the barrel if it is pinned with inlaid cover furniture.
Secondly, if it is possible to remove a barrel on such a gun, what about if you button up the tang/barrel to the trigger guard. Also, what about the nose piece.
Every other gun I've owned has been either a Hawken style or (gasp!) an inline. However, I really admire the beauty and function of a long rifle, and wish to build and own one. any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Mike

[danchamberlain]

Mike;

Cleaning a traditional muzzleloader that has a pinned barrel is not too difficult using a replacement nipple with a draw tube attached. Put the cleaning nipple in and dip the tube in your water source. As you draw the cleaning rod and patch jig up, it will suck water into the chamber area and you can pump just like you do with your wedged barrel removed. Care should be taken not to pump water out the muzzle.

I have a Pedersoli long rifle that has a neat system. It looks like a traditional long rifle, but the barrel is secured to the stock with screws that are hidden under the ramrod and accessed from holes in the bottom of the ramrod pipes. You have to remove the tang bolt as well, but it takes down rather quickly for cleaining.

Another suggestion is not to obsess too much over cleaning. I know that sounds weird, but I'm of the opinion that we "clean" our muzzleloaders too much. That's not to say they shouldn't be cleaned, but that we go much farter to extremes than we need to. If you use the replacement nipple and tube, you only really need to flush out the chamber area well. The rest of the bore you can clean with wet patches. Get a brush for the deepest recesses of the powder chamber and you can clean up your rifle in about 15 minutes. Adequate drying is as important as spic and span cleaning.

In the field, I have adopted a way of making sure the chamber area is dry. After a day's hunt, I have a brass cleaning jag that is small enough to fit into the powder chamber. After cleaning, I put it in my camp fire until it's cherry red, and I drop it down the bore into the chamber and listen to it sizzle. It dries that chamber out to the max. There is no harm in this as it is not hot enough nor does it stay hot enough to harm the temper of the metal.

When at home, I merely use a hair dryer to force hot air down the bore to dry the chamber recess and squirt a little water absorbant down there for storage. No rust to deal with.


www.trackofthewolf.com has some really great long rifle kits.

Good luck.

Dan

[mamaflinter]

Northwoods As Dan said, cleaning a pinned rifle isn't as hard as it might seem. I built a reproduction Vernor Pre-Revolutionary war era rifle and it is pinned. It can be a bit awkward however, since you are still dealing with the entire rifle and it helps to kick the butt out away from you so that the rifle muzzle is more towards waist level. If you use Swiss black powder, you will find that cleaning is much easier as there is minimal fouling. This particular rifle has ONLY been shot using Swiss. The first time I used it, I thought something was wrong when I cleaned it. Usually the fouling would turn the water a very sooty black. But with Swiss, it's barely tinted a light grey.

Dixie Gun Works sells cleaning tubes or you can even make your own if you like. All you need is a nipple with same thread count as the touch hole liner and about 8 inches of tubing. The tubing has to be able to fit over the nipple sufficiently tight enough so that when you are using the ramrod to pull water in and out, it stays on the nipple. I have found that if you put something with a small amount of weight on the end of the tubing that is in the bucket, the tube stays down in the bottom of the bucket and doesn't move. Otherwise it could come out of bucket sloshing water everywhere.

[Many kills]

"mama" Dont you mean you helped sand the stock on that rifle that your husband built ? Come on now, Lets give credit where credit is due!! Dont you think you have lived a lie long enough? When I read some of the things you tell these poor people on here and me knowing better, I dont see how you can say you have a friend in the world, Everybody on here just dont have a clue to what kind of a devious person you are!!

[Jeff Stamper]

Beg your pardon,"many kills"-YES SHE DID BUILD THE GUN!
I think you need to sit back and think about what you have posted,the fingertips are quicker than your brains or lack thereof.
Jeff.

[Northwoods]

Thanks all for the help. I will be ordering a Bedford County kit from www.trackofthewolf.com as soon as I clear some bench space. I'll likely pay the premium for the select grade stock, and hop I can so it justice. I'll post as the project takes for.

Regards,
Mike