My new .36 cal flintlock

3540 Views 33 Replies 10 Participants Last post by 410-er, Aug 27, 2016

Six-Gun

Discussion Starter · Aug 25, 2016

4

As far as my wife is concerned, this one fell off the Postal Service truck and onto the porch.

The bottom line is that I now have my squirrel and small game black powder gun.

This .36 caliber lefty flintlock was built by Tip Curtis in Cross Plains, TN:

- 44" Green Mountain barrel (swamped)
- Left handed Siler lock
- Fancy curly maple stock (dark brown stain)
- Iron furniture (still "in the white" - will probably rust brown finish it)
- Davis double set trigger

The wood on this thing looks fantastic and the trigger breaks beautifully, both set and un-set. As you can see by the picture of his signature, Tip ships his guns "in the white", so it will need some steel wool cleanup to knock off light surface rust and ready it for final finishing. Alternatively, I can keep it in the white and just clean up the existing look. A good oil coat after cleaning it up will keep it rust-free, but I will probably just go ahead and brown it to keep the long term maintenance minimal. This Siler lock is FAST, *way* faster than my Lyman factory lock, and the beefy mainspring on it gives a good clue as to why that is.

Tip is an old guy now, into his mid-80s, but he still does great work out of his shop in Cross Plains, TN. I got to shoot it briefly today, and was extremely pleased. The first two shots overlapped at 25 yard and the 3rd shot was just slightly outside of that group. Lock time is excellent as you can see in this brief video clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sA1AxfZoqg

See less See more

21 - 34 of 34 Posts

Six-Gun

Discussion Starter · #21 · Aug 26, 2016

Yeah, I may have to drive. It's not insanely bad of a drive, and once you factor in the cost of a news case + a plane ticket, I figure I'm better off just renting a gas-sipping compact car, dropping the back seat and driving with this thing the roughly 10 hours down.

As for powder, the guy I'm meeting up to hunt with is a huge blackpowder nut and has plenty of Goex 3F that I can bum. He also own some realy impressive smallbore smokepoles!

tdd

· #22 · Aug 26, 2016

Nice!

That sounds like a seriously fun trip! Bring back pics!

I'm thinking of trying to find an elk hunt (a cow hunt would be fine) where my long rifle would be a feasible option. Kinda tricky with a party of one, but there seem to be some options.

blackpowder

· #23 · Aug 26, 2016

very nice rifle! I have an original .36 cal cap gun I shoot 25 gr of 3f in and my favorite, .32 cal flint I shoot 30 gr of 3f in for squirrel and woodchucks. most fun I have ever had hunting chucks with the .32 cal. you will really enjoy your new rifle both for hunting and plinking.

Six-Gun

Discussion Starter · #24 · Aug 26, 2016

Thanks gain, fellas! I agree that thing will probably bring many fine years of fun. I will try some hotter charges t to see if there is a significant change in elevation at could work to my advantage for various expected distances. Right now, at 25 yards, it's stacking balls 1.5" over point of aim with a 25 gr. charge. That's about perfect for tree rats, and if it's the only load it likes, I'm fine with that. Less powder used and less fouling accordingly.

Speaking of elk, I got drawn for a Colorado bull muzzleloader hunt and am headed out to there with my .54 cal in about a week and a half (right after Labor Day weekend). I've killed a cow out there before with a modern centerfire, but this is going to be a much more challenging affair. If I get within range, we'll consider that a big win and if I'm cursing with a full pack on the way back down the mountain over multiple hikes in and out, it'll a be a true victory.

As for this smallbore, I'm headed out this weekend to scout with a friend who is letting me hunt deer on his place in 2A. Apparently, the property also has plenty groundhogs we can bust. The .36 cal is packed and I may try put little stalk on to try and shoot one as an inaugural kill.

See less See more

tdd

· #25 · Aug 26, 2016

Good luck on the elk and the whistle pigs!

Won't be long till you're looking for a big game long rifle.....

(Rusty, no comment.... lol)

See less See more

dogrich

· #26 · Aug 26, 2016

Wow, Six-Gun, that is a beautiful rifle! Congrats!

410-er

· #27 · Aug 27, 2016

Ready to see some squirrel pics from it this fall!

It will have a high sweet spot and a low sweet spot.

See less See more

Six-Gun

Discussion Starter · #28 · Aug 27, 2016

Thanks, dogrich! It's exciting to think about this coming Fall, for sure! God willing, I can get a whistlepig this weekend.

410-er - yeah, I'm thinking this thing may be dead on at 15 yard and 50 yards for the sweet spots. If it's dead on at 50, it could make for an effective coyote gun, too. Hopefully, I can get in a decent range seasion next time and not get cut short by the rain like I did this last time. Then I will test it out to see if that's the case.

blackpowder

· #29 · Aug 27, 2016

I shot 38 woodchucks last summer from 10 yards out to 97 yards and many at 70 to 80 yards. there is no mistaking when you hit them, there is the most awesome "thud" when you have a hit, its great! good luck and I hope you nail one!

blackpowder

· #30 · Aug 27, 2016

with that load and sight in, you should be on at 50, -2" at 75 and -7" at 100 yards.

Six-Gun

Discussion Starter · #31 · Aug 27, 2016

If that dope proves out accurately on paper, I can't think of a better situation. Now ya really got me spun up to test it out.

blackpowder

· #32 · Aug 27, 2016

that info comes from the lyman manual, for velocity, and using the round ball ballistic calculator found on line. it has been right on for me with my .32 cal and my .62 cal, tested on paper and in the field.

Six-Gun

Discussion Starter · #33 · Aug 27, 2016

That's great to hear. Hopefully, this gun will continue that trend and thank you very much for posting that data.

410-er

· #34 · Aug 27, 2016

I was referring to powder amounts.Most muzzleloaders will have sweet spot high powder amount and a low powder amount sweet spot.
Anxious to see your results on squirrels.I've found the 36 for larger game,(Turkey,fox,yote,etc) and the 32 for smaller game.(Rabbits,Squirrel,etc)

21 - 34 of 34 Posts