Hello all...

[RipOne]

Not there Kev - raise the barrel some 

[Busta]

captkev,

Congrats! Do yourself a favor and get yourself a range rod, worth every penny. The breech plug tool sucks, but I had mine modified by putting six flats around the top part so that a 13/16" spark plug socket will slide over it making removal with socket wrench and short extension easy. If you scope your barrel you will really appreciate that mod. Finally, your rear sight will be on the upper end of the scale and when I shoot the 460 grain conicals it is off the scale. I bought a Williams WGRS peep sight for the conicals and that goes in the two rear scope base holes and allows for more elevation due to it sitting higher on the sighting plane.

These muzzleloaders have their quirks, but once you see how well they shoot, you will be happy to deal with the quirks or modify them. Good luck on the range.

[captkev]

    Busta,

 Thanks for the TIP's  and all the help. I'll move that site up the ramp a bit before I shoot it, as for a scope... Minnesota has to pass the Law to allow me to use one first, then and IF it ever happens, I'll be puting a scope on for sure.  I have a carbon range rod I bought for my CVA, and kept it when I sold the gun. But I don't see myself luging it out to the feild with me, not that it is heavy, just that it is long.  I have some speed loaders for the powder & bullet, but with the rod that comes with the barrel, a second shot might not be an option anymore, not that I should need one if I make the right shot the first time. A friend of mine on the last weekend of last years season shot a nice 12 pointer (White Tail) off of a bed in a swamp, the deer never got off of its bed, the rest of the story... He stood there for a few seconds and then made 3 steps towards the deer, and a bigger one stood up not 20 feet from where the other one layed I got to see the deer run off, but I was on the other side of my friend about 10 yards and could not take the shot past him, then the deer stoped and looked at us like it knew my friend was'nt re-loaded, and I was'nt shooting over my friend.  That deer has been spoted in the bean feild next to the swamp the last couple of months. I hope he makes it threw Bow and Rifle season for me He would make a nice deer for the new gun.

[Busta]

The ramrod is one of the biggest peeves for me, but if you use it as designed, it will work. It does take a little extra time, but I have never needed a second shot with a muzzleloader anyways. Just make sure you start the bullet with the rod in the collapsed position, push the bullet at least half way down then extend and push it the rest of the way. If you follow that proceedure it wont break on you, if you have it extended and try cramming a tight fitting bullet down, you will probably break it eventually. I ordered a spare from NEF, for $8 it is worth it for the piece of mind should it ever break. Some guys hav made a short piece of dowel to use as the extension, that way you can leave the rod collapsed and just use the dowel to push it the rest of the way. Just remember to remove before firing. I also had a couple custom jags made for my ramrod that allow you to patch, push pointed bullets and also is threaded to lock the rod in the closed position.

With all the mods done, it is my favorite out of 7 muzzleloaders. Just too bad the engineers at H&R/NEF wouldnt pick up on some of our modifications and implement them into production. If they did, they would sell a lot more of these rifles and could get more money out of 'em to boot.

[mangulator]

I'm with you Busta, I wish NEF would look at the breach plug tool, rod, and the jag. I believe it would be a simple fix with very little cost in production. The company would see an increase in sales with a lot of happy customers. But with some modifications I have been happy with my Huntsman!

[captkev]

  I wish I had time to go shoot it. But I'll just have to sit it out untill I can get the rest of the stuff I need, I have company coming to go fishing this weekend, If no-one else shows the fallowing weekend I'll be at the range. I agree with the ram rod, I thougt about a short dowel yesterday... see how great minds think alike... LOL  Adapt and over come I'd say the breach plug tool out weighs my frustration over the rod, that is a small smooth piece of metal! I hope I don't need it when its -20 degree  and my hands are cold. My thoughts are to fix that problem before I need it.

[RipOne]

Never left home without it - bullet starter / but traditional and always used the round ball.

[Busta]

There are a few options for the breech plug tool. You could weld a nut (fill only the inside of nut with weld) on the top so you can put a wrench on it, mill the tool with six flats for a socket. I bought a back-up tool ($3.95 at my dealer)and milled the flats for a socket. I also picked up a spare plug ($6.95 at my dealer) with intentions of modifying it for a 209 without the carriers, but ended up buying the .25 ACP conversion from PR Bullets. Im very happy with mine with the mods, but it didn't happen overnight.

Another thing that would be VERY nice to have on it would be a forend lug with a ramrod hole through it like the Encore. Then we could could use a nearly full length ramrod for loading, and just screw on an extension for swabbing/cleaning. I just might make that mod in the future, by machining the stud down to the barrel and installing an Encore type stud/thimble and modifying my forend for the stud. I am always dreaming of ideas to make these things better, just wish I could get paid for it.

[mangulator]

Busta, when you figure out the plan of installing that ram rod please post the plan and maybe send it to NEF.

[captkev]

 I'm going to get out and put a few round threw it this weekend, I've waited long enough!

[Kart29]

Quick question about the Williams WGRS-H&R peep sight.  I ordered one from H&R to go with my huntsman barrel. 

Question is this:

Will the front sight that comes with the barrel work with the WGRS peep sight or will I need to buy a different front sight, too?

[Busta]

Kart29,

The standard front Williams Fire-Siight should be fine. I have the 24" SS barrel on mine and shooting 460 grain conicals at 100 yards puts the WGRS at the higher end of the scale and shooting light saboted bullets puts it more near the center. As a matter of fact it is regulated batter than the standard rear Williams Fire-Sight, shooting the heavy conicals with the standard rear puts the sight off the scale but still able to lock the screw down. It is a little better for lighter saboted bullets.

The WGRS is the better of the two sights for the Huntsman/Sidekick.

Cost/time saving tip:

If you are putting the WGRS on a previously sighted in barrel, before you remove the standard rear sight, mount the WGRS and adjust the peep to line up with your rear and front sight centered exactly as you would for your normal sight picture. Then I mark the position of the standard rear sight and that way if I ever bump the sights all I have to do is slip the standard rear sight back on the ramp to check if anything is out of alignment. This will save bullets/powder/time at the range getting back on paper. I did this with mine and didn't even have to move it at all at the range, it was right on the money.

[coon-hunter1]

I am kind of late on this but hello and welcome!!!
The one thing that I did with my front sight was to add a trekker front sight guard to my huntsman and all my other M/L rifles.  It looks like the front sight guard on military rifles and does a good job of protecting the sight.  I bought mine a Cabelas for about $11.00 item #IG216123.  I hunt in alot of thick cover and feel better about having the extra protection on the sight even though it is metal.