MTNMAN..I got everything from Pecatonica Long Rifles and all the components ran just a little over $600..I spent a lot on tools I needed also.
Took me about 6months to finish...was my first attempt..made a lot of little mistakes..but it's mine and I'm glad I did it. Soon as spring gobbler season is over and I can scrape up some money I'm going to start on a 54cal. long rifle for deer and hogs...either same style as this one..Virginia..only instead of the 36" barrel will go with 38" swamped. Either that or an Isaac Haines w/38" barrel..probably the Virginia Style.
Here's my spring gobbler load..80grs. ff, 1 thin overshot card, 3 Wonder Wad 1000 felt wads 100grs. by volume nickle plated no. 6's, 20grs. by volume nickle plated no. 4's dumped into a glued role of post-it paper cut about 1/4" higher than the shot column. I roll the post-it paper on a pc, of wood dowel about 10thousants smaller than my bore..put one of the 3 felt wads inside and dump the shot on top..ease it down the barrel and put one thin overshot card on top. The overshot card pushes the extra paper over for a little crimp. Use fff for prime. This load does good to about 30yds. and then it gets sparse.
30yd. Pattern