summer projects

[D.E.C]

Thinking about building a .54cal flintlock pistol, a priming horn and a tomahawk.
Know a bit about pistols but nothing about horns or hawks, other than what i've read in totw and dixie catalogs.
Any thoughts or comments?

[crow_feather]

Read up just a bit on horns.  There are some interesting things that you can do to make your horn one-of-a-kind.  I think a lot of who you are is displayed by the horn and possible bag that you carry.

C F

[lostid]

Any thoughts or comments?

 Ya..follow C_F.'s advise,,,Go to your public Library. If you live near KC. they'll have a ton of buks ta read, with pictures too  all about buckskinnin stuff. A little reading for free,,can sure help save yer wallet from gettin too lite too soon

Serious;
 How ta build a gun.
 How ta scrimshaw.
 How ta forge iron and polish iron.

you'll get all kinds of ideas and info from them buks.

[D.E.C]

Just bought a cheap horn at Cabelas. got it home and found that it didnot have a fill plug. I ordered a brass bushing and plug from TOTW and $4.00s later I have a fair looking horn on my wall. Two of my flinters hang on my basement wall. My 7yr. old daughter got a real kick out of decorating the horn with beads, looks pretty good. Next I'm looking to build a priming horn and a flint pistol, probably Dixie's .54 cal Kentucky.
I also bought a bag from Cabelas, daughter put beads on it too and I Plan to let her decorate it some more, within reason.
Going through Tennessee during vacation so we'll stop at Dixie Gun Works. Not too obvious is it.
Serious question, just got a .54 Blueridge and will be buying a mold. Any preference between a .530 and a .535 dia. ball?
Been using .530 with a .15 patch but the wind has been ferocious so haven't been able to really group with it.

[lostid]

I love the .54 also. So I'll tell ya my story(short) about them ball.
  I shoot Dutch. Cut at the muzzle dry-lube patch. The system works great! Anyway's, I had found a combo of lube and a .021/.011 crushed denim with a .535. ball that gave me 1" bench groups at 50( talk about confidence), trouble is I only had 2 yrds of that cloth!
 Well, I had "too soon" found myself running out of patch material.  I looked in every fabric shop in a 60 mile radius trying to find the same and finally found something close. The "close" fabric didn't work well at all!(crushed thicker .0115) I had to change to a .530 ball and increase the lube to find the same happy 1" group I know and trust.
 Moral of the story, and lesson learned is; it don't matter which variable you change,.530 or .535 ball size still has to be wraped with a patch that has a lubrication. Personal experience lends a snug fitting patch with a dryish lube is most accurate.
 Which mold? I guess 530 is most common,,easiest to practice with while learning consistant cast and still maintain re-sale value.
 luck to ya,
ps. i got a few horns here and onna them "priming" valve thingy's i'll send ya fer (easy enough ta do your self)..PM we'll swap e-addy's