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bought a muzzle loader last week ...

because it was offer to be a 8 mm caliber and it was made in the style I prefer. having a .314 and a .330 mould so I thought one would fit. its one of those rare small bore maybe made as a boys rifle and no doubt its a very late made muzzle loader.
I would say between 1860 and maybe 1875-78 when they come out of fashion for the next hundred years.

looking good on the first view but there a things to be done before it can be shoot

comparison with a 12 ga shell shows how small it was build

the screw is broken - tig welding

the tip here is broken off - tig welding

the extension of the breech plug was welded before but looks not right at all - tig welding will do the job again

the nipple is broken too, will see if I get a new one that fits. have to build a tool to get it out.
and a long wad hook to get out what is in the barrel now. could be some dirt, could be a forgotten load.
we will see!

here with the dreyse lady's rifle, a similar short range target gun

those were the days iron triggerguard and a grip made from horn

with the dreyse small bore 9,5 mm and 7,8 mm roundball

a 7,8 mm roundball, this was sowjet made buckshot for reloading shotshells I bought 1992 in Tallin/Estonia because it was dirt cheap and I would need it maybe one day.

I think the rifle was made for a low load, maybe 15 grains of black powder maximum but you can shoot it also with 5 grains and a round ball very cheap. it was before air guns became realy popular for such shooting.
for indoor target shooting I would like to use only the powder load and a roundball so don't have a glowing wad laying around any time.

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Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
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bringing civilisation to the barbarians

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