# My Black Powder Rifles



## Nicodemus (Jul 14, 2006)

This is my Lyman Great Plains 50 caliber percussion rifle with handmade deerskin shootin` bag, elkhorn powder horn, brass capper, and deer horn powder measure. The rifle case is also made from deerskin.


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## Nicodemus (Jul 14, 2006)

And this is my darlin`. A Davide Pedersoli 50 caliber flintlock longrifle with a 39 inch barrel, handmade deerskin shootin` pouch, cowhorn powder horn, small cowhorn primin` horn, deer horn powder measure, and antler and hickory short starter.


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## xpertgreg (Jul 14, 2006)

They're both beautiful weapons, Nic.  But I have to say that Davide Pedersoli is one sweet looking, long legged gal if i ever seen one.  Bet she almost never misses.

gw


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## CAL (Jul 14, 2006)

Er fair lookin ter do! Now,ya better git them greasy thangs off of tha "Red Heads" sofa! Next thang ya know I'll be er hearing ya hollering all that way up here(50 miles).


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## Nicodemus (Jul 14, 2006)

You are very correct Cal!! She is curious about that stuff! I`m gonna bring both of these up there and you and me gonna do some shootin` with em before long.


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## jeclif (Jul 14, 2006)

I'm glad I don't have a camara   my old irons would look like trade guns next to yours ,Your's are just purdey


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## CAL (Jul 14, 2006)

Now that sounds like er winner Nick.Lets wait till it is a little cool tho.I ain't worth er squat in this hot weather.Them's nice lookin shootin irons Brother.


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## Handgunner (Jul 14, 2006)

I gotta question Nick...  With traditional blackpowder rifles like that, so you go hunting this evening and don't see anything.  Is it a must to shoot them that evening?  How long do you feel comfortable leaving one loaded before emptying it?


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## Nicodemus (Jul 14, 2006)

Jecliff, these are workin` rifles as well, both have taken deer and some small game.

Delton, it would probably be fine for the next day, but I always shoot it when I get in and do a light cleanin` on it in preparation for the next day. In a pinch I would either uncap or knock the primin` powder out of the pan and plug the flash hole with a feather to keep the load dry for the nest day. I`ve never had a misfire with either of these rifles, and I`ve been caught in the rain with the Plains rifle before. It still went off fine.


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## Lostoutlaw (Jul 14, 2006)

man that Davide Pedersoli  That is one fine lookin rifle you just don't see many them round these parts any more reminds me of the old Pa min.man rifle Long Barrel good for some serious shooters


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## CK'n (Jul 14, 2006)

*nice smoke poles! ...hmmm that leather work*

Nicodemus,
Where do you get the deer leather work done? I am interested in a few items, but don't trust a picture in a catalog to "correctly" show me what I will get.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris


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## Nicodemus (Jul 14, 2006)

Ck`n, I did all my leatherwork myself. I too don`t trust what the catalog pics look like. Plus, I really hate to buy it if I can make it myself. I don`t use patterns, I just eyeball it twice and cut once. I get most of my ideas from old history and reference books. If I can look at the picture, I can usually go from there and make the item. It`s also important to me to make all this stuff historically correct.


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## crappie fisher (Jul 22, 2006)

nicodemus did you also tan the deer hide yourself or did you buy it?


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## Nicodemus (Jul 22, 2006)

I tan a lot of my hides, but I traded for the deerskins that I made all those leather goods out of.


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## Inatree (Jul 22, 2006)

Is that a brown barrel on the longrifle ?
Tell me something, Did the fringe work on the leather serve a purpose back in the day or was it purely for looks ?


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## Nicodemus (Jul 22, 2006)

Yea Tree, it`s a browned barrel. 
The fringe serves three purposes. It was for style and decoration, when you need pieces of leather to do a repair on something you just cut them off as needed, and it helps to soften and break up your outline in the woods.
You`ll see it written and hear folks say that the fringe was to help drain water off when it got wet. Well, it doesn`t. I`ve been caught in rain storms while wearin` a full buckskin outfit and all my gear. This stuff draws water like a sponge and only time and the sun will dry it out. Fringe has its uses, but drainin` water ain`t one of em.  
Another  old tale was that when you smoke your buckskins, they would be waterproof. That`s not true either.  All smokin` them does is to darken the leather and to make it dry soft after it has been wet.


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## crappie fisher (Jul 23, 2006)

Do you know a good web site or can you email me some info on how to tan hides.


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## Inatree (Jul 23, 2006)

nicodemus said:
			
		

> Yea Tree, it`s a browned barrel.
> The fringe serves three purposes. It was for style and decoration, when you need pieces of leather to do a repair on something you just cut them off as needed, and it helps to soften and break up your outline in the woods.
> You`ll see it written and hear folks say that the fringe was to help drain water off when it got wet. Well, it doesn`t. I`ve been caught in rain storms while wearin` a full buckskin outfit and all my gear. This stuff draws water like a sponge and only time and the sun will dry it out. Fringe has its uses, but drainin` water ain`t one of em.
> Another  old tale was that when you smoke your buckskins, they would be waterproof. That`s not true either.  All smokin` them does is to darken the leather and to make it dry soft after it has been wet.



I figured there had to be good reason for it, I cant see a man that had to carry everything he owns on his body or a pack animal to carry somthing he didnt need.


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## FERAL ONE (Jul 23, 2006)

nic, i had a pedersoli the same make as yours in 45 cal but it was a percussion. i sold it a few years back     i loved shooting that gun, but i did not have any buckskinnin' friends so the fire faded. now i still shoot my muzzloaders mind you and my boy is getting to where he loves my 50 cals, i might just have to revisit this. i just found out that about 5 or 6 generations  back , my great grandaddy (x6)actually travelled with daniel boone and helped map out the discovery trail . if that dont inspire a man to pick up a longbow and a muzzleloader, i dont know what will.


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## LOVEMYLABXS (Sep 22, 2009)

Them some sort of purdy Nic


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## Jim Thompson (Sep 22, 2009)

I love em Nico!


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## Nicodemus (Sep 22, 2009)

Talk about an old thread! Thanks ya`ll, I still have em both, and the flintlock has a name. Gabriel...


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## Jake Allen (Sep 22, 2009)

Those sure are pretty Nic. Seein' them throws a mighty cravin' my way.


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## Nicodemus (Sep 22, 2009)

Jake Allen said:


> Those sure are pretty Nic. Seein' them throws a mighty cravin' my way.



Thanks Jeff! I`ll let you shoot em, next get together.


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## Hawken2222 (Sep 22, 2009)

Nic, those sure are nice looking rifle's.  One of these days I'm gonna try a flint loc.


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## tv_racin_fan (Sep 22, 2009)

Nic them is fine shootin irons for sure.

I have never had issue with leavin mine loaded. Last deer season The son and I loaded em up and I didn't fire the flintlock until a few months later, it went boom pretty much right on cue and I didn't put a feather in the touch hole either, I need to remember that trick tho.

At one time I kept a BP revolver as my home defence firearm. It stayed within a few steps of me pretty much at all times and it never failed to fire when called upon.


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