Quote:
Originally Posted by Muley Gil
giz,
I'm also a reenactor and a member of the North-South Skirmish Association.
From what I've read on the Authentic Campaigner site and the N-SSA site, the primary concern with the Indian made guns is the SAFETY of the pieces. It has been reported that the weapons are imported without being drilled for touch holes or in the percussion channel. It also appears that some have blown up.
Of course, any firearm can be damaged if the rules aren't followed.
I haven't examined one myself, so I don't have a dawg in this fight.
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Muley,
There are a group of import guns that
should not be shot, as they are designed to be wallhangers. They are just plain to dangerous to try and convert. These guns are cheaply made and use inferior materials. Many came into this country around the Bi-Centennial years.
The gun I'm showing is a modern contract gun made to the specs of Middlesex Village Trading Co. It is meant to be replica of a Ketland fusil. For import reasons these guns come into the USA without the touchholes being drilled or the frizzens hardened. MVTC bores the holes and hardens the frizzens, before marketing the gun. Mine was totally dismantled, after I purchased it. A good friend is the only Muzzleloading gunsmith in my part of Maine. He does strictly ML guns. He could find nothing wrong with it. I measured the barrel and examined the breach. When it was back together, in a safe manner ~ I proofed the barrel with a 110 grain charge of FFg. The barrel mic'd the same along it's length, the breach area was re-examined and no apparent change was noted. Obviously, I cannot determine the metalurgy used to make the barrel. This is something that can be verified with American barrel makers.
My working load for this gun in roundball is 60 gr of FFg with a tightly patched .610 ball. This is close to half the proof load. I had put approximately 200 rounds through the gun before the refininish. I'm now practicing with the gun getting ready for a wood walk smoothbore shoot. I am happy to say that it is a very accurate smoothbore.