One of my favorite toys

[82Rigger]

Thought ya'll might like to see one of my shooters.

I've had this Pennsylvania rifle since 1972. Made it from a kit. The overall style of the rifle is of several Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, gunmakers of around 1820.

The stock is plain maple full length with brass furniture and a "cherry" finish. I wanted a tiger stripe maple stock, but they cost your virgin first-born plus both your kidneys.

I made the stock stain with red berries and soot mixed with raw linseed oil. I was trying for a dark red color, but didn't quite make it.

Barrel is 7/8" diameter octagonal, 3/8" across the flats, 42" long.
Caliber is .45 with a uniform 1 in 56 twist. Overall length is 57 inches and weight is 8 3/4 pounds.

This particular rifle likes a .445 round ball in an unbleached linen patch, spit lubricated, on top of 70 grains of DuPont FFFg. I prime the pan with FFFFg.

Back when I had good eyeballs, I could consistently hit beer cans at 100 yards from a rest.