“More complex than our flint longrifle parts kits, a Hawken rifle is not recommended as a first gun-making project unless you have machinist’s skills, or an experienced mentor to guide your work.” (Catalog # 18, Track of the Wolf, Inc.)
2021 NMLRA Board of Directors Candidates
The NMLRA Board of Directors Ballots will be mailed shortly. To prepare, please review the candidates here as presented in the January 2021 issue of Muzzle Blasts Magazine.
When your ballot arrives, please review the “Casting your Vote” video to ensure you follow the directions correctly.
Executive Committee Message | Muzzle Blasts January 2021
Muzzle Blasts January 2021 | Volume 82 No. 5
Let's Build a Traditions St. Louis Hawken Part 9 Final Assembly
Bill Raby's 4 Bore Rifle Build - Part 36
Bill continues his 4 bore rifle build this week as finishes installation of the butt plate, and continues work on his ramrod. Bill is making the ramrod out of an ebony board, should look great!!
Watch the next episode today!
Help support this channel to keep the videos coming. Members get to watch the videos as soon as the editing is finished: https://www.patreon.com/BillRaby
National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association: https://www.nmlra.org/
American Long Rifles Forums: https://americanlongrifles.org/forum
This project is a flintlock 4 bore English rifle. It’s an elephant gun. These were the largest hunting rifles to ever be in general use. This one will represent one that would have been made around 1840. At that time the percussion rifles were much more common, but 4 bores were made in flintlock in small numbers right up until the time cartridges became available. I will be trying to keep it as historically accurate as I can.
I am not an expert at this. I am not going to show you the right way or the best way to do this. I am just showing you how I am doing it. There are a number of books and videos out there about how to build guns. Every one of them is going to show you a different way to do things. Study all of them and decide what way is going to work best for you.
Chronographing a Snider Enfield at the Walter Cline Range
Let's Build a Traditions St. Louis Hawken Part 8: Staining, Oiling and Finishing the Stock
Why did southern rifles have feathers in the stocks?
2021 New Year's Day and Blanket Shoot Updates
Let's Build a Traditions St. Louis Hawken Part 7: Bluing your Barrel
Next on our list here is bluing the barrel, barrel rib, tang, and any other “white” iron pieces like screwheads. First though we are going to soak a cotton ball in some rubbing alcohol and wipe down all the pieces we want to blue. This is going to clean off any dust or dirt from the shop, but also remove any skin oils or other oils that may be on the parts to give us our best shot at an even blued finish.
Let's Build a Traditions St. Louis Hawken Part 6: Preparing your Stock for Stain
ADA Rifle Project Update, November 2020
Our American with Disabilities Act project is working hard towards building a rifle and complete set of accoutrements to raise money for building ADA compliant restrooms at the Walter Cline range. Mike Miller, Dennis Priddy, Larry Horrigan, Dick Miller, John Kleihege, Bart Copenhaver, Bill Hoover and I are building the rifle. The Honorable Company of Horners is making a powder horn, Jeff Luke is making a shooting bag, Ron Lowell is crafting a banded priming horn, Larry Callahan is hand making a ball mold and a tow worm, John Cummings is forging one of his signature knives. Look to Muzzle Blasts and the NMLRA. org website for details on how you can purchase tickets to win this once in a lifetime prize.
Christmas Tree in Memory of Meghan May
50th Annual Alafia River Rendezvous
Join NMLRA Charter Club, the Florida Frontiersmen, for the 50th Annual Alafia River Rendezvous, January 13-24, in Homeland Florida. For more information, check out the flyer below or visit their website at alafiariverrendezvous.org
