Shooting a .45 Caliber Muff PIstol

[NorthCoastBigBore]

Picked up a .45 Caliber "Muff Pistol" and, after some tweaking, got it firing reliably. It's a Henry Nock, with Birmingham proofs likely 1850's. It is a screw barrel but I'm just using PRBs as I'm not crazy about constantly wearing the threads on a 170 year old pistol. Smoothbore pistol. Nice and tight. When I first got it, it didn't like setting the caps off. Two things: 1) was the hammer/nipple geometry; suspect the nipple was a little peened from ancient dry firing. Quick to resolve with some careful re-profiling. 2) the nipple hole was REALLY small compared to any other examples I have on hand. I opened it up (carefully - and only slightly) using #'d bits, to match the diameter of other nipples. Now it goes bang reliably.

Accuracy is not a factor here, but FUN is. Kinda like driving a hot rod - it's not Miles Per Gallon, it's Smiles Per Gallon - or in this case, Smiles Per Shot...

But on the accuracy topic, it hits a man-sized (IDPA) target reliably at 5 yards. Past that, the field of aim becomes more like that old adage, the "Broad Side of a Barn". And I believe you could miss even that. But... FUN man. Just a 15 grain charge of FFFg, imagine velocity is like an airgun. Even with that light charge though it produces a really enjoyable "BOOM" and quite a smoke cloud.

I was laughing like Saint Nick on Christmas Eve after the first shot (I can't think of a better analogy).

Some gratuitous photos to prove the point.

 

[iron cat]

COOL! Mooncoon and I shot my Chance and Sons muff pistol many years ago, and the POI is so low at 30 feet due to the grip configuration, that it is really " card table "" accurate! LOL

Cat

 

[NorthCoastBigBore]

COOL! Mooncoon and I shot my Chance and Sons muff pistol many years ago, and the POI is so low at 30 feet due to the grip configuration, that it is really " card table "" accurate! LOL

Cat

"Card table accuracy" is exactly the phrase I used to describe it myself!

 

[iron cat]

"Card table accuracy" is exactly the phrase I used to describe it myself!

HAHA! I remember looking at a small pistol that Dr. Tim Losey built . He never rifled the barrel , and when I commented about the accuracy he simply stated " How much accuracy do ya need across a card table "?
Cat

 

[iron cat]

Here's my Chance and Son, the trap door trigger on mine always intrigued me.
Cat

 

[NorthCoastBigBore]

Here's my Chance and Son, the trap door trigger on mine always intrigued me.
Cat

Gorgeous little piece there! Yes those trap door triggers have always fascinated me as well.

What caliber is that one, purely out of curiosity?

 

[iron cat]

Gorgeous little piece there! Yes those trap door triggers have always fascinated me as well.

What caliber is that one, purely out of curiosity?

IIRC it's something like a .46
I'll measure it again this afternoon. It was owned by a great uncle of mine so it's pretty neat .

Cat