Success With my Dad's .54 Sidelock!!

[Harley469]

My father had this rifle made over 40 years ago, and it had never been fired until last year when he gave it to me and I started shooting it. I took it with me last season a few times but never had a shot at anything. Finally, today was the day. After filing down the front sight about 1/5" I had it dead on at 50 yards. This morning in N IL was a perfect morning- about 20 degrees, and virtually no wind. I saw four deer at about 100 yards through some brush about a half hour after light, then another three about 30 minutes after that following the same trail. At that point I decided to move off the hillside I was hunting on and cut the distance in half. I climbed up in one of the stands on the property and had a doe and her fawn come in around 9:00 AM. She was headed right at me, but fortunately there was a big tree she walked behind, so I had the opportunity to fully cock the hammer without her looking at me when the hammer clicked. Ended up taking what ended up being a perfect shot when she was approximately 40 yards away. She was slightly quartering to- my round ball went in her shoulder and out her lower, opposite side. She ran about 30 yards and went down. I couldn't have been happier if I had shot a big buck. My primary goal this firearm season was to take a deer with this beautiful, custom ML. Thanks to my Dad, and to my neighbor for allowing me to hunt his property with him.

 

[Whokalouie]

Congrats to you!

 

[snapbang]

very nice

 

[deermanok]

Congrats on a good doe.
That 54 round ball can sure get er done.

 

[HC]

Quest completed. Congrats .

 

[CharlieTN]

That’s awesome. Beautiful rifle and great story.

 

[rusticbob]

.54 Renegade with 225gr patched round ball.
Congrats too you!

 

[.45er]

My father had this rifle made over 40 years ago, and it had never been fired until last year when he gave it to me and I started shooting it. I took it with me last season a few times but never had a shot at anything. Finally, today was the day. After filing down the front sight about 1/5" I had it dead on at 50 yards. This morning in N IL was a perfect morning- about 20 degrees, and virtually no wind. I saw four deer at about 100 yards through some brush about a half hour after light, then another three about 30 minutes after that following the same trail. At that point I decided to move off the hillside I was hunting on and cut the distance in half. I climbed up in one of the stands on the property and had a doe and her fawn come in around 9:00 AM. She was headed right at me, but fortunately there was a big tree she walked behind, so I had the opportunity to fully cock the hammer without her looking at me when the hammer clicked. Ended up taking what ended up being a perfect shot when she was approximately 40 yards away. She was slightly quartering to- my round ball went in her shoulder and out her lower, opposite side. She ran about 30 yards and went down. I couldn't have been happier if I had shot a big buck. My primary goal this firearm season was to take a deer with this beautiful, custom ML. Thanks to my Dad, and to my neighbor for allowing me to hunt his property with him.

Congrats! Awesome hunt too. Great to finally put a notch in that smoker. .

 

[JIMYJAC]

Nice job! Something you`ll always remember.

 

[MrTom]

Mission accomplished you two. Nice work! Congrats.

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Congrats!

 

[Sheriff]

Congrats! Nice job.

 

[Philgumbo]

My father had this rifle made over 40 years ago, and it had never been fired until last year when he gave it to me and I started shooting it. I took it with me last season a few times but never had a shot at anything. Finally, today was the day. After filing down the front sight about 1/5" I had it dead on at 50 yards. This morning in N IL was a perfect morning- about 20 degrees, and virtually no wind. I saw four deer at about 100 yards through some brush about a half hour after light, then another three about 30 minutes after that following the same trail. At that point I decided to move off the hillside I was hunting on and cut the distance in half. I climbed up in one of the stands on the property and had a doe and her fawn come in around 9:00 AM. She was headed right at me, but fortunately there was a big tree she walked behind, so I had the opportunity to fully cock the hammer without her looking at me when the hammer clicked. Ended up taking what ended up being a perfect shot when she was approximately 40 yards away. She was slightly quartering to- my round ball went in her shoulder and out her lower, opposite side. She ran about 30 yards and went down. I couldn't have been happier if I had shot a big buck. My primary goal this firearm season was to take a deer with this beautiful, custom ML. Thanks to my Dad, and to my neighbor for allowing me to hunt his property with him.

Nice looking gun and deer! Enjoy!

 

[eekjellander]

My father had this rifle made over 40 years ago, and it had never been fired until last year when he gave it to me and I started shooting it. I took it with me last season a few times but never had a shot at anything. Finally, today was the day. After filing down the front sight about 1/5" I had it dead on at 50 yards. This morning in N IL was a perfect morning- about 20 degrees, and virtually no wind. I saw four deer at about 100 yards through some brush about a half hour after light, then another three about 30 minutes after that following the same trail. At that point I decided to move off the hillside I was hunting on and cut the distance in half. I climbed up in one of the stands on the property and had a doe and her fawn come in around 9:00 AM. She was headed right at me, but fortunately there was a big tree she walked behind, so I had the opportunity to fully cock the hammer without her looking at me when the hammer clicked. Ended up taking what ended up being a perfect shot when she was approximately 40 yards away. She was slightly quartering to- my round ball went in her shoulder and out her lower, opposite side. She ran about 30 yards and went down. I couldn't have been happier if I had shot a big buck. My primary goal this firearm season was to take a deer with this beautiful, custom ML. Thanks to my Dad, and to my neighbor for allowing me to hunt his property with him.

Ya done good and nice neighbors and having your dads gun makes it great!!!!!!!!!/Ed

 

[Harley469]

Ya done good and nice neighbors and having your dads gun makes it great!!!!!!!!!/Ed

Thank you, I have been very fortunate to be surrounded by great friends, and having grown up in a hunting home.

 

[Harley469]

Nice looking gun and deer! Enjoy!

Thank you

 

[Harley469]

Mission accomplished you two. Nice work! Congrats.

40+ years in the making, though originally he planned on using it in competition.

 

[Harley469]

.54 Renegade with 225gr patched round ball.
Congrats too you!

And to you as well

 

[michiganmuzzy]

40+ years in the making, though originally he planned on using it in competition.

Why didn’t he ever shoot it?

 

[Harley469]

He got remarried and fell out of competitive muzzleloading, and didn't even hunt for a few years. And then when he got back into hunting he used his Traditions Hawken (I think), and at that point I think he didn't want to bust it up out in the v woods and the weather...40 years later he just didn't really care. He still turkey hunts but he said he will probably never deer hunt again. And the only thing he target shoots with now are his pistols and small caliber air rifles. He gave me all the ML's, centerfire rifles, and shotguns. I can handle that, though I miss hunting with him.