John Browning Mountain Rifle

[PJ Hardtack]

My 'as new', unfired .50 Browning Mountain Rifle arrived last week. What a beaut!

This rifle is to MLs what A Shiloh is to Sharps rifles - semi-custom. Dense, dark wood, great inletting, oil finish, browned steel furniture, pewter nose cap, SST. All the screw heads (and I mean ALL) are lined up parallel to the bore; the barrel key escutcheon screws, tang screws, etc.

She sure is built 'hell fer stout', the heaviest off hand rifle I own. No wonder the mountain men used their wiping sticks for a rest! J.S. Hawken sold x-sticks long before they became popular with the buffler hunters. The SST is going to spoil me for other rifles.

What would I change? Well, for starters, I'd like the hammer face x-hatched for safety. It's possible to let it slip right now as it's pretty smooth and not at a good vertical angle. I'd like a more traditional rear sight and a silver blade front. Small things easily done.

I found out that the nipple would not accept #11 caps. I ordered a couple that will and after I did that, I discovered I had a couple that would accept #10s. Now I got my druthers. Got a couple of custom horns coming and I've got a beautiful beaded possibles bag I lucked onto years ago at a Rendezvous

Lookin' forward to punchin' holes and makin' smoke with this Plains Rifle of the first order.

[Forty Rod]

Thet shines, it do.  You done yerseff proud, Peej.

[PJ Hardtack]

Thanks Forty Rod!

Yep, she shore does shine! I've hand rubbed in some coats of oil and waxed the wood; brought it up well and accentuated the grain.

Gonna be buyin' a new high rez camera soon so's I can post pics of some of my toys. One of the great joys of what we do is sharin' with others of like mind and values.
I've learned a lot by joinin' this forum from guys who've 'been there - done that'. I'm willin' ta learn from their experience. I mus' be gettin' old or sumthin'. Time was I preferred learnin' everything the hard way ..... ;>)