My first smoker

[ConfederateNorth]

Well, a buddy was cleaning out his gun cabinet and stumbled across a late 1970's kit built Philadelphia Derringer. He'd shot it once or twice with modern powder in the 30+ years he'd owned it. He sold it to me for $25. You see it here after I cleaned it up and oiled the wood.



It came with no caps, powder, shot or ramrod. So I immediately go to work. First thing I did was take some leather stock and wet molded a holster for it. Then I got out some brass stock and made a ramrod for it.





I bought a powder measure, and plan to make a scoop out of antler. I got bored and forged a quick patch knife to go with it, and figured the whole shebang will look good with the tomahawk I made hanging off a belt.



I've done some digging and found a shop about an hour away that carries the Holy Black and caps and is open 7 days a week to boot. Now I just need a couple bucks and to get down to the business of working up a load for it.

[brazosdave]

sweet set up! All of it looks great together!

[Dick Dastardly]

A true short range persuader.

[Roosterman]

He'd shot it once or twice with modern powder in the 30+ years he'd owned it.

[brazosdave]

The load that works best for these, from studies I've seen on box of truth, was 40 grains. It gave 12 inches of penetration on ballistic gelatin.

[Major 2]

Agreed ,  foolish venture...

But I know something of these , the kit as well as a finished version were maufactured in Spain and Imported by Connecticut Valley Arms (CVA).

They are 45 Cal. with about  1 1/8" X 3 " Hex barrels,  pretty stout !  uses a #11 cap,
It was very simple entry level kit , basically lightly sand the Maple stock , drill a few holes , stain, assemble and shoot.

I was given one as gift about 1978 or so , I still have it somewhere.

I used 15 Grains BP and a .451 Speer ball, and it would roar ... 9 times out 10, you'd missed a two story broadside barn wall.

[fourfingersofdeath]

Cool outfit, this is one of those, 'jump on his back and stick it in his ear guns!'

Is the tomahawk head made from a railway spike?

[ConfederateNorth]

As a matter of fact, it is. I made the tomahawk, the patch knife, the holster and the sheath.

I get bored a lot.

[Major 2]

The hawk is very cool , the knife looks hand forged too 

[wildman1]

The load that works best for these, from studies I've seen on box of truth, was 40 grains. It gave 12 inches of penetration on ballistic gelatin.

Don't believe I would shoot 40gs in one of those. I have a .50 cal trapper and shoot 40gs in it, ya know yer shootin somethin. WM

[ConfederateNorth]

As to powder, I found a PDF of the user's manual from CVA (the barrel is marked "Spain" and nothing else, so I'm assuming its an older CVA kit). The manual recommends 15 grains of the Holy Black, so I'll start in that neck of the woods.

Major, you are correct. The patch knife was indeed hand forged from an old file I picked up for $1 at a yard sale. The handle is a scrap of oak from work. Today, I snagged some mahogany with my soon to be purchased BP Colt clone.

[Major 2]

I used 15 Grains tried 18 once... but all I got was a longer flame (unburnt powder)

work up from 12 Grains patch & a .451... I have a ball starter that worked great.