Thread: Cracking the Code on another Double Rifle

Originally Posted by imaca

What precautions do you take when firing and old firearm like this for the first time?

Ear and eye protection only.

This rifle is only 100 years old, made of quality Swedish carbon steel by a very good gunmaking company.
It is in perfect mechanical condition.
The bores are good
The barrels ring true when tapped with a brass hammer
I am shooting back powder only in it which is what it was made for and Proofed for.
The Lefaucheux type underlever double bite action is renowned for its strength and safe long service.

Black Powder generates modest pressures around 12K PSI which is what the rifle was designed for.
So if there are no obvious red flags it's good to go.

Sometimes I would test a black powder rifle from a sand bag bench with a trigger string, but I don't buy rifles in that sort of condition

I will test the full cock hammer sears buy firing a lest barrel with the right hammer cooked on an empty chamber to check it doesn't fire under recoil.
And visa versa

But I generally never cock both hammers while hunting with my doubles because the animals I hunt I eat rather than them eating me

Good old guns are safe guns if you are shooting the load and bullets they were intended for.

Try and run trailboss or nitro for black in them and all bets are off