Help With Black Powder Rifle

[Buzz70]

A few days ago my Brother gave me an old black powder rifle that belonged to my Dad. I know absolutely nothing about black powder rifles. I tried to search on Google with no luck. The barrel markings have the following:

Made in Spain
Black Powder Only
Monarch
Cal 50

Can anyone provide me some further information on this rifle or a place to research it further?

Here are some pics:

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Thanks,

Buzz...

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Sorry I can't help you on any of the origins of rifle. Are you interested in any cleaning or shooting information?

 

[264Magnum]

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Sorry, but you did it twice.

 

[sumoj275]

Well, it is a .50 cal percussion cap Hawken type rifle. I would bet that the twist on it is like a 1:66 which will be a round ball and patch performer. From the looks of it it kind of looks like a CVA but Monarch is probably the importer or a chain of stores that had them made up. From the looks of the condition it looks sound, and to have been taken care of. I would check with this site and do some reading http://www.cva.com/faqs.html

HTH

 

[Wormydog1724]

Black Power....


Nevermind.

 

[Buzz70]

Apparently the "d" isn't working on my keyboard today.

 

[Buzz70]

Sorry I can't help you on any of the origins of rifle. Are you interested in any cleaning or shooting information?

Yes, I would like some direction on that as well. I'd like to take it out and shoot it when the weather is nicer.

 

[Buzz70]

Well, it is a .50 cal percussion cap Hawken type rifle. I would bet that the twist on it is like a 1:66 which will be a round ball and patch performer. From the looks of it it kind of looks like a CVA but Monarch is probably the importer or a chain of stores that had them made up. From the looks of the condition it looks sound, and to have been taken care of. I would check with this site and do some reading http://www.cva.com/faqs.html

HTH

Thanks for the info, I'll head out and do some reading.

 

[2tothechest]

The double triggers are sweeeet.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

FFg black powder is the most common powder used in rifles. Most of the older rifles like that will have slow twist rendering the better accuracy with patched roundballs. You can get commercial cut patches but many people use a piece of old heavy cloth and cut there own. Charge weights are relatively low compared to the modern black powder rifles designed for the new substitutes.
A .50 caliber round ball will weigh about 188 grains and a charge of 60-80 grains of FF Black powder is used. Black powder is measured by volume instead of weighing.
Cleaning the old black powder rifles is simplest by assuring it is unloaded and pulling the nipple out. Run the hottest soapy water in a bucket or the bathtub and swab a tight patch on a jag in and out repeatedly to draw the water in and out of the barrel. When the water gets dirty, change and repeat the swabbing until the water stays clean. Repeat with non soapy water, the hot water aids in drying. The traditional folks abstain from using a petroleum based oil, using only natural lube.