OT - H&R Hunstman 58 Cal muzzle loader

[O.S.O.K.]

I just snagged this on gunbroker: $159.50





This is what you might call an impulse buy - there were only minutes left on the auction and I'm partial to this bore size - have all the stuff for it - moulds, balls, patches, etc...

Not sure what the screw in on the rear of the barrel there - perhaps it locks the plug in? Or was for a sight? Its' behind the chamber, so not a problem regardless.

This is one of the older ones - good design - break action, uses standard caps and is fairly weather resistant when closed. Also has an adjustable rear sight and is fairly light, steel trigger guard and hinge plate - I've handled these before. The old ones are a better design than the newer ones that take the plastic holder/205 primers and have plastic parts IMHO.

Anyhoo - thought I'd share this with you.

Anybody else have one of these?

[86er]

For a long time I hunter with a Zouave .58 musket that like 990 grain maxi balls, and the powder was ignited by a musket cap. It made really big holes in deer!

Good luck with it!

[Pete44ru]

I converted one of those, but in .50 cal, to a 209 primer ignition simply by replacing the nipple with a T/C primer conversion kit, available in many gunshop's ML dept's and online for less then $15.

The gun was for my Grandson, and I wanted utter reliability & a hot spark for Pyro pellets.

.

[O.S.O.K.]

Yeah, a 58 throws a good sized ball or bullet!

Thanks for the tip on the TC conversion - does that require any kind of holder? I really prefer the type like my Omega has - it just holds the primer and the action locks it in place - shoot and it just falls out when you open the action - nice.

[deerwhacker444]

Nice.!

I bet it kills on one end, maims on the other..

[O.S.O.K.]

Depends on what bullet and how much powder

70 grains of 2F under a round ball aren't bad at all - at least not in my other 58 - but it probably weighs a bit more than this one...

Oh and Pete44ru, I found a small rifle primer nipple at Dixie - that what you mean? Doh - just read your reply again - you said 209 converter - - can't seem to find that one... and any other details like thread size would help too. Thanks

[jhrosier]

O.S.O.K.

I have had several of the H&R rifles in the past and they were all fun to shoot and fairly accurate.

However......

Yours is a later model and the breech plug is not threaded into the barrel.

If you get a hangfire and open the breech too early, the breechplug will go through you like a bullet!

Be really careful with that gun.

They were banned from the black powder shoots around here after several accidental discharges and someone got killed by one.

Powder residue can also build up inside the firing pin channel and cause the firing pin to freeze in the extended position. If this happens, the gun will probably fire unexpectedly when the breech is closed.

I'm not happy to rain on your parade, but you need to be aware of the possible problems.

Jack

[Thunder50]

I have one like yours, but mine does not have the screw(probably to hold the breechplug in place if you have a mis-fire and open the breech), nor does mine have the slot cut in the top of the barrel. I tried it with a replacement nipple for the Remington 700 ML so I could use Musket caps, and then changed it over to use a 209 primer. It was the part for the 700 ML that holds 209's, but it fit just fine on the Huntsman. Shoot it , open it and use your fingernail to pick the spent primer off the holder and reload, using a 209 capper. Figure its a good 100 yd gun and punches a big hole.

[Old Ironsights]

O.S.O.K.

I have had several of the H&R rifles in the past and they were all fun to shoot and fairly accurate.

However......

Yours is a later model and the breech plug is not threaded into the barrel.

If you get a hangfire and open the breech too early, the breechplug will go through you like a bullet!

Be really careful with that gun.

They were banned from the black powder shoots around here after several accidental discharges and someone got killed by one.

Powder residue can also build up inside the firing pin channel and cause the firing pin to freeze in the extended position. If this happens, the gun will probably fire unexpectedly when the breech is closed.

I'm not happy to rain on your parade, but you need to be aware of the possible problems.

Jack

+ A LOT.

I had one in .45. It was a great gun, so long as you recognised the press-fit/O-Ring breech issue.

FWIW the lawsuits from that breech are what killed H&R before Mossberg bought it.

It will be a great gun as long as you respect its foibles.

[mescalero1]

O.S.A.K
Have one in .45 caliber, perfect shape bore clean & nice.
Yours for $100.00

[O.S.O.K.]

Thanks guys for the heads up and explaination of the history - the Rem 700 209 plug huh? Thanks. I will be careful with it - it was my understanding that the plug would strike the back of the receiver - and go no further. I don't think that little screw would be enough to stop it either.

Interesting.

Mescelero - I'm good for now thanks - I just bought this because it's a 58 really. I like the big bore.

I think a 209 conversion would pretty much do away with any hang fires - so I'll probably go that route.

[Old Ironsights]

O.S.A.K
Have one in .45 caliber, perfect shape bore clean & nice.
Yours for $100.00

That .45 is a particularly good gun if you have a Ruger Old Army.

They use the same 200gr REAL bullets...

[Andrew]

That .45 is a particularly good gun if you have a Ruger Old Army.

They use the same 200gr REAL bullets...

Uhhgg......must.....resist.....temptations....

[mescalero1]

Andrew,
give in to temptation, it really is in very good shape.

[Old Ironsights]

Andrew,
give in to temptation, it really is in very good shape.

Luuuke.... come over to the dark side....

[mescalero1]

[marlinman93]

FWIW the lawsuits from that breech are what killed H&R before Mossberg bought it.

It will be a great gun as long as you respect its foibles.

Mossberg didn't buy H&R, Marlin bought them.

[Old Ironsights]

FWIW the lawsuits from that breech are what killed H&R before Mossberg bought it.

It will be a great gun as long as you respect its foibles.

Mossberg didn't buy H&R, Marlin bought them.

Right. What's an "M" between friends anyway?

[O.S.O.K.]

Andrew,
give in to temptation, it really is in very good shape.

$100 is a great price!

Oh, and I found a M700 ML 209 Primer nipple - on the way!

And just how does one remove the breach plug on this model? It's a "slip fit"? So it comes out how?

I don't have it yet- should be on the way tomorrow.

[mescalero1]

On mine, I grabbed the nipple block with needle nose vise grips and pulled out.
The O ring will give resistance, but it will come slowly.

[O.S.O.K.]

On mine, I grabbed the nipple block with needle nose vise grips and pulled out.
The O ring will give resistance, but it will come slowly.

Thanks. It may be kinda dry though - and stick? O rings can deteriorate... I wonder if these are standard sized....

[Old Ironsights]

On mine, I grabbed the nipple block with needle nose vise grips and pulled out.
The O ring will give resistance, but it will come slowly.

Thanks. It may be kinda dry though - and stick? O rings can deteriorate... I wonder if these are standard sized....

Yeah, they are.

Mine was stuck pretty good when I traded for it. I just popped it out with a hardwood dowel and a good thwack.

[mescalero1]

My breach plug is out of the gun, so I measured it
.750 OD
.100 Dia.
no id dont know if I can get it out without damage.
Thanks OI, while searching for my Etalon caliper, I found two more pounds of 700X
and a pound of unique

[mescalero1]

I got a lot of 700X, oh well it will be used

[O.S.O.K.]

sounds like my shop.... thanks guys for the additional info - we'll just have to see what comes out.... I bet that screw was added to keep the plug in place - but I won't be counting on that! I don't think it would take much to sheer that skinny little screw... now maybe three more.... but I think the 209 priming should elimate or at least make a hangfire highly unlikely...