Pedersoli Mang in Graz

[Second-rate Marksman]

A New Pistol and a Shot at Redemption

I’d been hunting for a new pistol for a while to replace my old custom belt flintlock. That thing was a disaster—poorly executed and so inaccurate I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. My rock-bottom moment came at the Fawn Creek rendezvous, where I didn’t hit a single target on the pistol trail walk. Not one. The guy scoring the event kept giving me pitying looks, patting me on the shoulder, and saying, “There, there. We all have our bad days.” I’ve never been so mortified in my life. I knew I could do better.

Originally, I had my sights set on a Le Page, with its reputation for accuracy and a resume of world championships to back it up. But then I stumbled across a Mang in Graz on Guns International for $550. I made an offer of $450 shipped, and to my surprise, the seller accepted.

Let me tell you—this Mang in Graz is a keeper! At 25 yards off-hand, it’s dead-on. I do have to practically hammer the patched ball down the barrel using Pedersoli’s suggested combo (.375 ball with a .005 patch), but the results speak for themselves. I’m running 10 grains of FFFG, and it’s a tack driver.

Since switching to this pistol, I’ve earned a perfect score on the pistol trail walk at the last two Coeur d’Alene Muzzleloaders club shoots. To go from absolute embarrassment to back-to-back wins feels incredible. Safe to say, I’m thrilled with this pistol!

Anyone else shooting a Mang in Graz or have other recommendations for pistols that balance beauty and accuracy?

[Bigsmoke]

The old T/C Patriots did a pretty good job of delivering the balls where you wanted them.
And they came in .45 caliber as well.
Too bad they didn't make it in .62 or I would have bought one.
John

[Second-rate Marksman]

A couple of the guys in the club use Patriots, and they seem to be pretty happy with them overall.

A .62 caliber, huh? That’s about what I’d expect from you, John. Honestly, I’m surprised… isn’t that a little on the small side? 😏

My only gripe with the .38 is that I’ve got to have all the guys in the entourage listen for the “ting” of that tiny little ball hitting the steel target for confirmation; it’s not always easy to distinguish a hit from a miss. I often have the same issue with my .40 SMR, and the guys frequently give me a hard time for not using a “big boy gun”. That’s what prompted me to purchase the Miroku Brown Bess.

[Bigsmoke]

Well, back in the days when we were making the big bore rifles, I did have thoughts of producing a .72 cal double pistol along the lines of a Howdah gun.  It just never happened.
I believe Pedersoli does have one cataloged.  I think it is only a .62, but I could be wrong on that.
Regardless, I sure did like those big bore guns.  There is just something about pulling the trigger on something that has 400 grains of powder going off inside of it.  You can literally feel the ground shake under your feet.  What a sensation that is.
John (Bigsmoke)

[Second-rate Marksman]

You must really like pushing your limits, John! Some kind of masochistic tendencies, perhaps? 

I’d probably need some serious backup, like a diaper. Still, I get it—there’s a unique thrill in shooting larger calibers that just can’t be matched by the smaller ones. Regardless, I don’t typically venture much beyond 100 grains of powder in any of my firearms.

[Bigsmoke]

I always looked at it like this.
A Yugo will get you to the grocery store just as well as a Corvette.  The difference is that a Corvette is a heck of a lot more fun.

Honestly, I seldom shot the 8 bore and the 4 bore but when I did, I always used what I figured was the top load, 300 grains in the 8 and 400 grains in the 4.  I seldom used anything but Fg powder in them.
But in my .62, .69 and .72, I did use reduced load to plink and target shoot, the .62 was 135 grains of Ffg and the .69 and.72 was 150.  Due to stock design, the weight of the rifle and wide butt plates, the felt recoil with those charges was negligible.

Enough of this pirating your post.  Your pistol looks very nice, and Pedersoli does in fact make mighty accurate firearms.  Maybe I might get a chance to shoot it next June at the CdA rendezvous?
John

[No Powder]

I've never owned a black powder pistol of any kind. Always wanted a flintlock pistol. I'm not familiar with what you have there, but it is a nice looking piece and I'm glad you like it and congratulations on how well you have shot with it.

[Second-rate Marksman]

I always looked at it like this.
A Yugo will get you to the grocery store just as well as a Corvette.  The difference is that a Corvette is a heck of a lot more fun.

I totally get where you’re coming from! Of course, having shot exclusively centerfire guns just one short year ago, I tend to look at any black powder firearm as the “Corvette” and the smokeless shooters as the “Yugos”. Oh, who am I kidding… I just love to SHOOT! You see, I’m a strong proponent of gun control… if there’s a gun, I want to be in control of it.

You’re absolutely welcome to take the Graz for a test drive at the June rendezvous. I’m looking forward to meeting you, John. Heard a lot about you (all good things). Did you attend this year’s rendezvous? I was just wondering if I’ve already met you and simply don’t recall.

[Second-rate Marksman]

I've never owned a black powder pistol of any kind. Always wanted a flintlock pistol. I'm not familiar with what you have there, but it is a nice looking piece and I'm glad you like it and congratulations on how well you have shot with it.

Thank you, Thomas. You’re missing out, friend! Pistols are a different kind of animal altogether. If I’m being honest, I likely wouldn’t own one myself if it weren’t a requirement for our club shoot’s aggregate. I’ve let a couple really nice flintlock pistols slip through my fingers, but it was always a necessary evil in order to trade up (this is how I acquired one of my Richard Miller rifles). Good flintlock pistols aren’t cheap, and it’s hard to justify spending as much for a pistol as one would for a quality rifle, you know? You’d figure that, being approximately one sixth of the size of a rifle, they’d be a sixth of the price!

[Bigsmoke]

You’re absolutely welcome to take the Graz for a test drive at the June rendezvous. I’m looking forward to meeting you, John. Heard a lot about you (all good things). Did you attend this year’s rendezvous? I was just wondering if I’ve already met you and simply don’t recall.

Nope, we didn't attend the RDV this year.  Our vacation plans didn't call for us being in Idaho in 2024.  I heard it was good and the new location sounds like a real winner to me.  Instead, we went up to the California Coastal Redwoods, then up the Oregon coast winding up at Mt. St. Helens.  It was a really good trip.  In 2025, I get to pick the destinations.  First the Cyr, MT Wildhorse RDV, then the CdA RDV, then hopefully Moscow and Colfax will be happening, then back to the Oregon coast and south.  Maybe we will cross paths at one or more of the other ones.  In between times, I am also hoping to slip over to Grangeville as well.  I will probably have my Lyman GP pistol for those pistol events.

[Second-rate Marksman]

Sounds like you had an amazing trip this year! The California Coastal Redwoods and the Oregon coast are absolutely stunning—I bet that was a great adventure. Your 2025 plans sound packed and exciting, especially with all the rendezvous lined up. It’d be great to cross paths at one of them. Wildhorse is a blast! I visited it this year as a spectator— it was my first rendezvous ever. Hoping to be back next year as a participant. I’m looking forward to seeing that Lyman pistol in action!