Recent content by rich pierce

An experienced gunsmith I knows feels that pack case hardened frizzens spark the best. When I pack case harden I wrap frizzens and such with mild steel wire- the black stuff in rolls at Home Depot. After quenching the wire is hard and brittle as glass. That’s a lot of carbon added.

Good eyes!

With almost no rise to the comb from the wrist and the curved toe line it seems closest to a Lehigh style.

Cool gun. Looks 1812 era to me with the skinny buttstock and highly curved buttplate. My estimated is not shared by all. There seems to be in all of us a desire to have our originals be considered as early as they could possibly be.

Musketeer is right in that more massive locks are louder when fired. I’m not sure if you’re talking about cocking sounds also.

It’s near impossible to do much to change the buttstock shape with what you have. I’ve never heard of chopping off a buttstock and glueing another one on or of this Quickwood stuff. Use and enjoy the guns as they are, or restock the parts to learn how to build a gun. I’m sure you could find a...

Agree, not a “rifle” by any means. A great example of a higher grade trade gun/lower grade export fowling piece. A really fine heirloom. Obviously converted to percussion during its useful life.

Barrels were forged and made thicker at the breech where the pressure is greatest. Then tapered to save weight, and flared at the muzzle to bring front sight height up to normal and provide a pleasing shape. Hand forging and welding up a barrel is a lot of work. Adding the taper and flare along...

It started with Navy Arms, Dixie Gun Works, Thompson Center, Numrich Arms proving that one can sell many thousands of guns that are not closely modeled after originals. The cost of doing it right is high in research and in development. Next hurdle is that most originals weighed 9 pounds give or...

There are no known rifles by James Lakenen. So nobody can successfully propose that their gun was made by James Lakenen. They can wish or imagine it is so but that is unsupportable. Of all the makers of guns, why would this represent his work? You asked if your gun could be pre-1812. To be...

Guessing Chambers liner. I’m not convinced the touch hole height above the bottom of the pan is the problem but it’s possible. There is a real fireball when the pan lights. Heat rises. What is the hole diameter? You could go as far as 5/64” hole diameter and see if things improve. Generally if...

I’d seen pictures elsewhere- these show the color and figure better. Really well-executed snd the punched background adds a lot of visual interest. A real head turner.

Many fowling pieces adapted to militia use were outfitted with iron ramrods.

A through-hardened frizzen will last 20,000 shots. A case-hardened one at least 5,000 shots. Springs are the most likely part of a lock to fail.

Test it for hardness with a new fine file. If you can file it, and the file does not skate, it does need hardening. Replacement frizzens are not always plug and play. If delivered drilled and hardened and tempered, you may or may not get a good fit to the pan. If not drilled and hardened and...