So I found this box leaning against the garage...SMR Build

Some day I will have one. They produce beautiful muzzleloaders!!

Been a few busy days, but most of the metal has been fitted. Need to make 3 more barrel pins, and then the buttplate. Well, then I need to make a toeplate for it, but waiting on that steel.

After that, then pull everything and start the finishing process.

BigAl52 said:

Where did you find it for 36.00? Im not finding one for that

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I found it on amazon. There was only the one. Price went up from there and fast. There were a couple on abebooks.com for a little more.

Been a busy week, so haven't gotten a great deal done on it. I also had to move my mobile vise into the house so I can work on the rifle. It's getting too cold to work in the barn.

Took the lock apart yesterday, and started filing out the casting marks. Figures I'd run out of wet/dry 400 sandpaper, so have to get some today. I should be able to start getting the metal cleaned up, and have the barrel draw filed today.

Draw filed the barrel yesterday, and started working more on the other metal. Jim is right, don't let filing the barrel intimidate you.

The buttplate is really giving me fits, particularly the crescent section. Started with a half round file, but didn't seem like that was doing much good. Switched to a mill file, and that helped a little. But as I was starting to sand it, I could see marks still, possibly from the round file? Sure seems like I'm going to use up all of my Emory cloth trying to clean it up.

Jim makes that filing look easy in his youtube videos. But when you have done as much as he has he knows exactly which file to use and how to use it. Unlike this rookie at polishing out brass. Ive polished out many a semi truck wheel with a buffer but not many butt plates on guns. Are you going to brown the barrel or leave it in the white?

I'm going to give it an antique gray, and going to fire blue the lock parts, minus the frizzen and tumbler, of course.

Birddog1911 said:

I'm going to give it an antique gray, and going to fire blue the lock parts, minus the frizzen and tumbler, of course.

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How do you do "French Grey" or Antique Grey? Are they the same/

Snake Pleskin said:

How do you do "French Grey" or Antique Grey? Are they the same/

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I'm still a rank novice, but my technique is the same as Jim's in his video regarding the SMR barrel.

Birddog1911 said:

I'm still a rank novice, but my technique is the same as Jim's in his video regarding the SMR barrel.

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Hey Rank Novice how is the build coming along? Inquiring minds are curious.

Been slowly working on polishing the metal parts. I unfortunately got some deep scratches from a file in the buttplate, so that's been taking some time to clean up. My stones came the other day, so will get to work on those.

The last couple of days have been slow, attempted methodical work on a toeplate. Have to order the screws, but I can probably finish it tonight.

My thinking is finish getting the toeplate fitted, then start on the stock. While it's drying, finish polishing and graying the metal.

Birddog1911 said:

Been slowly working on polishing the metal parts. I unfortunately got some deep scratches from a file in the buttplate, so that's been taking some time to clean up. My stones came the other day, so will get to work on those.

The last couple of days have been slow, attempted methodical work on a toeplate. Have to order the screws, but I can probably finish it tonight.

My thinking is finish getting the toeplate fitted, then start on the stock. While it's drying, finish polishing and graying the metal.

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Bummer on the deep scratches. Was that from file choice?

rickystl said:

As to the OP: Looks like a box-lock type pistol from the 1850's/60's (?). Can't figure out what that "hook" thing is in front and part of the trigger guard ?

Rick

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BigAl52 said:

Bummer on the deep scratches. Was that from file choice?

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It probably was. I grabbed the half round file first. I've got most of them worked out, but lesson learned.

Was one of my concerns when I made that comment about Jim in a prior post. Experience is priceless. Not to mention that currently I dont have a gun builders selection of files and stones laying around.

I tend to be heavy handed with files and should know better. I think that's why it takes me so long to build a rifle.

I was hoping to have all of the metal finished today, and pretty much everything is, but the new toeplate. Got the dimensions cut and filed, and punched where to drill the holes. Tomorrow I'll drill the holes, and use some temp screws so I can finish fitting it up.

I refitted all of the metal to the stock, so I could profile the stock around the tang, etc. That didn't take much, but lesson learned. When I did the initial fitting, I could have gone ahead and done it then, instead of repeating steps.

Been a busy couple weeks, work wise. Spent a week out of town. But, I've made some more progress.

Mostly got myself out of my...toe jam.... As I was fitting the 4th, I'll be darned if I didn't chip the back end. So, cut it back another 1/10th or so, and make another plate!

Got all of the other metal cleaned up, sanded, and prepped for fire bluing. Once the toe plate is done, I'll get going on that, and sanding the stock for finishing.

Been busy with work and holidays, but I've also been plagued with "paralysis by analysis" with regards to the toe plate issue. I've come to accept that it's my first build, and it's okay if it's not perfect.

So, I'm slowly moving along, trying to do a little more here and there.