1816 Harpers Ferry Musket Project

[Steve Blancard]

I thought I'd share a couple photos of the start of my Harpers Ferry musket project. If all goes well, I'll add more photos as the project proceeds. As a Confederate reenactor, I've wanted an 1816 Belgian conversion musket for quite a while. Unfortunately, nobody makes a reproduction of it. Pedersoli makes a repro 1816 with drum conversion, but these leave a lot to be desired in terms of authenticity. Belgian conversions were the most common type of conversions done, yet they are virtually non-existent in the reenactment world. Original stocks are fragile and the 175+ year old barrels are not something most folks would want to shoot, including me. But the original locks and hardware were of very high quality and very robust. So I set out to gather the parts and pieces to build my own.

Here are a few shots of what I'm starting with:






This project uses a new Dunlop pre-inletted 1816 stock, a new made Hoyt Belgian conversion barrel and original lock and hardware from a buggered up and cut down Harpers Ferry Type II musket dated 1827. The original barrel, stock and ramrod were cut down by 5", but luckily the hard to find upper band was reinstalled. I'll need to lengthen the ramrod back to original length and acquire a few other small parts. But other than that its all there. With patience and care, I should be able to return this old soldier to its former glory and again carry it in battle.

I'm sure I'll be asking questions and advice along the way. Plese feel free to offer suggestions and comments.

Thanks!

 

[varsity07840]

How long was the wait from Bob for the barrel? I didn't know he made new 1816s. Would I be out of line asking what he charged you? I had one done by Whitacre. He uses his standard '42 tube and modifies it, in my case for flint. The only problem is he leaves the breech area a bit fat, so it needs some reshaping. Mine is also(dare I say) rifled.

Duane

 

[Steve Blancard]

Duane,

I bought the barrel slightly used off the N-SSA site. I don't know what Bob gets for them new. But it seems to fit very nicely in the stock I got from you.

Thanks!

 

[M Kuhn]

Neat Project.
I can't blame you for wanting a new barrel but for what it's worth I have restored three original 1816's and proofed all three with 250 grains of 3F and two patched round balls with the barrel tied to a tire and ignited with a long firecracker fuse.
All three of them held.
I couldn't find new barrels and never thought to have one made.
Neat project.

 

[Steve Blancard]

Were those three you restored still flint configuration or percussion conversions? The Belgian conversions are said to be the weakest of the different conversions due to the limited and often eroded nipple threads. Were these barrels re-lined or otherwise repaired?

I plan to use the new Hoyt barrel and have John Zimmerman add the date and proof marks to it. The original shortened barrel I have surprisingly has a very nice bore with only very minor pitting. It could possibly be put to another use.
Thanks

 

[varsity07840]

Were those three you restored still flint configuration or percussion conversions? The Belgian conversions are said to be the weakest of the different conversions due to the limited and often eroded nipple threads. Were these barrels re-lined or otherwise repaired?

I plan to use the new Hoyt barrel and have John Zimmerman add the date and proof marks to it. The original shortened barrel I have surprisingly has a very nice bore with only very minor pitting. It could possibly be put to another use.
Thanks

Bob can "stretch" that barrel to original length. He relined my original flint smoothbore barrel for my first 1816 project. Whitacre said he couldn't do it.

Duane

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

It depends on the condition of the original barrel. I've used original barrels for reproduction guns when no one was making new barrels (20 years ago) and if the bore and especially the breech were in good, solid condition they did fine. Today, there are several makers of exceptional quality reproduction military musket barrels anywhere from the 16th Century right up until the mid-19th Century, the end of the smoothbore musket era. Try Colerain, they make barrels to original dimensions as specified by The Rifle Shoppe:
http://colerainbarrel.com/index.html

Well made barrels at reasonable cost. If you are unsure about whether they will be able to make what you need, call, they are good people and know their business. There are others but all of my experience has been with Colerain.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Forgot to add, fast delivery on custom work - under 6 weeks.

 

[Steve Blancard]

Thanks for the info guys. I have the new Bobby Hoyt barrel in hand (its in the photos), so I will use it for this project. I'm not sure what I'll do with the shortened original barrel, but it may very well have more life in it.

 

[Steve Blancard]

I thought I'd give a progress update. Things have been slower than I expected due to multiple blizzards, loss of power and a model 1861 Springfield rework project I'm working on also.

First off I needed to get the 1827 Harpers Ferry lock and other metal parts in order. I had to replace the tumbler and sear spring in the lock. This took a bit of work as this was made before the age of interchangable parts. Even though the replacement tumbler was made at Harper Ferry, it needed quite a bit of fitting. The upper sling swivel had long ago been broken off. So I had to remove the remaining broken off piece, get a replacement swivel and rivet it all together. The front sight was broken off the upper band. So I took the band to John Zimmerman in Harpers Ferry and he rebuilt the sight. The only metal repair left is lengthening the ramrod. I have a junk original ramrod of the same diameter that will provide the section needed to lengthen it back to original specs. But this will wait until its a little warmer and I can get with my buddy who is an ace welder.

I started inletting the barrel tang and breech area. It doesn't need a lot of work, but I am going slow and carefully.

That's where I am at this point. More to follow.