Advice on metal and tools for percussion shotgun build.

[8Ga.]

I have a book “how to build your own percussion rifle or pistol”. I made my lock plate out of mild steel with only hand tools. It says to use ck60 or car leaf springs for the hammer spring. Is it possible for me to anneal and harden this steel without electric or gas furnace? Also, is there another steel I could use, or a different way to go about this? I keep telling myself people did it with hand tools, fire, and no electricity, so I should be able to also.

Anyways, just need some guidance on whether I’m wasting my time even starting this. Hear is my lock plate. I think I will remake my lock plate out of a different steel. If anyone has any recommendations let me know.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Mild steel is fine for a lock plate especially if you case hardened it after complete. Spring steel can be annealed in a camp fire. Get it red then bury it in the hot coals and leave it buried there till completely cool. Hardening the finished spring can be done and old timers use a forge but any heat that has enough BTUs will work.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I've made a few flat springs and tempered them in a lead pot. 650 degrees if I remember right. I used Brownell's spring stock.

 

[Phil Coffins]

I don’t see the lock having the thick part I’ll call the bolster for the spring to catch on.
IMG_0404 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[8Ga.]

I don’t see the lock having the thick part I’ll call the bolster for the spring to catch on.
IMG_0404 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

The book calls for it to be brazed on. Is yours one piece?

 

[8Ga.]

Mild steel is fine for a lock plate especially if you case hardened it after complete. Spring steel can be annealed in a camp fire. Get it red then bury it in the hot coals and leave it buried there till completely cool. Hardening the finished spring can be done and old timers use a forge but any heat that has enough BTUs will work.

The books says it has to be carefully temperature controlled. What metal do you use for the springs?

 

[8Ga.]

I've made a few flat springs and tempered them in a lead pot. 650 degrees if I remember right. I used Brownell's spring stock.

A pot full of lead, or an actual lead pot. I thought tempering and hardening was like 14-1600 degrees?
You used brownells for the hammer spring and the plunger spring?

 

[Phil Coffins]

The book calls for it to be brazed on. Is yours one piece?

They can be brazed on but you can’t case harden it then. I’ve made them of one piece mostly.

 

[Phil Coffins]

The books says it has to be carefully temperature controlled. What metal do you use for the springs?

The book is right, a lot of experience can compensate some what and you learn to work threw your failures. O1 tool steel and Brownell’s steel are easy to work with but even large coil springs can be forged to shape then heat treated. It’s a skill that you can learn as long as you don’t expect the first one to be perfect.
I now use a heat treat furnace for more predictable results.

 

[8Ga.]

The book is right, a lot of experience can compensate some what and you learn to work threw your failures. O1 tool steel and Brownell’s steel are easy to work with but even large coil springs can be forged to shape then heat treated. It’s a skill that you can learn as long as you don’t expect the first one to be perfect.
I now use a heat treat furnace for more predictable results.

Oh, so you’re saying I can do it in a campfire, but I’m not gonna nail it my first try.

i didn’t know 01 tool steel could be used to make springs.

 

[Rich44]

By all means give it your best attempt. It may take some time and mistakes will happen. When making a mistake that when you learn, so try and make a few. And don't give up. Like Phil stated o-1 tool steel is my favorite for so many parts. But I have not used it for springs. There are so many different youtube videos on all different subjects like spring making. Matter of fact you ask if you can do it, I just can't think of a reason why you can't. Start with part one and then one step at a time. Books and the internet will give you lots of knowledge.

 

[8Ga.]

By all means give it your best attempt. It may take some time and mistakes will happen. When making a mistake that when you learn, so try and make a few. And don't give up. Like Phil stated o-1 tool steel is my favorite for so many parts. But I have not used it for springs. There are so many different youtube videos on all different subjects like spring making. Matter of fact you ask if you can do it, I just can't think of a reason why you can't. Start with part one and then one step at a time. Books and the internet will give you lots of knowledge.

Thanks, I just wanted to make sure I bought the right metal. I have so many hobbies, I try to make sure I don’t waste any time or money cause it’s pretty tight on both. I wanted to make sure that I don’t waste time trying to make something that I can’t do without a large investment in furnaces, or tools I don’t have.

 

[Sam squanch]

You can do a lot if you try and use your imagination. My anvil is a short length of railroad rail, my forge is an air tank cut in half, with an old blower fan from the heater on a junked car. I use lump cowboy charcoal in the forge for now. There are plans online for propane forges, no need to buy one. Make friends with an old farmer with a junk pile!! Experiment and learn.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

A pot full of lead, or an actual lead pot. I thought tempering and hardening was like 14-1600 degrees?
You used brownells for the hammer spring and the plunger spring?

When you get the spring cold formed to the shape it needs to be it should be heated to a red heat, the 14 to 1600 you mention. Others here can give you the temperature better than I can. After it's heated to the red heat it is quenched in light weight oil. It then has to be tempered to the 650 or so blue color of a good spring. The springs I've made were for Rolling Block rifles and are pretty simple. I used a lead pot with a thermometer to get the temperature right. A fancy heat treat oven is the best way to go but you can get along fine without one like they used to do. Over a campfire will work too. Don't give up if the first ones fail. It's a learned skill you can achieve and it won't cost much in cash but it may take some time.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

I wouldn't trust O1 as a spring steel. Much too fine grain!! Go to CS65. Usually available at Model Engineers shops in strip form. Getting the right thinkness makes things easier. Old vehicle flat road springs are the another good place to start. To soften Heat to bright Red and bury in Sand or (better) powdered lime to cool. A hand held Butane blow torch is a suitable heat scource. Build a small Fire place using old fire place brick liners as a furnace to contain heat. Always temper twice to Blue,the Blue that comes just after Violet. Practice this Colour many times as it is he most important bit.It's a blue you cant see the bottom of, not the Flat blue that comes after..First heat is to stress relieve. Second is the real temper(Wenching was done years ago in Whale oil but now I use Transmition fluid).Used to be learned sitting next to Nelly. Phil's right about making plates from one piece as any sort of brazing/soldering will not allow you to case harden. I have in the past welded this piece on but then I had some pretty sophitacated Plasma welding kit..
If you can find an old high quality lock and you are likely to make more than one, make templates of the bridle and tumbler to reproduce the others acurately..
When you're Forging the Bend,always put a thin strip of steel (.015/.025") in the bend as you close the spring down.Best of Luck and
Keep Trying.. Very OLD(Spring Making)DOG..