Attaching pan on matchlock?

[Sidney Smith]

Hoping someone can help me. I've got a Rifle Shoppe matchlock kit. I'm at the point of attaching the pan. However I'm not real sure how to go about it. My thinking is taking me in two directions, attach it to the barrel, or to the stock. I was thinking of soldering it to the barrel, but I'm unsure how sturdy that would be. I'm also concerned with it coming loose with repeated heating from pan and barrel flash. Anything I can try that maybe I'm missing? Thanks.

 

[TobJohn]

The common historical method for Europe is dovetailing it to the barrel

Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Two good Thurinigian Matchlock Muskets, ca. 1630 and ca. 1650

 

[Sidney Smith]

Interesting. I would've never thought to do it that way. My only issue is, I'll have to see if there's enough material on the pan itself in the area where a dovetail should go.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Silver solder will do it ...

 

[Pukka Bundook]

As Tob says, the usual method was dovetail, but I have for guns for my own use, used soft solder and never had a bit of bother with anything coming loose.
We have to remember that the ribs of British shotguns were (and are) soft soldered in place, and stand a terrific amount of work with no problems,.
Soft solder is very strong.
Flint,
Silver solder requires an awful lot of heat and it is not required.

Yes, even from the mid 1500's some pans were attached to the lock plate, so that is also an option.
For these, look up Michael's "A Matchlock Chronology"

Best,
Rich.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Silver solder requires an awful lot of heat and it is not required.

I meant using this or other new technology soldering goops ... all lugs and sights I've used it on are still in place.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I like the solder paste idea. Thanks, I think I'm going to give it a try.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I like the solder paste idea. Thanks, I think I'm going to give it a try.

It's certainly cheap enough ... just note that I myself haven't used it at the breech yet.

 

[Sidney Smith]

It's certainly cheap enough ... just note that I myself haven't used it at the breech yet.

Can't hurt to try it. If it doesn't work, I've got alternatives I guess. I've used regular solder for the barrel tenons on another build and it's been fine.

 

[mckutzy]

I'd say attach it to the lock, but that's with assuming it has one, but still nothing wrong with this as a stand alone pan, in variants with a separate serpentine...
IE. depends on the look of what erra of time and location your going for.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I'd say attach it to the lock, but that's with assuming it has one, but still nothing wrong with this as a stand alone pan, in variants with a separate serpentine...
IE. depends on the look of what erra of time and location your going for.

Not sure I'd be able to attach to the lock. The photos of the gun on the website shows the pan attached to the barrel with the lock lower down on the stock.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

I thought you meant real silver solder, Flint!

Low temp silver bearing solder is a very different thing.
I use it a lot, but not the syringe type.

Cant think of any pans that attach tot he stock directly, Mcutzy.

 

[BillinOregon]

How did the old dead guys cut the dovetails into the sides of the barrels? Chisel out a channel, then file in the angles? Trying to envision this.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Bill,
Yes, pretty well like you think!
Somewhere here I attached a link of how a pal in Finland attached his. It was a perfect fit all done with hand tools.

I will look for that link for you.

Best,
R.

 

[Sidney Smith]

My only problem with dovetailing the breech is the removal of metal from a critical area. I'm sure it's beefy enough, but I don't want to go thst route at this point.

 

[Kentuckyjed]

Straying from tradition could the pan be dare I say MIG welded, then filed/sanded/polished down to appropriate look/finish? "
Inquiring for a friend"

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Somewhere here I attached a link of how a pal in Finland attached his. It was a perfect fit all done with hand tools.

Here you go, see Post #22!

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/matchlock-pan-cover.171825

 

[rouyt]

The late pattern matchlocks had the pan screwed to the lock plate, the English Civil war pieces had a mortise cut into the side of the barrel. Curiously the rear sight was also mortised, they didn't seem to care a fig about weakening the barrel

 

[Pukka Bundook]

That the barrels never seemed to have burst at the point where the pan is dovetailed seems to suggest it was not a negative fixture, Rouyt.
As we said earlier too, pans attached to the lock plate were in use in the 1500's then died out for about 100 years....

Flint,
Good on yer attaching that link!
I just found it but you saved me the trouble!

If you go to Antti's thread you will see more of his work now.

 

[Colm Byrne]

I picked this one up last week and the pan is attached as part of the barrel