Brown Bear Crockett mods

[tom deinek]

IIRC, Brown Bear refinished his Crockett rifle.


Maybe he'll post a pic or 2.

 

[BrownBear]

Here you go. Top is an online pic, cuzz I didn't have the sense to take a pic of my own before I started. Next are both sides of mine after stripping and browning the steel, refinishing the stock.


Here a closeups of the aftereffects. The steel took LMF browning real well. The factory finish on the stock is a lot thicker than it looks, and in my case hid a lot of detail.

One more note on the browning efforts. The flats on the Traditions barrel weren't flat. They were pretty rounded, as revealed when I went to stripping the bluing. Ended up draw filing the whole barrel, but that's not a big deal.



Other worthwhile mods-

Shorten or at least round the end of the barrel wedge. It's sharp, and rides right at the balance point inside your hand when carrying. Ouch. Same goes for the rear sight. Sharp corners and cold hands don't mix, but the fix is easy there, too.

 

[Critter Getter]

Nicer looking fer sure with that browned! Really thinking that my Pedersoli Blue Ridge could use that make over! Good job! Greg.

 

[robert reed]

Looks real good! You just convinced me to buy the kit. What is your ramrod made of?

 

[BrownBear]

What is your ramrod made of?

That's the original aluminum rod that came with the rifle. I've since replaced it with plain old hickory. Looks pretty good with a couple of years of powder fouling and greasy patch lube on it! :grin:

Edit:

Looking at the closer pics, I realize there was another small mod I made to it. The ramrod pipes were plain blued, but while I was stripping them I went ahead and added the rings using a needle file. Suits my tastes, but they're not on the original if you're expecting them. Same for the ring on the entry tube.

 

[Mountainman56]

I like it! Big improvement. :thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

Thanks folks!

It's pretty quick work, and to my eyes too, well worth the time.

 

[Shifty]

RDR45 I ordered a thick wall brass tube and made ram rod for mine like it alot better than the aluminum one,can't remember where i ordered it from.

 

[hanshi]

It's a definite upgrade from the stock rifle. I like the Crockett and always thought it could look better. Great job.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Good job. The first two pics of the overall rifle give the feel of a mid to late 19th century half-stock hunting rifle. Great improvement. Might do a lot of good for a number of modern production guns! :thumbsup:

 

[John Wasmuth]

That is a fine fine looking rifle. :hatsoff:

 

[doc mullins]

I'm in the process of doing the same thing on a CVA Kentucky Hunter. Working on sanding the stock for finishing then do the barrel. How do you remove the existing blue?
Thanks

 

[MSW]

nice work! the browning looks really great... make good smoke!
:thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[BrownBear]

How do you remove the existing blue?

I draw filed mine once I discovered the barrel flats were slightly rounded rather than truly flat. Naval jelly will remove bluing with ease, but leaves the metal kind of a pewter gray. I dunno how that would react with the browning because I've never tried browning it with that pewter look. I always sand it off gently with a sanding block, being really careful to keep the block absolutely flat to the barrel flats.

LMF browning works best with the barrel a little rough rather than spanking shiny. I haven't read up on it recently, but as I recall they recommend 320 grit paper. If I recall correctly some folks on here report great results using paper as course as 200. Anyone back me up or dispute me on that point? My mind is open, if also getting fuzzier as my forehead grows back past my ears. :rotf:

 

[doc mullins]

Thank you Sir