Getting back to that .40 Cal

[pooch156]

Over ten years ago I bought a nice curly maple stock from Pecatonica for a .40 cal. Tennessee Mtn. Rifle. I bought the rest of the components from various places, e.g. Dixons, Track & Dixie. It was inletted for a 13/16" Green Mountain barrel and semi-inletted for a small Siler (Jim Chambers) lock. So, that was in '08 me thinks. I had gotten the breech plug fitted to the barrel and that assy inletted into the stock. Then . . . I got in a bad accident & broke my neck (C2). After that things happened in my life that took away any incentive. The rifle & components stayed on the bench for over 10 years. 2 months ago I said: "Time to get back to that rifle! So, here I am, back at the bench!

 

[GANGGREEN]

Good for you, good luck with the build and with your ongoing recovery....

 

[pooch156]

Yes, I'm dressing this one up with brass furniture. It will be a Tennessee Mtn. Harlequin! I'm not always a purist. I change things to suit me. It's my rifle, I'm building it, I'm the one that's going to shoot it and I have to like it! LOL!

 

[Pete G]

Lot of wood to be removed. Good luck.

 

[pooch156]

Good for you, good luck with the build and with your ongoing recovery....

Lot of wood to be removed. Good luck.

I keep my carving tools razor sharp! I have a nice set of "flex-cut" Carving tools. They are the palm grip style. I really like them!

 

[pooch156]

I started the browning process on the barrel 3 days ago. I burnish the barrel lightly with 0000 steel wool after (24 hrs. After) each application. Then I wipe it down with 91% alcohol (from the local drug store). I put the third application of browning fluid to day. Starting to look really good! I think that two more applications will do it. How fast the browning solution works depends on the humidity in room that you use and the type/hardness of the particular steel. My Getz .50 cal. Swamped barrel reacted to the browning solution pretty fast where the Green Mtn. Barrel was slower.

 

[pooch156]

Lot of wood to be removed. Good luck.

It doesn't take long actually. But even with that I like taking my time. The biggest thing is taking the time to figure out what I want it to look like & go from there. When confused, the best thing to do is nothing at all!

 

[pooch156]

Received some goodies today. Brass buttplate, brass toeplate, & Aquafortis from Track. Found & received Tannic acid on ebay for a decent price. 38 grams for $8.00 shipped!

 

[pooch156]

Lot of wood to be removed. Good luck.

Well, it's a pre-carved stock from Pecatonica. No, nothing like a Kibler! Still a lot of work to do. Pecatonica has some nice wood and I enjoy dealing with them. So being a pre-carve there is only so much wood to work with. As far as "a lot of wood to be removed", there's not a lot of extra to remove. So, I'm shaping the stock as best I can with what is there. The stock has sat for 10 years in my shop due to life struggles. The inletting for the tang was perfect 10 years ago. Not so much now. Finding gaps between the tang & the wood. I saved the portion of the of the butt that I cut off to give me a 13" pull. I'll use slivers of that to fill in any gaps.

 

[pooch156]

Thank the man up above for slivers of wood and Super Glue!

 

[pooch156]

It's coming along. Looking for some oval head brass screws without having to have to buy a whole box of them.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I would be looking for oval headed steel screws. Brass screws were not used. I think the blued steel screws look just right.

 

[pooch156]

I would be looking for oval headed steel screws. Brass screws were not used. I think the blued steel screws look just right.

I think you're right. Blued steel huh? Sounds good to me. Thanks!

 

[Zonie]

You can use a cold bluing to blue the screw head but if you really want a real blue, use heat.
The material must be bare steel and you will need a heat source and a pair of pliers to hold the screw. A little fine grit wet/dry sandpaper is nice too.

Sand the head of the screw to expose fresh steel. Very slowly heat the screw head. When it reaches about 500°F it's color will change to brown. A little more heat and it will change to purple, then blue when it gets to about 570°F.
When it gets to the rich, dark sapphire blue color, drop it into some oil or water.

If it gets too hot it will change from blue to light blue and then to gray. If this happens, cool the screw, sand off the gray color and try again.

 

[pooch156]

Put the Tannic acid solution and later put the Aquafortis solution on the stock. It's amazing how it changes color immediately! This is my first time using Tannic acid. Looking good so far! A big thanks to Jim Kiblers' videos! Now to let it dry. Then the heat gun.

 

[pooch156]

First coat of tru oil applied. At least two more coats to go. The gun stock wax and a lot of rubbing. The pic of the butt doesn't give it justice. It's really pretty. My first time using tannic acid with aguafortis. The screws in the buttplate will be changed out.

 

[pooch156]

Well, shes' done except for the ramrod and I need a shorter adjustment screw on the rear sight.

 

[Davey Boy]

I like the dark color of the wood. Brass is very good. Talent, wow.

 

[pooch156]

I like the dark color of the wood. Brass is very good. Talent, wow.

This is the first time that I've used tannic acid with aquafortis . . . And I love it! Thanks so much for the compliment. It means a lot to me.

 

[pooch156]

You can use a cold bluing to blue the screw head but if you really want a real blue, use heat.
The material must be bare steel and you will need a heat source and a pair of pliers to hold the screw. A little fine grit wet/dry sandpaper is nice too.

Sand the head of the screw to expose fresh steel. Very slowly heat the screw head. When it reaches about 500°F it's color will change to brown. A little more heat and it will change to purple, then blue when it gets to about 570°F.
When it gets to the rich, dark sapphire blue color, drop it into some oil or water.

If it gets too hot it will change from blue to light blue and then to gray. If this happens, cool the screw, sand off the gray color and try again.

Thank you so much for instructions on heat bluing. Here are two "10 x 1" screws that I blued for the buttplate.