Making a 100% Jenks lock copy

[dd832]

I've spent the last 4 days fitting the barrel bands to the forearm. Well actually, 3 - 4 hours per day - it gets too hot in the afternoon lately. So I finally have the 2 bands fitted. Here's a couple of photos:




I partially fitted the buttplate last week:


And I bought another Jenks last week - it's missing the lock though & the nipple is just a stub. I'm soaking the nipple in a mixture of transmission fluid & acetone. It is dissolving the rust though. The missing lock was the Remington made model that had a Maynard cap box mounted under the hammer. Remington made these Jenks carbines in 1847, but they only made 1000 of them.

Here's a photo:


This is what the lock plate is suppose to look like:



later, Mike

 

[dd832]

Progress on rough shaping the stock yesterday:


Progress on rough shaping the stock today:


that's all for today, Mike

 

[dd832]

Stock shaping update:






I'm still filing, scraping and sanding. I have to add almost an inch of stock wood at the muzzle end since my stock blank was too short. I'm going to hide the addition under the front band.

Mike

 

[dd832]

This carbine is a one-off version from around 1841 & a muzzle loader also, I found these photos of a Revenue Service carbine that is in a like new state:



So I incorporated the lock panels from the Revenue Service carbine into my stock. I still have some work to do shaping the stock but it is getting closer.

Mike

 

[dd832]

“Slowly I turned…step by step…inch by inch…,” well it's about 80% finished now. Here's a couple of photos:






I glued on a piece of walnut to the front of the stock to add on the missing 3/4" ... the front band hides the joint. There is still lots to do yet. I've been working on slimming the stock down, I have to make pins for the two barrel bands, finish all the brass pieces yet, but the majority of the work is done.

later, Mike

 

[windini]

That rifle (ahem) carbine is shaping up beautifully!

 

[dd832]

Thanks windini!

 

[Colonial Boy]

Very nice work, I’ve been following closely and really like what I’m seeing.
An unusual project to say the least.

 

[dd832]

Thanks much Colonial Boy. It is an unusual project isn't it! It started with me trying to make the Jenks mule ear lock and once that was done, well I was committed to making a Jenks. But, since I knew I wouldn't make the breech loader I decided to make the one-off muzzle loader. It's been a long journey, but an unusual one at that!

Hopefully it will resemble this one a little bit when I'm done.

later, Mike

 

[Metalshaper]

Mike,

Your work continues to inspire!! That carbine surely looks slim and sleek. Ian, on forgotten weapons, called the Jenk's
Svelte and I think you've captured the look!

Respect Always
Jonathan

 

[dd832]

Thanks Jonathan! It is getting there, but I'm going off dial caliper measurements and my copy is still 'chubby' in places & not svelte like Ian has stated.

Mike

 

[dd832]

“Slowly I turned…step by step…inch by inch…,” well now the carbine is 85% done. I'm getting closer but still a way to go yet.


From the looks of it I have some more to do, I'll show you here:


I haven't got the wrist right yet and maybe the butt needs slimming too (if you get my drift - no one likes a fat butt area). I took about an 1/8" off the buttplate & slimmed the butt too, but I don't see it in the photo. The forearm looks a little chubby, too. The nose of the stock needs to be trimmed back some.

I fitted the barrel bands with pins - I had to make a brass pin & solder it to fix the front band holes because they were too high. On the original muzzle loading carbine the bands were pinned through the stock. On the later breech loader the bands were screwed to the stock from the bottom of the barrel band. I have thinned the brass barrel bands too, but they don't look like I've touched them either. I need to shape the front band sight also and I need to drill the ramrod hole yet, too.

Other than that, it looks good!

later, Mike

 

[windini]

Looks great! And it's a lot easier to take more off than put some back on, so... slow is good.

 

[dd832]

Thanks windini, you're right .....slow is good.

 

[dd832]

Slow is good & I'm sticking with it.......



comparison with the original...


I thinned the stock some more; thinned the barrel bands & profiled the front sight; drilled the ramrod hole & made & fitted the ramrod; fitted new buttplate screws of a larger size & plugged the screw holes & re-drilled them; plugged the lockplate screw hole & re-drilled the hole.

Any suggestions for improvement?

Mike

 

[dd832]

Started to apply a finish to the walnut stock. I used Tried & True Varnish Oil. I think I saw an old Jim Kibler you-tube vid that he used this oil on the stock. It's a polymerized linseed oil and natural pine resin, but after you wipe it on you let it sit for 1 hour then burnish it with a cloth - - then 24 hours later you do it again. Cleans up easily too.

This is a shot of the Tried & True can I got from amazon:


later, Mike

 

[dd832]

Well like the Traveling Wilburys sang in The End of the Line: "Well, it's all right doing the best you can; Well, it's all right as long as you lend a hand"

I've moved this rock about as far uphill as I can right now - so it's the End of the Line for this Jenks carbine.



I've still some work to do yet but it's not photogenic at all like: put on some more coats of finish; polish & blue the 5 wood screws; harden the trigger; fix the sear; make a rear sight - these carbines had no rear sight (just a groove filed into the loading lever)!

But I'm going to make a small sight like they put on the Model 1855 Pistol, you know it looks like this:


So in closing here's one more photo of my one-off copy of the Jenks muzzle loading carbine and an original Jenks breech loading carbine:


later, Mike
The End of the Line

 

[dd832]

Making a rear sight modeled after the Model 1855 Pistol

Well I'm back. I spent 3 days last week making this rear sight. It took 3 days because I made each part at least twice. It's still not done, I have to finish profiling the base, filing the center section round and drilling & notching the sight leaves. I'm on the 'binnacle list' at the moment; twisted my knee and am on crutches, so I won't be doing anything further for a while.

So this is what I'm copying:

It's the Model 1855 Pistol rear sight.

Here's what I have at the moment:



I put in the 'pile of parts' photo just in case you want to make your own version (and why would you?).

later, Mike

 

[windini]

Looks like a lot of work! I look forward to seeing your usual stellar results.

Mebbe you should stick to the Waltz; that swing dancin' is hard on a feller's pins!

 

[dd832]

Mebbe you should stick to the Waltz; that swing dancin' is hard on a feller's pins!

You're right windini, but all I did was turn around & a small pop & that was all she wrote!