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My German Wheellock replica

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Hello Vic n
Fantastic job excellent craftsmanship can I ask what you used for barrels I am about to make my first flint lock pistol which apart from the springs I hope to make from scratch which will be made up as l go along best regards
John
I live in uk
John, best wishes in your endeavor! I live in the USA, so can only speak from my experience. I have previously made a decent smallbore barrel from thick mild steel tubing, so searched the ubiquitous Amazon site for thick steel tubing and located this description for your perusal:

1" OD x 1/4" Wall DOM Seamless Round Tube, Mild Steel Tubing, 1/2" ID​

website is here:
https://www.amazon.com/Wall-Seamles...thick+steel+tubing&qid=1693526693&sr=8-3&th=1Good luick,
BBG

 
John, best wishes in your endeavor! I live in the USA, so can only speak from my experience. I have previously made a decent smallbore barrel from thick mild steel tubing, so searched the ubiquitous Amazon site for thick steel tubing and located this description for your perusal:

1" OD x 1/4" Wall DOM Seamless Round Tube, Mild Steel Tubing, 1/2" ID​

website is here:
https://www.amazon.com/Wall-Seamles...thick+steel+tubing&qid=1693526693&sr=8-3&th=1Good luick,
BBG

Hello Billy
Thank you that pipe looks ideal
Best regards
John
 
This is a project I began way back in the 1960's I had bought a flintlock pistol and had a go at repairing it's broken sear spring. I then made a replica lock. I used to go to the Science and industry museum in Birmingham (UK) and they had a display of guns from the proof house collection, there were several wheellocks and I became fascinated by how they worked. I decided to have a go at making a wheellock and the first attempt was an Italian pistol copied from a book, I spent weeks making the lock and using a tiny Unimat lathe to mill flutes in the barrel and a raised section on the lock plate which I then chiseled as leaves. I then carved the walnut stock. Then I looked at the metal filigree inlay shown on the book photo and realised it was a step too far trying to cut intricate scrolls in the wild grain of Walnut and it was never completed and has no trigger, I have photo's which I'll add later.

However, around 1972 I was itching to make a working replica of a German Nuremberg holster pistol, again copied from a book, which I show here, The lock and barrel all completed but the bone inlay is still nowhere near completed as you will see on the photo's. The lock has 7 springs in total and I still have the box of failures from earlier attempts that broke on compression, I learned that springs need to temper beyond the blue to grey and then plunge in old engine oil, from then on I never lost a spring again. The barrel is made from a 1" bar with 1/2" bore that I found at a blacksmiths, as I had no lathe big enough between centres back then it took hours and hours of filing and grinding the taper right down to the muzzle, the bore is actually about right for this type of gun,

Being a holster pistol this type of weapon is almost straight and is 34" in total, the barrel with it's short tang is 25" .It's copied from a book which it listed as a holster pistol (Horse) from around 1580. On the lock you can see my initials VN carved in the protrusion from the internal bridle and also a "V" for Vic stamped in the lock.

It has not been worked on for decades, I got married, had kids etc, I still have the box of inlay materials, mostly bone handled cutlery, piano keys that were bone and not ivory and necklaces and bracelets with useable pieces of bone and staghorn. I have fired it using wadding rather than a ball, the mechanism works well, fires every time. Being mild steel it's now turned grey, the original would be made from pure iron which stays bright and does not rust so easily

Vic
Vic: All I can say is that I am bewildered....how someone in modern times can be as incredibly talented as those in the 16th/17th Centuries...and those must have grown up sitting beside a master as an apprentice waiting, awaiting their turn to produce a great product! Wheelocks to me changed the course of the history of firearms, created only by artisans of which you belong right in the center! I am amazed at your talent....just amazed. Please continue and never give up! You have an incredible gift and your age is still young at heart!
 
Yes, but it's more for appearance as it's not going to be fired anytime soon, it was never intended to be a regularly used gun and the Pyrites that I once had in the jaws broke into pieces
I went straight to "Fire sticks". They never seem to wear out. Don't crumble. Are very inexpensive, and spark quite well.
 
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