Nosecap question

[Audubon]

Does the use of a screw (through the bottom of the rod channel) to fix a nosecap to a barrel have any historical merit or is it a modern way around a more complicated traditional method? If it is period correct when was it first commonly used?

Thank you,

Garrison Beall

 

[Emet Huntsman]

I had (before it was stolen) a Belgian made rifle (Freres Pirlot of Liege) that came over with the family in the 1840's. It was a percussion that had been converted from a flinter, so I know it was much older than the trip to the U.S.
It had just that -- a brass fore end cap with a screw that was tapped into the barrel just short of the muzzle.
Hope this helps.

 

[longcruise]

If you pose this question on the Gun Builders Bench you will probably get even more info.

As for me I have not seen enough antiques to comment.

 

[flintriflesmith]

Mounting the nose cap with a screw, either directly into the barrel or into a lug dovetailed into the barrel is a period correct detail for some original rifles. It tends to be found on early rifles and is one of those details shared with Jaegers. With an iron mounted Jaeger it allowed the nose cap to be removed for fire bluing. I memory serves both the Kleete rifle and the unsigned Moravian rifle (#42) in Rifles of Colonial America have this feature. There is also and early Dickert that has it but I can not remember which one.
Gary

 

[Marc Adamchek]

Parson, that's a tragic tale! Uggghhhh! Something so sacred to one man taken as "just a thing" by another. This kind of thing really burns me up, I can just imagine what it must do to you. Man o Man: People They will always disappoint. My heart goes out to you.

 

[Audubon]

Thanks folks. This is all good enough for me. No need to move it to the builders bench.

B G Beall,

...looking for snow on the Lower Cape Fear tonight...

 

[LRB]

A screwed on nose cap is found on some originals, however that arrangement is not the best for consistant accuracy. Due to humidity changes, the wood will shift back and forth enough to pressure the muzzle end of the barrel, and change the POI somewhat. It could also affect group sizes.

 

[Raynor]

The wood inside the nose cap is usually thin and delicate. It's best to attach the nose cap in a way that it can move with the wood. It will shrink and swell with the seasons.

If not allowed to move, you may end up with a crack or worse. :cursing:

 

[Audubon]

I'm one of those odd folks more interested in historical accuracy than bore accuracy. Mr Brumfield's answer thoroughly satisfied my curiosity. The set in screw fits well with my early Virginia pedigreed rifle. I didn't add this to the Builders Bench for that reason. Thank you all for your replies.

 

[LRB]

I could be wrong, but I don't think that is a common feature of early Virginia rifles. I would believe it less than common for any school of rifles, with an apparent exception of jaegers. While there are examples in the RCA books, I would think it simply a builders personal decision more than a common method of attachment, and would add, a poor decision at that. Jaegers are in general, short, stout, and have thicker barrels than the average American longrifle. They probably were not affected by wood movement to any noticable degree. Aside from that, Virginia rifles, generally, have more English influence than German.

 

[Stophel]

I did this one a few years ago based on "RCA #21" and the others in that series of guns.

The screw is threaded into a square stud dovetailed into the bottom of the barrel.

 

[Audubon]

I have a beautiful, expertly crafted Virginia rifle with all the attributes one would expect to find in a rifle of the period and style. It was built by a most reputable and frequent contributor to this forum. I was not able to reach him so after I failed to find my answer in the Search feature,I asked the question in another, more history grounded, sub-forum (and much to my dismay it was moved here).

All I wanted to know is if the practice is period correct or not.

 

[LRB]

Chris, I still wouldn't do it without some provision to allow for wood shift, but I am more a shooter than a builder. If I were to copy a rifle that had that feature, I'd fake it.

 

[Vaino]

Did any of the originals w/ the screwed on MCs have ctsk slots in the MCs to allow for changes in the wood?....Fred

 

[Stophel]

I have a little space fore and aft of the stud. The original has a bit more. 240 years old, and none the worse for wear.

If the wood is straight in the fore end, you're not going to have any real problem with wood shrinking and expanding lengthwise. If there's much curl in the fore end though, it will expand and shrink a surprising amount.

It's a neat feature, but personally, I don't like it from the practical standpoint of having to unscrew the stinkin' thing every time I take the barrel out. And when I'm building a gun, I have to take it apart at least 9 thousand times. I put on a normal nosecap, and it is fixed and essentially becomes part of the stock, and I never have to worry about it again. :wink: