Officers Private Purchase Baker =Fusil

[Heelerau]

Gentlemen a mate acquired this neat little rifle a little while ago. It has been restocked in a local Western Australian hardwood called Jarrah. I had the lock repaired, and he acquired a reproduction sling. The lock is ver fast ignition and the recoil is ver pleasant. Needs a little more work on cleaning up the bore which is in good order. She has awoken after a 160 year sleep !! It has no patch box, cheekpiece or bayonet bar. It is 7 grooved and .61. Barrel is by Wilbraham, the lock by John Thomson, who does have an association with the Baker rifle. [/URL[URL=http://s1012.photobucket.com/user/heelerau/media/P1020660.jpg.html]

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Very nice.
Fusil? Is it smooth bore and not rifled?

Would like to see a close-up of the lock plate please.

LD

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Very nice. How is the lock screwed on? I noticed those cracks in the stock at the breech. I urge you to check if the back end of the hook on the barrel is hitting the stock behind the standing breech or possibly a lock screw. If it is, the recoil may act like a jack hammer against the stock and cause cracks like you have. The solution is to make sure there is a little gap between the back of the hook and the stock or the lock bolt if there is one.

dave

 

[Heelerau]

Here is a close up of the lock plate. Has a nice little wheel on the frizzed spring. I will check the fit of the stanton breech. the timber Jarrah is prone to cracking when it dries out. I have been giving it a lot of boiled linseed and gum turpentine . You will see a screw located between the front of the cock and flash pan, it screws into the standing breech and secures the lock that way.

 

[Artificer]

That is a lovely rifle. Very nice waterproof pan lock with an interesting attachment to the breech.

I am not familiar with Jarrah so I looked it up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucalyptus_marginata

One source said it is much denser than White Oak and another source said it was harder than our Hard Maple (1450)- Jarrah (1950). I wondered about the ability to glue it and some sources say it glues well. So it sounds like the cracks can also be glued up.

Is Jarrah a popular gun stock wood in Australia?

Gus

P.S. Is the rear sight solid or the flip up style?

 

[Heelerau]

Gus, it will glue ok, but it is not used usually at a stock wood, prone to cracking and getting brittle.
It is used as railway sleepers and for furniture and also as structural timber. Most of out house and cottage is constructed out of jarrah. The rear sight is solid, no extra leaves.

Cheers

Gordon

 

[Artificer]

Gus, it will glue ok, but it is not used usually at a stock wood, prone to cracking and getting brittle.

Cheers

Gordon

All the more reason to follow Dave Person's suggestion above to ensure lock bolts, hook, etc. are not being slammed against the wood during recoil and causing cracks or for them to go deeper.

Also, it may be a good idea to use a little glass bedding where it doesn't show and in the areas that take the most recoil. This would cushion the blow of recoil and help ensure more cracks don't form.

Gus

 

[Heelerau]

Gus thanks for that, will look closely at what is needed to sort the stock out. Suspect the breech area needs the most attention. Will post when sorted.

Cheers

Gordon

 

[BillinOregon]

Gordon, looks wonderfully handy and powerful. Have you been able to coax any accuracy out of her?

 

[Heelerau]

Bill, beyond hitting a rock I was aiming at for the first shot no. It has only been fired twice, I still have not had a chance to work on the barrel. Just needs a bit of a clean down near the breech. I will report back when we do a range test. should be good for pigs in the scrub !!
Cheers