Starting another scratch build

[IanH]

Tang done and inletted.

Did some shaping on the buttstock.

 

[Rendezvous Valley Trading]

Fantastic!!

 

[IanH]

Thanks!

Lots more work done today but it doesn't show. Did some more "symmetrizing" on the stock, still a ways to go to get it right. Profile pretty much done now except I'm thinking the boat-paddle butt stock needs to have the comb arched down in the back and the heel rounded over like a fusil. Also should shorten the butt by about half an inch, make it about 13.5" length of pull. It's tail-heavy bigtime.

Got all three barrel tenons and the tall front sight soldered on, all inlet, drilled, and pinned, and the lock bolt holes drilled. Everything dead on the money thanks to milling machine, machinist's levels, center drills, and a few hole-locating tricks.

 

[IanH]

Trigger and trigger plate in, tang bolt in, more refining the shape, bore polished, touch hole drilled and coned on both sides, breech plug installed with Loctite, ready to test fire.

 

[Rendezvous Valley Trading]

Dang fine job Sir!!

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

Liking where you're going with this, Ian. You seem to have a really good feel for your design - it looks comfortable!

You've done a great job with your machinery also. Good tools make a great job quite a bit easier.
Keep going with your "building log". It's nice to see your progress.

 

[IanH]

I have my own ways of doing things. The basic layout fit-wise duplicates a Model 42 Winchester because it just feels good and points naturally for me. Those basic measurements can be finagled into something that loosely resembles an early English trade gun/Chief's gun in the end. If you're going to go to the trouble to saw down a tree, turn/mill a blank, hammer and file out hardware, and spend $300 on a good lock, mizzle make exactly what you fancy the way you see best, says me. I'll let others replicate the past.

Anyway, she shoots! What a hoot! .562" wheelweight round ball, .016" ticking, and 40, then 50 grains of homemade FFFg that runs with GOEX and outruns Schuetzen, hits a foot low at 25 yards due to my extra-tall front sight. (thought the breech would be higher than it was when I ordered the sight) but that didn't stop me from running 28 balls at the sillywets.

Happiness is a hot, dirty trade gun.

 

[Sooty Scot]

Thank you very much for this. I think you achieved what you set out for & have a fine, basic firelock - just what you described.

I'm sure many were built on the frontier, wherever that was at the time, with less than ideal stock wood and supplies.

I've watched many fine rifles, built skilled craftsmen, which approach perfection, but it's satisfying to see a functional, workmen-like weapon fashioned from what was on hand.

 

[IanH]

You're welcome, and thanks for the kind words.

Ever see a left-handed, half English, half French trade fusil made out of a pecan tree?

You have now!

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Great project and thanks for the all the posts. You're a man with ideas like mine, why try to build a copy of something when you can build something that looks right at home for the time in history? I built what I thought was an early plains rifle and I'll be darned if someone on the forum (I wish I could remember who) posted a photo of an original that was nearly identical. Good job!

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

You've done a couple great jobs. You've made a very nice, good-looking and good-shooting firearm, AND a great job on the "how to". Thanks for showing it.

 

[IanH]

Finally got past the but plate part of the job. This seems to take me longer than any other part of the build. Six hours in this one.

Also finished the profiling, sanded out to 150, then 220, then 320. Still have to clean up the nose of the comb, front of the cheeks, and the front tip but have a myriad of bug holes to fill first, including one that bisects the muzzle. All the metal is inlet now, the side plate and trigger guard will be sawn out of 1/2 hard, 3/32" catridge brass flat bar and surface mounted.

 

[IanH]

Made the side plate today out od 3/32" brass and put the whole gun back together. All it lacks to be finished is me making the trigger guard, finding some tiny brass dome head screws for the eye and tail, and filing about 1/4" off of the front sight.

My first ever attempt at using a graver, don't laugh. Should have practiced one something else first but whatever, it's done.

 

[IanH]

Spent all afternoon at the range burning powder. Shot all 50 balls I took with me and 6-7 shot loads, never touched the flint once, not even a wipe. Oh, and had 4-5 flashes, the TH is right AT the breech face and I think it needs drilled out about halfway across the face with a 1/4x28 tap drill and tapped for a liner. Have to bank the pan powder against the outside cone to get reliable ignition (.075" TH). Sometimes picking before priming works and sometimes makes it worse. Banking works without picking every time.

I filed away most of the front sight blade and it still shoots low, but the biggest issue is vertical stringing. I'm using an unproven, new patch lube recipe but it strung the other day too, bench or offhand, no matter, with a known good patch lube so I don't think that's it. It must have a bent barrel because it hits 4" low on average at 25 yards and about 8-12 low at 50 with front sight 3/8" above bore center and breech 1/2" above.

Found my shot load right away. 50 grains 3F, one ounce shot measure of cornmeal, one ounce shot measure, heaping, of #7.5 Magnum shot, 1.5" square NRA target paper folded twice and soaked with water-based lube.

25 yards, NRA 100 yard targets (recycling, big holes from a different gun). Posted and shot one at a time:

What nearly 60 shots without cleaning looks like. Note how sharp the flint is, though probably a full 1/8" shorter than when I started:

Earlier in the shooting session:

 

[WALT53]

Spent all afternoon at the range burning powder. Shot all 50 balls I took with me and 6-7 shot loads, never touched the flint once, not even a wipe. Oh, and had 4-5 flashes, the TH is right AT the breech face and I think it needs drilled out about halfway across the face with a 1/4x28 tap drill and tapped for a liner. Have to bank the pan powder against the outside cone to get reliable ignition (.075" TH). Sometimes picking before priming works and sometimes makes it worse. Banking works without picking every time.

I filed away most of the front sight blade and it still shoots low, but the biggest issue is vertical stringing. I'm using an unproven, new patch lube recipe but it strung the other day too, bench or offhand, no matter, with a known good patch lube so I don't think that's it. It must have a bent barrel because it hits 4" low on average at 25 yards and about 8-12 low at 50 with front sight 3/8" above bore center and breech 1/2" above.

Found my shot load right away. 50 grains 3F, one ounce shot measure of cornmeal, one ounce shot measure, heaping, of #7.5 Magnum shot, 1.5" square NRA target paper folded twice and soaked with water-based lube.

25 yards, NRA 100 yard targets (recycling, big holes from a different gun). Posted and shot one at a time:

View attachment 244902

What nearly 60 shots without cleaning looks like. Note how sharp the flint is, though probably a full 1/8" shorter than when I started:

View attachment 244903

Earlier in the shooting session:

View attachment 244904

 

[WALT53]

Spent all afternoon at the range burning powder. Shot all 50 balls I took with me and 6-7 shot loads, never touched the flint once, not even a wipe. Oh, and had 4-5 flashes, the TH is right AT the breech face and I think it needs drilled out about halfway across the face with a 1/4x28 tap drill and tapped for a liner. Have to bank the pan powder against the outside cone to get reliable ignition (.075" TH). Sometimes picking before priming works and sometimes makes it worse. Banking works without picking every time.

I filed away most of the front sight blade and it still shoots low, but the biggest issue is vertical stringing. I'm using an unproven, new patch lube recipe but it strung the other day too, bench or offhand, no matter, with a known good patch lube so I don't think that's it. It must have a bent barrel because it hits 4" low on average at 25 yards and about 8-12 low at 50 with front sight 3/8" above bore center and breech 1/2" above.

Found my shot load right away. 50 grains 3F, one ounce shot measure of cornmeal, one ounce shot measure, heaping, of #7.5 Magnum shot, 1.5" square NRA target paper folded twice and soaked with water-based lube.

25 yards, NRA 100 yard targets (recycling, big holes from a different gun). Posted and shot one at a time:

View attachment 244902

What nearly 60 shots without cleaning looks like. Note how sharp the flint is, though probably a full 1/8" shorter than when I started:

View attachment 244903

Earlier in the shooting session:

View attachment 244904

Ian after reading your post yesterday I went out today and tried powder,cornmeal,shot and os card worked pretty good with 7 1/2s and even with #5 s.The #5s was a surprise as when I tried them before you could count on one hand how many hit the paper.

 

[smokepolehall]

You certainly built a very nice smoothie, like it.

 

[Thingamajiggy]

Nicely done! Thats a winner.

 

[WALT53]

Spent all afternoon at the range burning powder. Shot all 50 balls I took with me and 6-7 shot loads, never touched the flint once, not even a wipe. Oh, and had 4-5 flashes, the TH is right AT the breech face and I think it needs drilled out about halfway across the face with a 1/4x28 tap drill and tapped for a liner. Have to bank the pan powder against the outside cone to get reliable ignition (.075" TH). Sometimes picking before priming works and sometimes makes it worse. Banking works without picking every time.

I filed away most of the front sight blade and it still shoots low, but the biggest issue is vertical stringing. I'm using an unproven, new patch lube recipe but it strung the other day too, bench or offhand, no matter, with a known good patch lube so I don't think that's it. It must have a bent barrel because it hits 4" low on average at 25 yards and about 8-12 low at 50 with front sight 3/8" above bore center and breech 1/2" above.

Found my shot load right away. 50 grains 3F, one ounce shot measure of cornmeal, one ounce shot measure, heaping, of #7.5 Magnum shot, 1.5" square NRA target paper folded twice and soaked with water-based lube.

25 yards, NRA 100 yard targets (recycling, big holes from a different gun). Posted and shot one at a time:

View attachment 244902

What nearly 60 shots without cleaning looks like. Note how sharp the flint is, though probably a full 1/8" shorter than when I started:

View attachment 244903

Earlier in the shooting session:

View attachment 244904

Any chance on a few more pictures when you’re all done.

 

[IanH]

Any chance on a few more pictures when you’re all done.

Sure, just need a day off and some sunlight after I get the TG finished.