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Traditions (Chiappa) Enfield 1853 Kit

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Possible to lower the channel but cutting in from above?
 
I looked at cutting from above, but the channel and the bottom of the barrel is alot of wood. I don't want to weaken the stock. I have epoxied some sand paper to the end of a walmart cleaning rod. I'll insert it and use the spring to push on it and sand the bottom (hopefully)
 
Sand paper on the rod did not make good progress so I notched the Front lock bolt. Traditions offered to take the kit back but I was so far along (my bad for not catching this on the trial fit). I asked Traditions for 2 spare lock bolts in the event it fails and they are shipping them to me. Worse case is if it snaps, I can still take it apart and put in a new one. Don't think it should happen, The notch is only like 1/3 the way through.

I finished up the rest of the stock over the past couple weeks. I stained the stock then finished with real Tung oil. Applying the Tung daily after letting the first hand rubbed coat dry for 2 days. For the week I was applying the Tung, I finished up the final passes and buffing of the brass. Blue'd the steel with Brownells Oxpho blue creme applied with steel wool.
I still want to do some more polishing of the brass but its ready to take to the range.
 

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The finished stock really looks beautiful.
That's too bad about the ramrod hole problem.
They really owed you a new stock.
I sure hope that it's a good enough shooter that it will compensate for the whole mess.
 
Yeah, love how the wood turned out. The whole rifle looks top-notch. As the lock bolts only hold the lock in place, and there is no sideways motion, pressure or stress of/on the lock, and lock bolts should only be snug and not tight anyhow, I cannot see any problem or possibility of the lock bolt failing. It's the mortise that does all the "work". As you know, many firearms/sidelocks only use one bolt.

I like iron mounted guns, hence my choice of the 1861 Springfield, but the brass mounted rifles I do have, I try to get as much funky patina on the brass as I can. I even rub the brass down with my dirty patches when cleaning the gun. !!!! :) But to each his own. Some like blondes, some brunettes, some redheads, and some raven black hair. It's all good. Nice job, nice rifle.
 
Rat,
Interesting you mention about getting the funky Patina on the gun. I actually was contemplating artificially aging this some. When I blue'd the barrel, I started with the ramrod just to make sure I had the process down good as I had always used liquid blue and not the creme Oxpho. After I was done, I looked at pics and realized the ramrod was not to be blue'd. So instead of soaking in Vinegar or water/molasses, I took fine sandpaper to it and the way it came out it created a sort of faux patina. I think what I'll do is rub my patches on the ramrod like your saying and try to get it to age some more and see how that goes.
 
Not sure if it works well on steel, but yeah, take/use that first dirty muddy patch you run down the barrel, that's the best stuff. Bluing the ram-rod, then working it over with fine, oily steel wool might work good also. Be careful not to get any dirty patch slime on your polished brass...it will instantly stain it. !!!
 
noonanda,
Thanks!
makes the rear sight a tad easier to see also!
Nope, it was still spaced incorrectly
 
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