Two more project rifles

[RhinoDave]

Picked these up this week. Don't know how soon I'll get to them since I'm still working on my Mountain rifle. One is a Traditions Pennsylvania .50 cal.(painted) and a Hopkina and Allen .45 cal. Not sure what model the H&A is so any information would be welcome. Both will be complete teardowns and refinished.

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[Rifleman1776]

Early H&A kit rifles loosely used the term "Kentucky" for all their (almost) long full stockers. I used to sell H&As in my shop and liked them for quality received and some safety features in the price range. However, their flint locks were pretty sorry sparkers. Do consider replacing or getting what you have expertly tuned.

 

[MSW]

I've never owned on myself, but I have heard from several sources that H&A locks didn't exactly spart like a house afire... perhaps a bit of hacksaw silver soldered to the frizzen will remedy this. i kinda like the geometry of the painted gun ... why people would paint a stock escapes me, but then again people do a bunch of goody stuff, heck, look who ends up in Washington DC.

please do keep us up to date... i'm curious to see what's under the paint...

enquiring minds want to know. :v

 

[bubba.50]

there's a feller on here somewhere who paints his stocks with cheap black spray paint then rubs it back to give his stocks an aged antique look. maybe somethin' like that would work on yer gun. looks to be in good shape except for the paint.

 

[RhinoDave]

I stripped most of the black off. Easy to do since the original finish was left on and just painted over. All the brass inlays were removed prior to paint and the recesses were filled with some sort of white epoxy. It's going to be fun getting all that stuff out. Not sure if I'm going to cut new brass inlays or something else.

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[coloradoclyde]

I can't believe somebody painted it black...
Glad it's now in the hands of someone who will respect it.

 

[Black Hand]

All the brass inlays were removed prior to paint and the recesses were filled with some sort of white epoxy. It's going to be fun getting all that stuff out.

The epoxy should be dissolved by acetone...

 

[bubba.50]

that's a really nice lookin' gun. a shame you couldn't have dodged the idiot previous owner who would do such things as epoxyin' inlays like that on such a nice gun.

 

[RhinoDave]

Thanks all for the information. I'll give acetone a shot on the stuff in the inlays. I plan on making them both pretty again but after I make sure they function well before taking a lot of time on refinishing. The Traditions lock functions well and throws a good amount of sparks. The H&A lock needs some work. As stated by others, the lock throws very few sparks and often will not stay at full cock when in the rifle. Both will be tuned and shot before anything else gets done.

 

[Black Hand]

Thanks all for the information. I'll give acetone a shot on the stuff in the inlays.

It may take some soak-time to soften & remove the epoxy. You might want to drill some holes in the epoxy away from the edges of the inlet to hold the acetone. May take multiple rounds of soaking with removal of the softened/dissolved epoxy to get it out.

 

[hanshi]

You do have two solid rifles to work on. I guess I was lucky because way back in the 1960s I ordered an H&A flint Minuteman longrifle to go along with my old Heritage underhammer. It sparked and shot very well. I actually regret letting it go and now have only photos of it.

 

[RhinoDave]

I also had a H&A model 29 way back in the day but it was a percussion. This lock seems to have a weak main spring but I haven't really taken the time to get it sorted out yet. I ordered some new flints for it so I can to at least start to figure out the cause(s) for no sparks. I believe this one was called a Model 7000, a cheaper version of the minuteman but with a shorter barrel and no patchbox or raised cheekpiece.

 

[Gene L]

Nice looking restoration.

As for epoxy, heat will sometimes soften it. It's worth a try.

 

[bubba.50]

start in the middle of the inlet & you may be able to get up under it & ease the filler out with a chisel point blade in an Exacto knife.

 

[kurts]

leave it tell everyone that it's ivory.