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Zonie

Moderator Emeritus In Remembrance
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Many of you have seen the posts I've written about building a pistol by using a plastic TrueLife kit as a basis for its design.
A few of you mentioned you would like to see how it turns out so I thought I would make this picture of it:
CASE2.jpg

Well, it is done enough that it could go to the range today.
It didn't shoot as I expected though.
I had two targets posted and aimed at the top one.
This is what I got:
CASE1.jpg

Not too bad until you realize this was the lower target. :grin: :grin:

For those that haven't followed this build, the gun has a 3/4 octagon, .40 caliber Rayl pistol barrel I got from Vernon C Davis.
The lock is a small Siler Caplock and along with the German Silver trigger guard, trigger, trigger plate, Sterling Silver front sight and Curly Maple wood, all was purchased from TOTW.
I made the lockscrew plate from a piece of German Silver plate I had laying around.

I cast the butt cap out of CerroBend using the plastic model to make the plaster mold.

The Fluting on the grip was done with Flexcut chisels.

The wood was lye water treated and stained with Master 'SolarLux' alcohol based American Walnut stain and finished with 8 coats of Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil.

By the way, the semi-gloss finish was done by hard hand rubbing the built up layers of glossy Tru-Oil with just a little Tru-Oil on a small rag.
This left a soft satin sheen which doesn't seem to cloud or mask the grain of the wood but is not at all glossy.

Those of you who think you might want to carve your project out of a block of wood may want to start with a small project like this one.
I think I have about $170 invested in the pistols parts
 
Great stuff Zonie! :grin: Can I ask which flex cut set that you used and recommend? Aslo can you give us a breakdown on the parts cost if possible?

Thanx

Davy
 
Simple and elegant. I like the shape, looks very comfortable.
Did you use the tang screw slot as a reference sight?
The box came out great, red was the right color for the pistol, it really sets it off. :hatsoff:
 
:thumbsup: Excellent Zonie , now all you need to do is file the front sight down some and you just might , have a "tack driver" ! :hatsoff:
 
Thanks for the compliments to all of you.

Davy said:
Great stuff Zonie! :grin: Can I ask which flex cut set that you used and recommend? Aslo can you give us a breakdown on the parts cost if possible?

Thanx

Davy

Davy: I bought the Flexcut # FR310 set because I wanted to cut round bottom flutes in the grip and that set has a deep 1/16 radius chisel (along with a 70 degree V tool).
I was so amazed at the ease with which they worked that I hopped in the car and went back and bought the #FR804 set.
For me to go out and spend money when it's not required says something for how well they work.
These sets cost about $120 for the two of them.

The parts cost and source was:
Lock: Small Siler Precussion $66 TOTW
Barrel:3/4 octagon X 10 inch, .40 cal plus Breech plug about $40 Vernon Davis
Trigger with plate: $18 TOTW
Front sight (Sterling) $4.95 TOTW
Drum $2.50 TOTW
Nipple $4.00 TOTW
UNDERLUG $1.25 TOTW
German Silver Trigger Guard $9.50 TOTW
Filister hd tang screw $.75
Dome hd lock screw $.75
Stock Wood $22 TOTW
Barrel pin $0 (on hand)
two wood screws $.30 (Ace)
Cerrobend $?? I've had it for years.
TOTAL.............$170

I guess to be fair, I would also have to add in about $20 for postage etc. but for $190 it's a pretty good deal.

Rear sight question:
Yes, I used the slot in the head of the Filister head tang screw for a rear sight.
My solution may be one of the following:
* Do Nothing.
* Make a special tang screw with a head that stands proud of the barrel by about .100 and file the front sight about .050.
* Install a real rear sight.
* Hang two targets and aim at the top one. :)
* Put a bright orange dot 11 inches above the bullseye of the target and aim at it. :) :)

I will probably install a real rear sight, but I hate to frinkle with the already blued barrel. :grin: :hmm:
 
Greetings Zonie,

That is a very fine piece of work. Definately has a professional quality look to it.

Best regards and good shooting,

John L. Hinnant
 
Truly a beauty. I'm always amazed when I see some of the work turned out by you folks. I think You had 8 rifles on here a few months ago that were amazing. I just got a new monitor today and the detail I can see now blows me away. Keep it up.
 
Beautiful. Utterly beautiful. And, as someone who's built a couple sets of cased pistols, I appreciate the quality of the box. That's harder in some ways than building the gun.
 
I thank you all.
The box looks better in the pictures than it does in real life.
The wood is fine, but the art of installing material over padding and partitions is one I haven't mastered yet. :grin:
 
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