Copy of an original blunderbuss

davec2 · Sep 30, 2024

Back in 2016 I was commissioned to build a brass barreled blunderbuss. Here is the link to the original posts

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/blunderbuss.103402/

The fellow who I made this for has contacted me again about a smaller version. He happened across an original blunderbuss that was significantly smaller and lighter than then one I built for him in the link above. Here are some details:

Brass cannon barrel 12.5” long with clear proof & view marks and engraved “LONDON”
Brass mounts in good condition
Lock is marked “NICHOLSON” and is in excellent working condition
Back of the lock marked “IW”
Excellent wood, no cracks and no missing pieces
Bore is ~ 7 gauge ( ~0.9”)

The owner has asked me to make a near bench copy of it. Of course, the barrel is the hardest part to duplicate and I am heading toward machining it myself from bar stock. However, before I get started I wanted to ask this knowledgeable community for an assessment of this piece. This is really the very first original firearm that I have handled directly and it appears to be in excellent condition….at least to my untrained eye.

davec2 · Sep 30, 2024

davec2 said:
Back in 2016 I was commissioned to build a brass barreled blunderbuss. Here is the link to the original posts

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/blunderbuss.103402/

The fellow who I made this for has contacted me again about a smaller version. He happened across an original blunderbuss that was significantly smaller and lighter than then one I built for him in the link above. Here are some details:

Brass cannon barrel 12.5” long with clear proof & view marks and engraved “LONDON”
Brass mounts in good condition
Lock is marked “NICHOLSON” and is in excellent working condition
Back of the lock marked “IW”
Excellent wood, no cracks and no missing pieces
Bore is ~ 7 gauge ( ~0.9”)

The owner has asked me to make a near bench copy of it. Of course, the barrel is the hardest part to duplicate and I am heading toward machining it myself from bar stock. However, before I get started I wanted to ask this knowledgeable community for an assessment of this piece. This is really the very first original firearm that I have handled directly and it appears to be in excellent condition….at least to my untrained eye.

Here are a few more photos......

deerstalkert · Oct 1, 2024

don't know anything about it, except that I want one!!

Brokennock · Oct 2, 2024

This is going to be a great project to follow. Thank you for sharing.
I am sure you're going to fo a fantastic job @davec2
If nothing else we know the metal casting and engraving will be amazing

Flint62Smoothie · Oct 2, 2024

davec2 said:
.... before I get started I wanted to ask this knowledgeable community for an assessment of this piece.

Our assessment? I say GO FOR IT! The proofs look great and everything else appears correct by my eye. In fact I have one just like it less with a 14" barrel, also brass, of same cannon muzzle shape, but with a folding bayonet on top of the barrel ... et no proof marks (???) on the barrel.

davec2 · Oct 3, 2024

Gathering parts that are close to the original. Here is the original lock compared to one of Chamber's English fowler locks.....

Some options for the trigger guard.......

The guard with the acorn finial is a little too big in the bow and the bow is too narrow. I will go with the trigger guard with the fancier finial just for the size and shape of the bow.

This butt plate can be easily modified to almost exactly match the original....

This side plate is very close to the original but I may just duplicate the original by making a silicone mold and then doing a centrifugal casting in brass....

Rounded up the brass bar stock for the barrel. Got it set up in the lathe and started the pilot hole through. The bore will be about a 7 gage when finished.....

davec2 · Oct 3, 2024

A little more work on the barrel today. Finished drilling the pilot through with a long 1/2" drill. Then bored the breach for a 1 1/8-12 breach plug and tapped it. Waiting now for a long bore size drill to finish the bore.

davec2 · Oct 3, 2024

The new bore drill arrived finally from Drills & Cutters in Florida...bad timing on my part to order the drill a few days before the latest hurricane blew into their neck of the woods. However, it made it here safely. Now I need to modify the drill for use on brass. I will be out of the shop for a few of weeks (other contract work to do) so I will pick this up again in early November.

PathfinderNC · Oct 3, 2024

Davec2, sir you amaze me

RMFnLA · Oct 4, 2024

How (and why) does one modify a drill for use on brass?

davec2 · Oct 4, 2024

RMFnLA said:
How (and why) does one modify a drill for use on brass?

Ground as it is now, with a positive rake to the cutting edges, the drill will grab and dig in deeper than it should…. Especially since I have drilled a pilot hole and the center point of the drill will not do any cutting. I will use a stone and very slightly flatten both cutting edges so that instead of any acute angle on the cutting edges both will be at near 90 degrees. This will drill fine in brass without grabbing but the drill will need to be re-sharpened if I want to drill anything else with it.

CyrusP · Oct 15, 2024

Amazing skills. Amazing project. I am so unbelievably envious of people with the right tools and the skills to use them properly. I cannot wait for this to continue!

davec2 · Oct 15, 2024

CyrusP said:
Amazing skills. Amazing project. I am so unbelievably envious of people with the right tools and the skills to use them properly. I cannot wait for this to continue!

CyrusP,

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement. I should be back at this project soon.,,,,

Dave C

davec2 · Friday at 12:34 AM

CyrusP said:
Amazing skills. Amazing project. I am so unbelievably envious of people with the right tools and the skills to use them properly. I cannot wait for this to continue!

Back in town for a bit and wanted to get a few more things done. Prepared the drill for drilling the bore. Knocked back the cutting edge to a 90 degree rake angle......

Started the prep on the trigger guard casting........Had to use some brass colored silver solder to patch a couple of casting voids.....

One of two options for the stock wood I will use.......

Noeyebrows · Friday at 7:23 AM

davec2 said:
Back in town for a bit and wanted to get a few more things done. Prepared the drill for drilling the bore. Knocked back the cutting edge to a 90 degree rake angle......

Started the prep on the trigger guard casting........Had to use some brass colored silver solder to patch a couple of casting voids.....

One of two options for the stock wood I will use.......

Where do you get brass colored solder? Didnt know that was a think. Cool project!

Rich44 · Friday at 8:06 AM

This is a fun and interesting project you are doing, Thanks for the great pictures with your post.

Colonial Boy · Friday at 8:21 AM

Watching with great interest

davec2 · Friday at 10:17 AM

Noeyebrows said:
Where do you get brass colored solder? Didnt know that was a think. Cool project!

Noeyebrows,

This is the brass colored silver solder I use. Color match is good and it tarnishes like the brass as well.

https://www.riogrande.com/product/brass-wire-solder-20-ga/132201GP/?code=132201

https://www.riogrande.com/product/s...-and-yellow-gold-filled/503052GP/?code=503052

davec2 · Saturday at 12:19 AM

Colonial Boy said:
Watching with great interest

Got the brass barrel finish machined today. Here are a few photos....Drilling, reaming, sculpting the muzzle, etc. Will need to make the breach plug and lugs next.

davec2 · Tuesday at 1:00 AM

davec2 said:
Got the brass barrel finish machined today. Here are a few photos....Drilling, reaming, sculpting the muzzle, etc. Will need to make the breach plug and lugs next.

I will need to proof this barrel before I go too far with the build. It is a 7 bore. It's made out of better material than the original (I'm fairly sure) and the bore is slightly smaller (i.e. thicker walls), so it should be fine. However, anyone know what a 7 bore proof charge should be ?

#@!! $#@* !!!! Just found the British Gun Barrel Proof Act of 1868.......here is an excerpt ......

For a 7 bore, look at the powder and projectile weights required for a first and second proof !!!!!! I want to proof the barrel but this looks more like I'm making a pipe bomb !!!

Copy of an original blunderbuss

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