My unknown rifle journey

NavyDoc76-80 · Dec 11, 2024

I’ve decided to start this as a diary to making this rifle right again. I will bring up many subjects but trying to keep the answers in one place. First, what do I mean unknown. This 54 cal musket long rifle was gifted to me. Only markings visible are 54 cal and a 4 digit serial #. Removed barrel from stock to find made in Italy, black powder only, and some tool marks. That makes it impossible to reference manufacturer when looking for parts. Two main parts missing were the nipple and the front sight. This has been Nickel and diming me into poverty (slightly kidding). Found nipple to be metric and front sight to measure in standard. Still looking for front sight to fit.

ppg1949 · Dec 11, 2024

Is it possible to load a photo?

NavyDoc76-80 · Dec 11, 2024

Here’s the missing front sight

NavyDoc76-80 · Dec 11, 2024

Rear, nipple and stock

NavyDoc76-80 · Dec 11, 2024

Tool marks if that means anything

NavyDoc76-80 · Dec 11, 2024

Stock was in an unfinished and unfit state when I got it carvers gouging marks were very pronounced in the butt stock area. Butt plate fit is still proud, easy fix. Tongue fit can’t be fixed as the tongue is way proud of the wood.

NavyDoc76-80 · Dec 11, 2024

As you can tell here in pic. Is what it is.

NavyDoc76-80 · Dec 11, 2024

Ordered these front sights from Muzzleloader Builders Supply. The base is supposed to be 3/8”-.375”,
These arrived measuring 23/64”-.366”.
Enough difference that they just slide through.

2 shots · Dec 11, 2024

the tang [tongue] can be filed down to and with the wood. if the brass is soft those sight bases cant likely be hammered out to size . flat piece of steel on top , good solid piece on bottom, or return them

NavyDoc76-80 · Dec 11, 2024

2 shots said:
the tang [tongue] can be filed down to and with the wood.

You would do that?

NavyDoc76-80 · Dec 11, 2024

2 shots said:
the tang [tongue] can be filed down to and with the wood.

Tang….got it

2 shots · Dec 11, 2024

thats how it done. if you dont want to try filing the whole tang you could just round over the edges to meet the wood. you do this with the barrel in the stock and file metal and wood together to make it flush. but first make sure the barrel is seated all the way down :thumb:

NavyDoc76-80 · Thursday at 2:02 AM

2 shots said:
thats how it done. if you dont want to try filing the whole tang you could just round over the edges to meet the wood. you do this with the barrel in the stock and file metal and wood together to make it flush. but first make sure the barrel is seated all the way down

Got it. Thanks

NavyDoc76-80 · Thursday at 2:22 AM

So the tang will come after the following. So I just finished the sanding around the butt plate that was grossly proud. It’s now respectable. The top plate of the butt plate fits decently. But the butt part to wood has gaps. Here’s what I’m going to try. In theory, titebond wood glue should not bond to the metal. I will make a paste from collected sawdust from the stock, lather it onto the wood butt, reapply butt plate, remove extra as needed, leaving some for shrinkage. My hope after curing, I can remove the plate and when it’s time, get two coats of Tung Oil finish (Sutherland Welles) to seal the hidden wood. How wide were the gaps you ask? Took feeler gauge and came up with 8 at narrowest and 15 at widest. Tang next, then final sand before applying finish. (Unless something else occurs to me)

NavyDoc76-80 · Thursday at 2:58 AM

NavyDoc76-80 · Thursday at 3:14 AM

Of possible interest. This wood seems very oily. I’ve made the statement that this was Turkish/English Walnut. The assumption made from its grain and likely European origin. But while hand sanding it’s quite noticeable. Have worked with an oily wood before like this and it was Teak. I’ve never worked with walnut before. I understand from here that American walnut is an open grain, whereas the Turkish is a closed grain. This certainly fits that bill. One odd occurrence is when the stock is resting, wherever contact is made, brown blotches are formed on the surface. Odd huh?

NavyDoc76-80 · Thursday at 10:39 AM

2 shots said:
thats how it done. if you dont want to try filing the whole tang you could just round over the edges to meet the wood. you do this with the barrel in the stock and file metal and wood together to make it flush. but first make sure the barrel is seated all the way down

2 shots, thanks for the encouragement Pulled an all nighter and got it done. Pics to follow. PS definitely got a workout.

TFoley · Thursday at 10:49 AM

Expect ANYTHING made in Europe to be metric. To imagine anything else is foolhardy.

Your rifle barrel has the date code AN - and was made in 1998 -

The coat of arms stamp is that of the city of Gardone Val Trompia, location of the Italian National Proof House. Europe has its own version of walnut - most gun stock are made it. Turkish walnut is common to Turkish guns, and to the VERY high end guns made in England/Scotland and the rest of Europe. French and Turkish is by far the most beautiful, and I remember being shown around Purdey's man years ago, and stunned to see a walnut blank priced at £15,000.

2 shots · Thursday at 11:44 AM

looks great. now if you thin the sides of the butt plate you can tap them into the slight voids along the edge. file same way metal to wood. it will look better also. keep at it. :thumb:

NavyDoc76-80 · Thursday at 11:58 AM

TFoley said:
Expect ANYTHING made in Europe to be metric. The imagine anything else is foolhardy.

Are you referring to the front sight measurements? I measured in metric with digital calipers as well but haven’t found any for sale in metric. This pursuit will probably nickel and dime me to the poor house, but I need a sight so, what a ya gonna do.

TFoley said:
Expect ANYTHING made in Europe to be metric. To imagine anything else is foolhardy.

Your rifle barrel has the date code AN - and was made in 1998 -

View attachment 368065

The coat of arms stamp is that of the city of Gardone Val Trompia, location of the Italian National Proof House. Europe has its own version of walnut - most gun stock are made it. Turkish walnut is common to Turkish guns, and to the VERY high end guns made in England/Scotland and the rest of Europe. French and Turkish is by far the most beautiful, and I remember being shown around Purdey's man years ago, and stunned to see a walnut blank priced at £15,000.

thank you so much for this. This tells me a lot. Well then regarding the species, given what you said, I doubt It’s Turkish. Not at that price. I’ll just call it Euro Walnut going forward. Thanks again. And FYI, I did find a site, Wolf something that has metric and standard front sights. Last thought for this 5 minutes. Thin butt plate and pound to fit. More marching orders. Got it.

My unknown rifle journey

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