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Is this rifle still available?

I have replaced several liners, and have assisted other club members with new rifles and new liners. Most new liners, and liners on new factory rifles have flash holes that are too small. I assembled a set of number drills, and enlarge one small step at a time until ignition is reliable. Most...

I'm looking at that very buggered hammer screw versus a fairly virginal top jaw screw and wondering if the jaw screw was replaced with something with the wrong thread. If so, go gently, you might be able to restore the original threading. As noted above, patience is the most important thing to...

When I get a bag of flints I sort them into three groups- really good, save for match use and hunting - okay, use for training and informal shooting - and fix so they'll work. Flints that are uneven side to side, pointy on top, or with excessive rocker on the bottom get trimmed. Diamond hand...

I made my tarp tent//plow point tent from a fabric called #30 pocket drill from JoAnn Fabrics. This is an all cotton tightly woven light canvas. Before cutting and sewing fabric was washed and dried twice on hottest machine settings. Leftover fabric was cut into 6" triangular reinforces for...

This has been a good series of posts, worthwhile for all of us, and not just for gun work. One of the most important things to apply when dealing with stuck screws is patience! Apply penetrants and then let sit for at least a few days. Try a few heat and cool cycles, and more penetrant.

Recommend you get a small set of gunsmith screwdrivers in order to avoid buggering screw slots. Also, run all bolts into their holes a few time with finger pressure before attaching parts to stock, and lubricate wood screw threads with beeswax or soap before installing.

I helped a friend build up a Traditions Deluxe Kentucky flinter kit, the one with a set trigger. The joining of the buttstock, plate and forestock with epoxy adhesive was accomplished using the barrel as an alignment fixture. Barrel was coated with mold release for about two inches fore and aft...

I was gifted a Traditions kit with the dead white nearly grain-free beech stock. Used a cotton swab to test Laurel Mountain stains in the barrel inlet. Tried one, two and three applications of the stains, plus a few combinations. Wound up using one coat of cherry under two coats of walnut for a...

I have two Lee REAL 50 cal molds, in the 250 grain and 320 grain flavors. Did testing at 100 yards with two quite different firearms. In a CVA Mountain Rifle with a 1:48 twist barrel the 250 grain grouped best. In a weird Pedersoli rifle styled like a Remington Rolling Block with a 1:32 twist...

I did a bit of remodeling on a Lyman GPR, including browning all the steel fittings. Used a long plastic storage box as a humidity chamber, the type used to store Christmas wrapping paper. Barrel fit in diagonally, resting lug at rear and wood plug at front on scrap wood. Placed several very...

A Colorado builder I know would heat the barrel with hair dryer, then rub on bees' wax as part of final assembly. I've followed suit and have had no corrosion problems.

I sort-of recall a gun like that in the museum at Tufts University, in Medford MA.

I buy patching material from JoAnne's. Most used is called Bottomweights cotton twill, comes in many colors. Second in line is pillow ticking, like it for 54 and 58 calibers. Third is called #40 pocket drill, a light weight cotton canvas of very tight weave, gives best accuracy when shooting...

Above all, apply patience! Stand the breech end in a soup can of penetrating solvent, and let it sit for days on end. If nipples are clogged, pour some solvent down the bores. Every few days clean the nipple areas with a brass wire brush, then soak some more. After a month of soaking and...

One of the things I learned from a very good Colorado gun builder is take care of your tools. In the instance of files, first thing I do is make up a cover or sheath for the new file out of cereal box cardboard and duct tape. Clean the file when done using it, then cover it before it goes back...

I recently had cause to do just the opposite of straightening ramrod stock- I put in some curve so it would stay in place under recoil. Wrapped the blank in long wet cloth for several hours, then clamped in a piece of 90 degree oak trim with spacers at 1/3 and 2/3 points, let dry for several...

A few thoughts- Try different patch materials. My favorites are Bottomweights 100% cotton twill from JoAnn Fabrics, and 100% cotton pillow ticking from Wally Mart. Both are washed and dried at highest machine temps before use. Try FFg powder instead of the FFFg. Two eff has a slower pressure...

The best advice I have ever received about gun building: "When you feel like really leaning on that chisel and moving some wood, set the chisel down and take your dog for a walk." That's when you make mistakes. Applies to any tool.

A well respected gun builder here on the Colorado Front Range does much Eric K does. An advantage he pointed out to me is that the very thin layer of epoxy does a good job of sealing the wood of the forestock against moisture. Makes sense to me- when I clean I inevitably have some overflow when...