Another One Saved

[Brianc]

Enclosed is images of a sleeper or barn find that I acquired a fortnight ago and have restored. The gun which is single barrel had a thick coating of rust with moving parts seized and must have come from a out side building or damp attic, the stock which is a hardwood such has ash or sycamore was really dirty has likely at some time had been hung over a sooty chimney .First was to check and see if was loaded it was OK so I removed the lock and furniture next was to remove the heavy rust from the lock with this removed I un covered the makers name ROWNTREE this was the gunmaker who built the first percussion cap sxs shotgun. This gun was original a flintlock and converted to percussion using the drum and nipple principle it was also fitted with a engraved unusual style of hammer which was made to ignite a special type of percussion cap . the barrel plug at the opposite side to the drum and nipple is fitted a vent hole , which was made more so on later percussion guns for quick ignition. The barrel which is standard twist and 36 inches long in 12 bore do not have any proof mark but is in sound condition ,after lapping out the bore it returned a shinny clean bore , this gun would make a shooter , but for me it was saved for the future which could have easily ended up in the furnace
Feltwad


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thank you for your amazing post ! I'm working on one myself that there's a bit of rough at the breech inside the bore , it keeps catching patches and is generally a nightmare to get out (stuck range rod) . Do you have any suggestions? the rest is coming together just this is the only hiccup thank you

 

[Feltwad]

thank you for your amazing post ! I'm working on one myself that there's a bit of rough at the breech inside the bore , it keeps catching patches and is generally a nightmare to get out (stuck range rod) . Do you have any suggestions? the rest is coming together just this is the only hiccup thank you

I always if possible remove the breech plugs mostly to examine the plug threads and also the quantity of rust in the breach end of the barrel and the dome of the plug Once the breech plug is removed I personally use heat always making sure that there is no charge .I have enclosed a couple of images of tools that I use one fits the hooked breach plug and the other is a tool that fits a drill and removes any rust and polishes the bore .
Feltwad

 

[rdavidson]

You my friend are an artist.

 

[Lorne Johnson]

Has both the hammer and the lock plate were heavy coated with rust ,I first removed this with a fine wet and dry paper then using a solvent such has WD40 something I rarely use I coated it well and left to stand then using a hand wire brush I cleaned out the engraving dried and coated with oil .
Feltwad

Thanks! I appreciate your sharing the technique. You've made it work really well!

 

[Brianc]

I always if possible remove the breech plugs mostly to examine the plug threads and also the quantity of rust in the breach end of the barrel and the dome of the plug Once the breech plug is removed I personally use heat always making sure that there is no charge .I have enclosed a couple of images of tools that I use one fits the hooked breach plug and the other is a tool that fits a drill and removes any rust and polishes the bore .
Feltwad


Will that hone work without removing the breech plug? I’m afraid to do so as I don’t have the proper tool and it’s in really good shape
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[recurvebill]

Excellent work , sir ! Darn good looking piece !!

 

[Feltwad]

You can only give the hone a try ,it all depends on the thickness of the rust this can vary considerable I have seen a build up of rust at this point that reduces the bore size a lot that's why I like to take out the beech plug to examine the bore and more so a piece of mind .
Feltwad

 

[Artificer]

Enclosed is images of a sleeper or barn find that I acquired a fortnight ago and have restored. The gun which is single barrel had a thick coating of rust with moving parts seized and must have come from a out side building or damp attic, the stock which is a hardwood such has ash or sycamore was really dirty has likely at some time had been hung over a sooty chimney .First was to check and see if was loaded it was OK so I removed the lock and furniture next was to remove the heavy rust from the lock with this removed I un covered the makers name ROWNTREE this was the gunmaker who built the first percussion cap sxs shotgun. This gun was original a flintlock and converted to percussion using the drum and nipple principle it was also fitted with a engraved unusual style of hammer which was made to ignite a special type of percussion cap . the barrel plug at the opposite side to the drum and nipple is fitted a vent hole , which was made more so on later percussion guns for quick ignition. The barrel which is standard twist and 36 inches long in 12 bore do not have any proof mark but is in sound condition ,after lapping out the bore it returned a shinny clean bore , this gun would make a shooter , but for me it was saved for the future which could have easily ended up in the furnace
Feltwad


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Was the checkering at the wrist always the early "flat' checkering and never pointed?

Gus

 

[Feltwad]

Was the checkering at the wrist always the early "flat' checkering and never pointed?

Gus

English checkering was always flat even today on modern English made guns . The percussion period common flat checkering was mostly 18 to 20 lines to the inch, in the early flintlock period it was larger some with a dimple in each square . One of the biggest mistakes in restoration is to recut the checkering if it is well worn leave it if it is dirty and filled up use a paint stripper and clean the lines with a old tooth brush there is nothing worse than a 150 + year old gun with crisp checkering when handled ,this is one fault of taking restoration too far it is trying to make it look new and greatly reduces its history
Feltwad

 

[Artificer]

English checkering was always flat even today on modern English made guns . The percussion period common flat checkering was mostly 18 to 20 lines to the inch, in the early flintlock period it was larger some with a dimple in each square . One of the biggest mistakes in restoration is to recut the checkering if it is well worn leave it if it is dirty and filled up use a paint stripper and clean the lines with a old tooth brush there is nothing worse than a 150 + year old gun with crisp checkering when handled ,this is one fault of taking restoration too far it is trying to make it look new and greatly reduces its history
Feltwad

Very interesting. Thank you!

Gus

 

[Jim Wag]

Dang

Jim in La Luz

 

[stank]

Very nice save

 

[bigted]

Feltwad, looks like good work on a real nice old English gun.

Have you dated it Yet?

Also the "vent" you mentioned, you say it is on the left side and opposite the drum? Is this an on purpose hole? Seems like I have heard of this but can not remember what I read about it.

Thank you for sharing this grand ol gun.

 

[slspletskp]

A labor of love, for sure! Well done and thanks for sharing!

 

[SOLANCO]

Looks like chestnut wood maybe, I don't think it's ash, and sycamore has no grain really, makes a decent rolling pin in place of apple. The lock looks like it has not been converted from flint, but rather a drum used on a patent breech type lock.

Flat sawn sycamore is boring. But quarter sawn sycamore is something else altogether. The knife is on a quarter sawn sycamore countertop.

 

[Tuna]

Very nice work, great save!

 

[Feltwad]

Thanks fellows for the interest and kind words most will know from this side of the pond that I have done restoration for many decades in all types of ignition , Has I said I am expecting another four within a month and I will photo before and after if I remember but then I am 83 years of age .
Thanks
Feltwad

 

[TFoley]

What a beautiful piece of work, Feltwad, and a joy to behold. I have a feeling that it would date from around 1840 or so, or not much later - it has that air about it. Congratulations for a job well done.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Feltwad, looks like good work on a real nice old English gun.

Have you dated it Yet?

Also the "vent" you mentioned, you say it is on the left side and opposite the drum? Is this an on purpose hole? Seems like I have heard of this but can not remember what I read about it.

Thank you for sharing this grand ol gun.

In the early days of percussion locks, it was believed that the percussion flash channel would supply too much back pressure and delay the heat from the percussion caps from getting to the main charge. The solution was to have a vent hole opposite the drum somewhat akin to the touch hole for a flintlock. We see the vents in nipples such as the Hot Shot, Spitfire, Redhot, and the Dixie Gun Works description of a vent drilled into the drum

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Had a similar Ryan & Watson in relic con.. Took it back to Flint.. 17b with 39" tube, But now 12b owning to pitting. Uncleaned after old type caps. The lock has been on the forum before.