Blue Ridge Rifles

[Capt Augustus]

I have a basic question about these rifles. I have only seen pictures on the lock side, do they have a cheek piece on the stock?

 

[RJR]

They have a cheek piece similar to the early Penn. rifles.

 

[jbwilliams3]

In my opinion, the cheek piece side of the rifle is much better looking than the lock side. :wink:

 

[Trench]

In my opinion, the cheek piece side of the rifle is much better looking than the lock side. :wink:

I agree with that statement. I don't think those locks look right with that mottled case coloring. That's why I removed mine, and took it back to raw steel.

 

In my opinion, the cheek piece side of the rifle is much better looking than the lock side. :wink:

I agree with that statement. I don't think those locks look right with that mottled case coloring. That's why I removed mine, and took it back to raw steel.

Had a customer buy one and did as you with removing the finish. This fellow doesn't take very good care of anything and in short order the lock plate was rusting. He asked what I would do to stop this, my reply was "cleaning & oil". :yakyak: That didn't do any good, a month later he's back - same complaint and wants us to fix it. I was going to tell a little trick but had second thoughts with his skills.

A good simiple finish that looks good for old guns was found in the back of a Dixie Gun Works catalog. Man they have had some good information on those pages, anything from tuning to finishes.
Anyway here it is; say we have a clean of any finish "white" bare piece of metal to work with.

You'll need to get some Clorox® bleach, a bottle of Birchwood Casey® cold blue and some cotton balls. And a few small plastic containers to hold these products for dipping.

WARNING - DO THIS OUTSIDE (DO NOT mix these products - handle with care).

For testing follow these steps. Your gun and gun parts can be done after you learn the simple process.

1. Wipe the metal down with a good cleaner to be free of any oil from your hands.

2. Take a cotton ball dip it in the Clorox and wipe down the metal.

3. Take another cotton ball dip it in the cold blue and rub it over the Clorox you had just applied. You'll start to see a modeled effect of grays like seen on old gun barrels. The more you rub on of the cold blue the darker it will get.

4. Give the piece of metal a bath in warm soapy water, let dry to see what the tone (color) is on the it. If needed repeat the process.

When doing your barrel be sure to put a cork in the muzzle and plug the vent or nipple hole to prevent this mixture from going inside of the barrel.

I keep my guns well oiled and also use Johnson's paste wax on the wood and metal when hunting in bad weather. Have also put beewax in the barrel channel to prevent moisture from swelling the wood. Another tip is be sure your ramrod is not to tight, when wet they will swell and be hard to remove until dry.

 

[Trench]

I haven't had any problems with rust...but then again I clean between range sesssions. I'm beginning to wonder if some guys don't take their locks off and clean them between sessions.

I don't even really oil the lock plate, either. Just clean and dry it. The insides get an oil treatment along with the frizzen spring, but that's it.

 

[cowpoke1955]

I've had my Blue Ridge for over 15 years with no problems. I also pull and clean my lock every time I shoot. I clean the lock with the barrel in warm soapy water, rinse in clear water, dry and apply a light coat of oil. Lock is still like new :thumbsup:

 

[Capt Augustus]

I attended the Lewis & Clark Exhibition over in Olive Branch, MS today. There I actually saw and held a Blue Ridge, which was great, since I was worried about length of pull. Usually I have a 13.5 lop, but this rifle fit me great. Getting more tempted everyday.

 

I'm beginning to wonder if some guys don't take their locks off and clean them between sessions.

This was and is this customers problem, poor maintenance or lack of none. Of course its always the products fault, we have all seen and heard the stories. :shake: :shocked2:

 

[dyemaker]

Might look better with a sideplate. No toeplate patchbox or nosecap either as if it were a barn gun with a brass triggergaurd and buttplate. Afraid to take mine apart too much and strip out the screws.

 

[tg]

It is kind of sad about the Hatfield/ Blue Ridge guns they could have been styled and made following an original gun type/school for very little additional production cost and would probably have sold even better over the years. You always hear about the orignal Ted used to start the whole thing but never see the picture of the original gun, they are closer than most of the other fullstocks offered over the years, I think a much smaller English lock would look much better.

 

[cowpoke1955]

I've been removing my barrel for cleaning for over 15 years and never had a problem with those little screws. Just be careful when you screw them back in. I have a small S&W screw driver, the ones that comes with thier revolvers. It's a perfect fit. I agree about the side plate. If you look at Cabela's site, the new Blue Ridge now has a toe plate. But without the toe plate, side plate, nose cap, patch box and entry thimble does give it a kind of poor boy look. Funny, I've never thought about that. It's still a great shooter :thumbsup:

 

[dyemaker]

I think there is or was a Pedersoli deluxe version with a patchbox but I may be mistaken about that.

edit
Oh... you just stated that Cowpoke55. geesh! I really should keep my mouth shut and listen more often.
..................
The stock reminds me in a way of the work of Berks county gunmaker... drats forgot his name so excuse the later edit please.
..................
edit
Leonard Reedy

 

[cowpoke1955]

Yes, but at the prices of that deluxe Blue Ridge/Frontier I think you be better off with one of the semi custom rifles. Cabela's offer the deluxe in .50 caliber only. Cherry's offer it in other calibers, but you pay for that: http://www.cherrys.com/ped_rif1.htm . At those prices you can find a nicer rifle at http://tennesseevalleymanufacturing.com/ , http://www.avsia.com/tvm/ , http://www.earlyrusticarms.com/ or http://sittingfoxmuzzleloaders.com/ for the same amount of money or less. Just to let you know there are other options out there :thumbsup:

 

[boar]

I would check out the lock real good if it is a flint. Mine eats flints. Might get 6-7 shots out of one. For the price, I would add a little more and get a good one with a good lock. Dilly

 

[tg]

I would second the idea about looking for another source for a different gun, as mentioned the priece has really gone past the value of the product, for the same or at times a bit less you can get an American made gun that will pass the PC/HC muster should that be a part of ones requirements on a new gun, there are often some very good deals on used American made guns also, check out the various forums classifieds.

 

[Trench]

You may indeed be better off with a custom gun from the likes of TVM or other lower end builders. Here's a list of things I've done to my Blue Ridge to make it more acceptable to me:

1. Stripped factory finish off and applied 12 coats of tung oil to bring out the figure of the stock.

2. Soaked the lock in toilet bowl cleaner to remove the case coloring.

3. Cut the buckhorns off the rear sight and widened the notch.

4. Striped the ramrod.

5. Filed down and polished the frizzen spring so the frizzen flys open easily to stop bashing flints.

6. Applied BP residue to the brass to blacken it.

7. Sanded down and rounded the nose of the stock.

I'm thinking about installing a simple sideplate in the future too. It even occurred to me to put faux barrel pins in...but won't do that.

I like my rifle...now. However, the experience has geared me more towards buying guns from builders.

 

[brubincam]

-----put real barrel pins in and throw out the screws-----

 

[tg]

"-----put real barrel pins in and throw out the screws----- "

I have heard several people tell of doing that,I had an American version of that gun and really took the wood off above and below the"moulding" along the forestock to feather everything together., it was about like an extra ramrod channel on both sides of the stock as it came from the factory.The outfit that is now Deer Creek was the last to make them here I believe

 

[dyemaker]

You are right about looking at other rifles . Pedersoli rifles are expensive now. Another kit that comes to mind is from Clark industries in Canada. It is a Leonard Reedy rifle.