Blueprints with dimensions

[iForgeIron86]

I am a blacksmith and am looking to start some gunsmithing. I just ordered a Pedersoli Kentucky Pistol kit and it got me to thinking about building guns from scratch, longrifles and pistols, flintlock and caplocks. Should be a fun and interesting challenge. The problem is I can't seem to find any kind of dimensions anywhere on the interwebs that doesn't cost a pretty penny. I have some cad software and precision measuring tools, so I suppose I could just measure up the parts once my kit arrives, but I was just curious if anyone knew where I could obtain some drawings or plans with measurements

 

[Wes/Tex]

Dixie and TOTW do , or did, have layouts to scale of some rifles and pistols. I got a full sized set of the guns made by North Star West made from the second owners Bill Wescombe and Bob Rathbun. I had asked about their guns and they sent full sized blueprints of the standard trade gun, the chief's grade trade gun, the Early English trade gun, the officer's/light infantry fusil and the trade pistol. The chief's grade gun is an original sketch by Curly that includes his horse Tumble Bug dated 1981. This was before Matt took over the operation. When Matt's health started failing, we all lost a great source of top grade guns! :v

 

[nhmoose]

Prepare to loose your money IMHO.

Former FFL Manufacture 07 FFL with SOT. do not forget the FET or you will have big time legal problems.

I was once jaded to think I could make money with the black powder art. NOT.

Good luck to those who can. Just because you are dealing in antique style guns does not mean you are not regulated. Ask some who got closed for making arrows and not thinking of the FET. Never mind the fee for the Secretary of the USA incase you "might export" war materials.

Get expert legal consultation before trying may help your decisions.

 

[rich pierce]

Blueprints are helpful but unless you have exactly the same parts they are just a starting point. I draw plans for each build by placing the parts on the drawing paper.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
If you want to make authentic proportioned guns don't copy measurements from any Pedersoli kit. You need to examine originals and no blueprints are going help much because you will not understand the nuances of shaping from blueprints. You need to handle original or contemporary guns that exhibit those details. I have seen a number of guns made by guys who were good, precise metal workers and machinists. They were meticulously made and looked like they were made by "the numbers" but nothing like the originals.

dave

 

[Col. Batguano]

In the front section of "Gunsmith of Grenville County" there are about a dozen guns and about that many measurements for each gun. Of course, no set of plans or measurements are going to be entirely comprehensive. Pictures go a long way to help with things like lock orientation, panel ,margins, tang shape and size.

Best of course is to have an original in hand so you can carefully study each detail as you are attempting to recreate it. The Pedersoli kit is a good start, but like all kit makers, they leave way too much wood in there. They may have taken some short cuts in stock dimensioning too in order to keep the kit affordable.

Are you planning on making your own barrels and other metal work too? It would be neat if you had the ability to make Damascus barrels. Not many folks doing that in their builds these days.

 

[Boomerang]

What really needs to be done is to have the originals laser scanned and have 3D cad models made from them. That way we would have a standard that we could go off of instead of having to have an original in hand to take measurements off of, but it would cost a pretty penny to have it done.

 

[eggwelder]

i think you guys scared him off.

 

[talon]

You can build up to 50 blackpowder guns a year before you have to start paying fet. Build 51 & you owe batf 10% fet for all 51.

 

[MSW]

i think i remember that some if not most of the photos in the Track of the Wolf catalog were life size ... not sure if that would help in this case, but it does make scratch building stocks a boatload easier. Also helps in deciding what lock size will look 'right' with which barrel and so on ...

then again, with my eyesight, and by lack of historical knowledge, i'm only going by what looks right to me which, to someone who really knows the subject, would most probably be laughable.

just an observation.

 

[Zonie]

In my older Track of the Wolf catalog, inlays, trigger guards, triggers, patch/cap box covers, toe plates, butt plates, ram rod pipes, front/rear sights, nose caps, breech plugs, side plates, locks, knife blades and buttons are all shown full size.

This helps immensely in figuring out which part to buy.

 

[Spikebuck]

Rifles of Colonial America Vol 1 & 2
http://www.shumwaypublisher.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=7

Not "blueprints" but photos of originals with key dimensions given.

An Intimate Look at the American Longrifle - It's Art and Evolution:
http://kentuckyriflefoundation.org/krf-store/#americanlongrifle

Top quality photos of originals with key dimensions list in the back.