Brass under hammer build

[John Taylor]

Nice looking rifle.
Thought I would make the sights for mine next. I wanted a lolly pop rear sight with fine adjustment and a hooded front sight. The rear sight post is spring steel with a 1/4"X40 thread. I machined a ball end for standard size disk threads of 7/32"x 40

Found a neat way to turn a ball in the milling machine.
The disk was machined from a solid bar.

Both sights after machining. front sight is 3 piece silver soldered together

Rear sight on rifle. With the 40 pitch thread it will move .025" per turn so I made it to go in half turn increments. With the math done it comes out to about 1&1/4" at 100 yards for each half turn, the eye piece can be threaded from both sides. There are flats on both sides of the post for a thumb screw to lock it in place ( not in picture).

 

[gmww]

Very nice John! :thumbsup:

 

[davy]

Great as usual John! I can only imagine what it is like to have the tools, knowledge, & experience to do this job right! :hatsoff:

Davy

 

[John Taylor]

gmww , figure out what barrel you want, I started another one for you.

 

[John Taylor]

Davy, Thanks for the kind words.

 

[PitchyPine]

I`m a whistling, she`s a beauty :bow:

 

[John Taylor]

finally got a chance to work on the fore end.Cutting the octagon channel takes about 30 seconds after set up. I make my own router bits, this one was made from the discarded end of a high power barrel.

Cutting the ramrod channel is just as easy using a ball end mill.

 

[Bubba45]

Cool!! A new use for all those junk 98 mauser barrels :hatsoff:
Do you have a pic of the front view of the cutter?

 

[PitchyPine]

Gotta get a mill. :thumbsup:

 

[John Taylor]

I don't think a 98 barrel would do the trick. This was made from a 25 cal. Douglas. Stub left over after making a 24" barrel for a bolt gun. Picture after heat treat.

 

[John Taylor]

I started off with a milling attachment for the lathe and then got a cheap table top model before going with the full size. The one in the picture was $4,400.

 

[PitchyPine]

I see some older ones around now and then pretty reasonable, for the work i would do with one it wouldn`t have to be two fancy.
A guy can do amazing things with a few good tools and a little willingness to try. :thumbsup:

 

[Runner]

I have a 1920's Southbend gapbed that I found for 400$. I have one of the little 8x12's, and a Big Red drill mill. The setup tools are what kills ya, not the power tools!
I tried twice to make a 4 tooth cutter to do ramrod channels. They kept twisting in the collet the spin jig uses. What are you using to hold the stock when you cut your bits?

 

[John Taylor]

some times I use a spin jig and sometimes I use an indexing head with a 4 jaw chuck. The index head can be tilted so the last one I did I gave 5 degrees to help clear the chips. If you have problems with the metal moving, try lighter cuts.

 

[John Taylor]

Mr. Woody from gunfancy stopped by the shop the other day so I gave him my rifle to see if he could make some marks on it. I got it back today and had to show it off.

I still have work to do on it. Need to make thimbles and figure out how I want to hold the fore arm on. Also need to make a butt plate. Can't decide if I should blue or brown, I think blue would make the brass stand out more. Anyone want to jump in and help me decide.

 

[Mulebrain]

That is beautiful work :thumbsup: Nice build

 

[PitchyPine]

That`s awesome, :bow: i just realized the trigger gaurd doubles as a spring :redface:
:hatsoff:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Very nice. I'll cast my vote for blue.

 

[Bubba45]

I agree with you on the blue, it would contrast nicely.
Thats looking like a "Collectors Edition" ,very nice :hatsoff:

 

[jgr1974]

That is just an awesome gun!!! I envy you!!! I love the underhammers. I would love to have a 12 or 20 gauge on the underhammer frame!

Jeremy