British Light Sea Service Dragoon project !

[Clark Badgett]

I think some may have been lacquered too with dragons blood resin

They definitely were not just oiled.

 

[wiscoaster]

I think some may have been lacquered too with dragons blood resin

Laquer takes Transtint dye very nicely.

 

[PathfinderNC]

You’re making a great improvement on what you started with. Very impressive!

 

[BCWILL]

Finally got the entry pipe inletted !
Went pretty good….but I will say it’s easier to install one from scratch then to try and match/hide one into an existing spot !



Still gotta shape down the forestock to match the new profile of the pipe and deepen up the rod channel to line up with the now “higher” pipe !
Definitely was worth doing the pipe….imo a big improvement over what it came with

 

[wiscoaster]

That's got to be one of the nicest jobs of making an entry pipe that wasn't originally intended for that to not only just work but also to be beautifully inlet and look like it belongs.

 

[PathfinderNC]

I think you can remove a whole bunch wood at the ramrod channel.
Not familiar with these marshal pistols but on other types just over half the ramrod is visible above the sides of the channel.

 

[TheThunderGun]

Thinking about getting one of these and working on it.

 

[BCWILL]

I think you can remove a whole bunch wood at the ramrod channel.
Not familiar with these marshal pistols but on other types just over half the ramrod is visible above the sides of the channel.

Yep Definitely lottsa lumber left to remove….the pipes buried
pretty deep now

 

[TheThunderGun]

What size flint does this thing take?

 

[BCWILL]

What size flint does this thing take?

There are some slight differences in the lock works from gun to gun on these Indias….
On mine a 5/8 x 5/8 fits this one about
perfect
Although the frizzen is generously wide so you could go wider…maybe 3/4 ? any longer then 5/8 on mine it’ll touch the frizzen face at half cock

 

[TheThunderGun]

There are some slight differences in the lock works from gun to gun on these Indias….
On mine a 5/8 x 5/8 fits this one about
perfect
Although the frizzen is generously wide so you could go wider…maybe 3/4 ? any longer then 5/8 on mine it’ll touch the frizzen face at half cock

Perfect then I've already got some 5/8s AND 3/4ths I might go ahead and invest in one

 

[BCWILL]

Got the front tapered down…..certainly a much nicer profile then it had

 

[BCWILL]

No end to the wood slimming

 

[BCWILL]

Worth mentioning too….
Added bonus of adding in the proper entry pipe…the ram rod is way tighter to the muzzle
Originally it hung pretty low…

Looks much better imo

 

[PathfinderNC]

Yup, more wood to remove- and your doing it
I’m looking at how much of the barrel is still hidden in the stock. If you take some of that channel wall down so that the barrel is exposed more (as in the entire top half) your pistol will certainly be far less bulky.
Here’s an example of what I mean.

 

[BCWILL]

Yep you got an eye !!!
Marked where the barrel rested along the top edge…..definitely was not exposed to halfway at the breech end.


So we did just that….removed at least 3/16” to a 1/4” off the top back towards the breech end ! It really was alot of wood



Certainly helped “slender” down the look alot !



Thanks for the eye

 

[PathfinderNC]

Yep you got an eye !!!
Marked where the barrel rested along the top edge…..definitely was not exposed to halfway at the breech end.
View attachment 358678

So we did just that….removed at least 3/16” to a 1/4” off the top back towards the breech end ! It really was alot of wood
View attachment 358679
View attachment 358680

Certainly helped “slender” down the look alot !
View attachment 358681


Thanks for the eye

Quite a difference!
The top of the forearm doesn’t look straight ( bows slightly upward forward of the side panel) but might be the photo. Easy to check with a straight edge. Keep the thickness uniform as well.
Now just one suggestion: consider gently tapering and roll over the top of the stock at the muzzle which gives it a graceful flow (though this might not be appropriate for this style pistol).

 

[wiscoaster]

It just keeps getting better.

 

[BCWILL]

Quite a difference!
The top of the forearm doesn’t look straight…

Yep she’s dead nuts straight…checked with a steel rule…my vintage iPhone takes garbage pics

Now just one suggestion: consider gently tapering and roll over the top of the stock at the muzzle which gives it a graceful flow (though this might not be appropriate for this style pistol).

That does look really good ! Hard to say what the standard on these later sea service pistols was….some look squared off, some look rounded, most I’ve seen in person and pics are pretty worn on the leading edges….hard to say really other then I don’t think I’ve found two the same yet

Some original pics I’ve scabbed off the net…

Probably just try and emulate something in the middle

 

[BCWILL]

Okay thats it…..I’m gonna say this is the final shaping/slimming done !
Took the grip down abit more behind the panels, flattened down and dished the beavertail around the tang…it was abit too “proud” before and didn’t look quite right.
Just some final sanding left and onto the finish