Building 1st Gun_Isaac Haines

[Jotto626]

I ordered a kit from Jim Chambers. Got the stack and parts....Then I got the lock. Still waiting on the barrel.
While waiting, I have been working on the brass parts and I fitted the butt plate. That small chore alone took me six hours. Next I worked on the wooden patch box cover and fitting a brass end on it. I am not to crazy about the spring steel latch they sent. If anybody has a link to help me with that, I would appreciate it.
Also, The lock has a bead blasted type finish on it. Should I sand and polish these parts or leave them matte?
Thanks for any input.

 

[Rifleman1776]

The lock has a bead blasted type finish on it.

Personally, I think that can be a pleasing appearance. But, this is yer gun. Do yer own thang that pleases you.

 

[Jotto626]

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[Grenadier1758]

Yes, they should be sanded and polished. A super high polish is not necessary as color such as bluing or browning takes better with a good polish but not so well if the polish is mirror bright. You do want to take all the mold marks off and that means sanding at least to maybe 320 grit wet and dry paper.

So far, so good on the butt plate installation.

 

[Jotto626]

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[Keb]

It would be more traditional to replaced the phillips head screws with slotted head screws, IMHO. That's just a suggestion.

 

[Dane]

Get rid of the Phillips head screws. Didn't exist then.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Yes on the Phillips!
You might want to look at some originals regarding the profile of the lid. The sides / curve where it dives down to meet the stock look a little steep (the curve is too tight a radius).

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Patchbox is a bit too thick at rear end, Jotto. Sits too proud of the stock.

Not a problem as easy to remove extra wood. Good build!

Pukka.

 

[stubshaft]

Buttplate fitting looks good. For metal finish I usually just brown the sandblasted parts. I prefer a coarse rustic finish to the metal.

 

[Jotto626]

That's no biggie. I can find some regular slotted screws. Just used what I had. I can also slope the edges more on the cover. Can I do a push button release on this or is that a no-no?

 

[akapennypincher]

Well the first thing is you started with a great kit, your progress so far looks very very good.

Hope you continue to post progress photos.

As I want to see the progress, and finished rifle.

 

[Elnathan]

All originals were filed to shaped and polished before case-hardening. To paraphrase John Bivens, unless you are trying to replicate a rifle in which the 'smith used a lock that had left out in a drainage ditch for a couple months, you want to get rid of that as-cast finish.

They didn't blue or brown them, either, as far as I know.

What do you need to know re: patchbox spring?

 

[Jotto626]

I don't like the button/spring setup that they sent. I would rather have a recessed push button to release it on the other side of the stock and have the butt plate clean.

 

[Jotto626]

Many didn't finish the barrel either did they?

 

[Elnathan]

I don't like the button/spring setup that they sent. I would rather have a recessed push button to release it on the other side of the stock and have the butt plate clean.

Well, I don't believe that there is any historical precedent for that, so if you want to go that route you will be breaking new ground. Off the cuff I think you will find that getting one set up that doesn't require two hands to get the lid off is going to be difficult.

If you are worried about the traditional catch hurting your shoulder or getting snagged on stuff, I can assure you that it will not happen. It doesn't even stand out visually or break the lines of the rifle.

If you really can't stand the thought of a catch on the buttplate, I think in the long run you will be happier with a brass box rather than an ahistoric pushrod release that screw up your cheekpiece carving and be difficult to use. I know you have already cut the notch for the sliding box, but you could replicate a retrofitted hinged lid with a filler piece in the buttplate, such as occasionally found on originals.

OR

You could mimic a backwoods replacement box lid with no catch or brass plate at all, just a flat piece of wood stuck into the dovetail....

As for the barrel treatment: polished white, blued, or browned are all PC depending on the era, but I don't know what the dates are for browning and bluing. Polished white is always a safe choice, though.

Edited to add: Well, I'm not sure on the dates for rust bluing. Charcoal bluing was around for a long time before the Kentucky rifle showed up, I think.

 

[Jotto626]

Push Button in butt plate idea.

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[Elnathan]

That is pretty much exactly what I thought you were talking about. You are going to need an inlay of some sort surrounding the button opposite the patchbox, too - could try to get away without one, but a hole big enough to ensure that the rod will slide without binding in humid weather will look a bit sloppy just by itself, I expect. I think there is a reason why historic patchbox releases are always set into the buttplate, toeplate, or patchbox itself.

Try this - Assuming that you are right-handed, hold you rifle in your left hand, horizontal with the lockside up so that stuff inside doesn't fall out when you open the box. Then, with your right hand, firmly press your finger up where your catch is going to be, and, while maintaining this pressure, remove your box lid. See how that works, particularly when the box is tight due to humidity.

Brass boxes usually have a spring to kick the lid open when the release is pressed. You don't have to hold the release down while manually opening the lid - they'd be very difficult to open otherwise. The exception(s) are one or more really early boxes made when gunsmiths were still figuring out how to design one efficiently.

It is your gun to do with what you please, but please do be aware that implementing your idea will place it very firmly in the fantasy camp.

 

[wulf]

I did a lot of wood lids and I made them all
3/8" thick.....fits the shape perfectly without
sticking out too far...Thats just me. It's your
gun.....

Wulf

 

[Jotto626]

New Screws.

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