building new .30

[Billnpatti]

Yeah, Kaintuck, I'll have to agree with you about the front sight. It does appear to be on backward. It'll work either way. On my first build, I had the front sight on backward and didn't know it for about a year until someone pointed it out to me. It worked just fine up to then. But, I turned it around the right way and it has been that way ever since. I don't shoot any better with it in the right way but it is in the right way. :haha: Luckily mine was dovetailed in and I didn't have to un-solder it.

 

[kaintuck]

I know our high powered smokeless rifles have the ramp going UP to the sight.....then our flinters have it as a wall, the ramp tapering toward the muzzle :youcrazy:

The best setup that I shoot with is the sweds 96 mil sights...post front and U rear.....

Marc

 

[razorbritches]

Today's progress, got pins drilled and did some rough shaping. Still deciding how I plan to handle the entry thimble so I'll just sneak up on it and see what happens. I welded up the previous holes for lockbolts and inlett the lock, but I will have to take it back out and clean it up prolly make the whole thing bright.

 

[razorbritches]

Finally decided what i was going to do for the entry thimble Kind of a poor-boy solution, but I like it.



Attaching it was a little finicky because I had a little trouble making copper nails, I ended up making a nail header just for the job.



It holds and supports the shank while allowing me to form a uniform head every time,worked great for the inlays too.



Oh by the way the first time I went to the local hardware and asked for a cabinet scraper they looked at me like a goat at a new fence, my solution was to make my own. I have tried several different things but the best so far is a drywall tool for spreading mud, it is thin flexible and tempered just right. I just wack'em out how it suits me.

 

[BrownBear]

I'm sure liking that copper! Just an awful lot of it used here on the coast. In museums you see it in lots of places you'd normally expect brass. Looking forward to the finished gun.

 

[gunmaker43]

Thats a good idea, what do you use to cut those out--so as to save the temper ?

 

[razorbritches]

I use a 1/16th" wafer blade on my 4" angle grinder to rough them out, then grind them the rest of the way with a tiger paw (sanding disk). Of course you have to keep it cool so you won't loose temper.

 

[frogwalking]

Tom asked about t he barrel a few days ago, and you only gave us a little information. Who made it, and what is the twist? I like your innovation in this build.

 

[razorbritches]

The barrel is made from DOM Tubing and there are no riflings, it is gona be a .30 smooth rifle. And I can tell you that it is an excellent squirrel gun with ball or shot. Ball speaks for itself, and we have reliable kills with shot out to 35 yards.

 

[razorbritches]

first real attempts at carving

 

[vulture]

Sorry but I just have to ask, why the copper. I have honestly never seen copper used on any black powder rifle, so please educate me. Thanks, Stew.

 

[razorbritches]

I mostly decided to use copper because it was what I had on hand, and the OD of the barrel was very close to the ID of 1/2" copper repair couplings so I gave it a shot and it fit. I have to admit that an all copper gun was just on a whim, but it all looks pretty good together so why not. I have heard of some guns with one or two copper inlays, but never the whole gun. I am looking for some brass tubing though, I think it would look pretty cool on a gun as well.

 

[Zonie]

You are using 1/2 inch DOM tubing for the barrel?

As you say it is a .30 caliber gun I assume you are using the .095 wall tubing? (.500 -(2X.095) = .310 ID).

Have fun with your build but please, don't shoot it.

DOM tubing is not truly seamless tubing. It is welded tubing that has been run over/thru dies to make it look like seamless tubing.

Also you should note that back in the 1800's after steel barrels were available the military determined that a wall thickness of .200 was needed in the area of the breech to safely fire black powder loads.

A quick calculation for a .31 caliber barrel wall thickness for a explosive charge pressure of 9000 psi results in a wall thickness of over .274.
That's the wall thickness required for a material with a tensile strength of 61,000 psi with a safety factor of 3. Most experts recommend a safety factor of 4 for explosive charges.

The copper sleeve will add virtually no strength to the breech of the barrel because copper has a very low yield strength. That means it will just give way if the internal steel tube decides to expand or rupture.

A 9000 psi breech pressure isn't unrealistic.
In fact, Lyman's Black powder Handbook shows a breech pressure of 9400 psi with a 30 grain 3Fg powder load under a .310 patched ball.
They also show a breech pressure of 10200 psi for a 30 grain load of Pyrodex RS under a .31 diameter patched ball.

I would hate to see you hurt so please don't shoot your gun.

 

[razorbritches]

Zonie thank you for your concern, I am sorry if I was unclear. The tube has an OD of 5/8th of an inch this gives a wall thickness of .156, the copper tubing in question is not 1/2 inch tubing but rather a 1/2 inch copper tubing repair coupling. Repair couplings are designed to fit over regular 1/2 inch tubing for longer repairs than a regular sweat on union has the length for. The barrel tubing is just small enough and the repair coupling just large enough, that if you freeze one and heat the other they will fit together and lock when the two temperatures come together. You are right the copper repair coupling adds no real strength and is only cosmetic. I have researched the material strength and have proof tested it to my satisfaction, that being said tubing is not for everyone proceed at your own risk.

There are many armchair engineers spouting alot of hearsay, you were never one of them. We may not always have the same opinions, but I respect your opinion and always take your cautions seriously. At any time you thought I was about to put my foot in it you have spoken up, please continue to do so. Many Thanks

Luna

 

[razorbritches]

Finished the rework on the lock

 

[razorbritches]

Well I got it together and she looks pretty good just need to take her out bustin bushy tails. Alas the season is pretty far off so I will have to make do with targets. Not quite as much fun but sighting her in will be fun all the same.

Luna

 

[Brokennock]

That is really nice. If someone just described it to me with no pictures I wouldn't know what to think and probably would not have a positive impression. But, seeing it, I really like it. I can't wait to see some target pics and some pics of her in the field. Great job.

 

[frogwalking]

OK Razorbritches, if you don't post again, folks will think your DOM barrel failed the burst test. Tell us how it shoots and dispel the rumors.

Frog

 

[razorbritches]

I proof barrels before I put them in the gun, so no problem there. As for sighting it in I am waiting on a new bullet mold from "Callighan" should be here any day now.

 

[frogwalking]

I actually have a 20 ga. flint pistol with a DOM barrel. I have shot it many times with no issue. The barrel was bought from Dixie years ago. The fact that it was made from DOM tubing was not the issue; the breechplug installation was horrible and had to be completely reworked.