Building short N.W. Trade Gun ...

[Rob M.]

Just playing around here ... I have a broke S.P. ill try and use ...hate to waste anything ....after I get the T.G. etc. all done then set the S.P. and refine the mortices and trim up the wrist to close to final ... then to final shaping .... Be shootin it soon hopefully ...can't wait to hear it go BOOM !!

 

[Rob M.]

Stock is " in the rough "

 

[rmefbowhunter]

I'm sure no one , including myself , knows what these are or what they are for . Cherry tooth picks made for a cherry stock where someone may have screwed up and drilled a bit too low so they need to plug up the " mistake hole " ... Not that I have ever had to make or use these I'm simply posting this for other mere mortals ...just in case. Use authentic colonial slow set epoxy , tap them in and let set over night , er , uhmmm ....so I've heard

I believe those are properly called “artistic enhancements”.

 

[Rob M.]

I believe those are properly called “artistic enhancements”.

You are correct Sir !

 

[Joemolf]

Its fighting me , fitting the lock and getting it to function so I took a break from it and drilled the middle lock screw , drill and tap .... Now just keep working the lock and looking for black inside ...it hasn't been showing black so far but ...gotta keep trying ....meh :/ ....went ahead and did the front bolt too

Love the inlet black on your hands LOL that stuff sure is messy but a God send. Did you alter the lock bolts; the heads. They have that nice brazer style head. The ones I got from track need to be shaped as such IMO. The slot is the same depth across the top of the screw. For now that’s okay but in 6 months (hopefully) I’m going to want them shaped like yours. I’m thinking put the drill in a vise and just take a file to them? I’m assuming they are supplied that way less chance of buggering up the slot. I guess I could buy other but then i will have two screws. LOL

 

[Joemolf]

Problems ....the wood by the cock need end to be taken way down , where I'm pointing , the part of the cock , showing , where it hit that spot of wood taken off , and the sear hole opened up a bit ....still d!cling with it but hopefully working completely soon .....

I found that out too I wasn’t paying close enough attention; had the tumbler inlet but couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t move the cock. Then it dawned on me the stock was interfering with the cock. It fit okay at the full cock position and the fired positions but not at half cock LOL! Thankfully I didn’t mess anything up. I think the book Recreating the American Long Rifle says the cock should be off or some wood removed as you show. I spent several hours yesterday filing and sand the entry pipes; my fingers are sore today. LOL
When you take the stock down for the loading rod and or barrel do you what do you recommend; a rasp, plain or other. I ordered a rasp so I sit and wait. Rasps aren’t cheap I found it difficult to find a good source; Wood Craft is very expensive. I don’t understand why i can’t find affordable wood rasps the rasps from them are made in France id like a few made in the states it doesn’t have to be hand made just do what rasps do.

 

[Joemolf]

I just love Hershel VDO of building a long rifle , the 91 version . Its great learning from the best and like you said , not a bunch of specialized equipment just basic tools . I built for a few years and never had a band saw ...but stay friendly with yer neighbor that owns one ! His VDO is great and you can stop or review it anytime you want ...highly recommend it . If it weren't for that VDO and Bill Newtons book I would not be building today
...

These can be purchased through the Muzzle Loader Magazine?

 

[Rob M.]

These can be purchased through the Muzzle Loader Magazine?

Im not sure bud. My first one was from checked out from the library then I bought one but forget where from. Amazon has them ....

 

[Rob M.]

Love the inlet black on your hands LOL that stuff sure is messy but a God send. Did you alter the lock bolts; the heads. They have that nice brazer style head. The ones I got from track need to be shaped as such IMO. The slot is the same depth across the top of the screw. For now that’s okay but in 6 months (hopefully) I’m going to want them shaped like yours. I’m thinking put the drill in a vise and just take a file to them? I’m assuming they are supplied that way less chance of buggering up the slot. I guess I could buy other but then i will have two screws. LOL

Nope , didn't alter them . After many builds I found these bolts from Track . Ask them about their Tulle lick bolts . I love em ! 1/2" dia. Domed heads ...

 

[Rob M.]

I found that out too I wasn’t paying close enough attention; had the tumbler inlet but couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t move the cock. Then it dawned on me the stock was interfering with the cock. It fit okay at the full cock position and the fired positions but not at half cock LOL! Thankfully I didn’t mess anything up. I think the book Recreating the American Long Rifle says the cock should be off or some wood removed as you show. I spent several hours yesterday filing and sand the entry pipes; my fingers are sore today. LOL
When you take the stock down for the loading rod and or barrel do you what do you recommend; a rasp, plain or other. I ordered a rasp so I sit and wait. Rasps aren’t cheap I found it difficult to find a good source; Wood Craft is very expensive. I don’t understand why i can’t find affordable wood rasps the rasps from them are made in France id like a few made in the states it doesn’t have to be hand made just do what rasps do.

Yeah , I disassemble the lock and inlet the plate , then with internals , then put the cock back on ....when I put the lick in I first round the wood at tip , at the tang/ lick area then I put the lock in the mortice and mark lines on both side of the cock where the wood is left , at top , remove lick , and gouge that out , just a bit ...blacken that area on back of cock too ... And repeat as I inlet lock , checking black for internals and cock at top ...later as the lock goes back in working the lock looking for not only internal hits but the travel of the hammer/ cock and seeing where it hits the wood at top and removing it ....all u til the lock works correctly , full cycle and smoothly .....

 

[Rob M.]

Trigger guard time ....cut out a strip , put it to the hammer and the hillbilly anvil , beat a he $#!+ outta it to form the bow ...then start bendin her ... Keep checking with Bill , the pattern , to make sure she's right ! Bill knows ! nope , not good enough , keep tweeking it ....

 

[Rob M.]

There we go ....

 

[Rob M.]

Cut off excess , grind , file fit and ...finished ....well , mostly .....

 

[Rob M.]

Ok ....done . Now to start fitting t to stop k , line it up markntang screw hole , drill hole through stock and tang , tap ...all that jazz ....ugh ....need coffee break

 

[Rob M.]

Ok ...just a few things on fitting the T.G. to the gun . Once " fitted" then mark the hole you drilled for the tang screw . Marknyour center line on bottom . Dont take that TG off that line ! Now , fore and aft... Three pics of TG settings ...unfortunately ivecseen all three versions on repro s and originals . The ultimate is a o have the trigger in the rear 1/3 or the bow , trigger in the middle there is nothing wrong with that ...but ....trigger in the front 1/3 is really dumb and defeats the whole purpose of having any extra room in the trigger guard bow . Now ...in the rear 1/3 is best but is not always possible . Hold the TG there are work the lock ... If TG moves , it does sometimes , start over . If the lock works fine , trigger doesn't hit rear of TG stopping action , then mark that hole and drill that sucker but ....if the trigger doesnt work slide that TG back a bit till lock and trigger all working properly ... Mark it ....

 

[Rob M.]

Sounds easy to get the trigger correct BUT ... The thing you are fight ing is the tang screw . you want it as straight as possible ...but its never going to be straight ....mark the spot and tear the gun apart . mark a spot as close to the bolster as you dare ..thats you hole end , now to connect them with a drill bit ...

 

[Rob M.]

Lots of lines helps , marks for bolster and drill path .

 

[Rob M.]

Mark your bit slightly more than half way , never exceed that depth ! Follow your drill path ...undersized bit of course .... Go to your mark , flip stock over ,other hole and drill it to mark ....hopefully they meet . They did here so now I'll switch to 3/8" bit and drill it out ...but !! Not straight thriugh ! Half and half again !! Dont ask me how I know !!

 

[Rob M.]

Turned out good . Anyone that tells you that is easy is a li@r . You can use a drill press gizmo to do this operation , I made one a couple years ago , but I've done a lot of these free hand over the years ...

 

[Rob M.]

Barrel back in , pin ... Run drill bit up new tang screw hole , it'll mark the tang on inside . barrel out ... See mark inside tang . no matter what , mark with punch but center it ! Then drill tang and do it at angle , bit close to bolster ... Thread tang ...long tap is nice for this ...