GPR Kit Progress
- Thread starter fw707
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
GreyWhiskers
69 Cal.
Nice wood and nice work. :thumbsup: Keep us informed of your progress........GW
Guest
Looks really good :thumbsup:
Thanks!
I've got 6 coats of oil on now, and I browned the trigger guard, toe plate, butt plate, and tang today. The BC Plum Brown works great after about 3 heavy applications. All I lack now is the under rib, nose cap, wedge plates, and the barrel.
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!! :grin:
I've got 6 coats of oil on now, and I browned the trigger guard, toe plate, butt plate, and tang today. The BC Plum Brown works great after about 3 heavy applications. All I lack now is the under rib, nose cap, wedge plates, and the barrel.
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!! :grin:
Well, here's another update. The stock is pretty well done. It's got 10 coats of severely rubbed linseed oil on it.
All I lack now is browning the barrel and under rib and installing the sights. The fixed sight is sloppy loose in the dovetail, so I guess I'll just peen the sides down and see if it tightens it up.
I'm wondering how much heat the under rib can stand and not melt the solder on the ramrod pipes???
All I lack now is browning the barrel and under rib and installing the sights. The fixed sight is sloppy loose in the dovetail, so I guess I'll just peen the sides down and see if it tightens it up.
I'm wondering how much heat the under rib can stand and not melt the solder on the ramrod pipes???
About 430 degrees F.
As your asking about heat, I assume your going to use Birchwood Casey Plum Brown. The temperatures envolved are nowhere close to this.
To get Plum Brown to work properly, you will need to heat the barrel to 260-290 degrees F.
Colder than 260 will leave copper deposits on the surface. These copper covered areas will not brown. If this happens, the only recourse is to sand them off.
Hotter than 290 will cause the solution to rapidly boil, hiss and spit and make a very mottled looking surface.
How do you know if the metal is hot enough? I use my mothers old "spit finger on the iron" method.
Heat the metal and lick your finger. Touch your finger to the metal. If it burns your finger, it's not hot enough. If the spit goes "fizt" and keeps your finger off of the metal it is ready. :grin:
Plan on doing at least 3 coats. 4 is better.
Zonie
PS: I've used this method for 12 years but now that I've used Laurl Mountain Browning Solution and rust browned my last barrel, I think I'll use the BC Plum Brown only on small parts.
The cold rust browning method is easier to get a good finish.
Zonie
As your asking about heat, I assume your going to use Birchwood Casey Plum Brown. The temperatures envolved are nowhere close to this.
To get Plum Brown to work properly, you will need to heat the barrel to 260-290 degrees F.
Colder than 260 will leave copper deposits on the surface. These copper covered areas will not brown. If this happens, the only recourse is to sand them off.
Hotter than 290 will cause the solution to rapidly boil, hiss and spit and make a very mottled looking surface.
How do you know if the metal is hot enough? I use my mothers old "spit finger on the iron" method.
Heat the metal and lick your finger. Touch your finger to the metal. If it burns your finger, it's not hot enough. If the spit goes "fizt" and keeps your finger off of the metal it is ready. :grin:
Plan on doing at least 3 coats. 4 is better.
Zonie
PS: I've used this method for 12 years but now that I've used Laurl Mountain Browning Solution and rust browned my last barrel, I think I'll use the BC Plum Brown only on small parts.
The cold rust browning method is easier to get a good finish.
Zonie
paulvallandigham
Passed On
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
- Messages
- 17,537
- Reaction score
- 94
As to the loose dovetails, is it loose vertically, or side to side( front to back)? If vertically, use a pin punch to lift divots in the floor of the dove tail slot, and turn the sight over and use the punch to do the same to the bottom of the sight. You don't have to hit this hard, or make deep divots. You are better off with a lot of divots rather than one or two large ones. This will raise metal off the bottom of the slot, so that it will be much harder to put the sight in the dovetail.
If it is loose under the dovetails, the easiest way is to use a center punch( much steaper angle than on the pin punch) on the top of the dove tails to drive the dovetails down onto the sight. Obviously, you have to make sure the sight is centered( use a witness mark that marks both the sight base, and the barrel to locate that position once you have verified it for windage at a range)before going overboard staking those dovetails. No matter how hard you stake the sight in, with a correct sized punch, you will be able to drift the sight in the dovetails, and even remove it again, so don't worry about putting the sight in " too much". Staking is a common method used by all gunsmiths when dealing with dovetails, as it is always difficult to cut them to match exactly the sight that will go into them. If you have a milling machine, and a dovetail cutter, you can make an exact marriage, and this is often what you see in modern rifles that have open sights. If you are doing it by hand, problems like yours are common.
If it is loose under the dovetails, the easiest way is to use a center punch( much steaper angle than on the pin punch) on the top of the dove tails to drive the dovetails down onto the sight. Obviously, you have to make sure the sight is centered( use a witness mark that marks both the sight base, and the barrel to locate that position once you have verified it for windage at a range)before going overboard staking those dovetails. No matter how hard you stake the sight in, with a correct sized punch, you will be able to drift the sight in the dovetails, and even remove it again, so don't worry about putting the sight in " too much". Staking is a common method used by all gunsmiths when dealing with dovetails, as it is always difficult to cut them to match exactly the sight that will go into them. If you have a milling machine, and a dovetail cutter, you can make an exact marriage, and this is often what you see in modern rifles that have open sights. If you are doing it by hand, problems like yours are common.
Zonie, thanks for the info on the heat question!
I've already used the BC Plum Brown on all the other parts so far and it's working out pretty well. I would have preferred to use a good cold brown, but all I had was the BC and I was too impatient to wait on it to get here. I'm definitely gonna use it on the next one I do. I've been degreasing with the Dawn dishwashing "foam" stuff, and it's doing a better job for me than the chemical degreasers.
Paul, the "front to back" and "up and down" fit isn't too bad. The "side to side" is where most of the sloppiness is in the fit. I'm gonna raise it a little bit with the punch like you suggested, and stake it when I get it centered.
Thanks a bunch to both of you. :hatsoff:
I've already used the BC Plum Brown on all the other parts so far and it's working out pretty well. I would have preferred to use a good cold brown, but all I had was the BC and I was too impatient to wait on it to get here. I'm definitely gonna use it on the next one I do. I've been degreasing with the Dawn dishwashing "foam" stuff, and it's doing a better job for me than the chemical degreasers.
Paul, the "front to back" and "up and down" fit isn't too bad. The "side to side" is where most of the sloppiness is in the fit. I'm gonna raise it a little bit with the punch like you suggested, and stake it when I get it centered.
Thanks a bunch to both of you. :hatsoff:
Guest
For loose dovetails you can tin the bottom of the sight with solder. The solder is soft enough that any excess will shear off when you drift it in. Then just stake it lightly if you want to be able to move your sights. I tin both the dovetail in the barrel and the bottom of the sight. After I get it sighted in, I put a witness mark before leaving the range to ensure it doesn't move in transit, then when I get home, remove the barrel, take a torch and sweat the sights in place. No more worries.
Cody
Cody
Cody, thanks for the reply!
I stippled the bottom of the sight and the bottom of the dovetail like Paul recommended and it went in a lot tighter. I peened it in at "eyeball" center, so I can move it as much as I need to when I set the sights. I'll probably solder it in like you said when I get the final adjustments done.
Thanks again! :thumbsup:
I stippled the bottom of the sight and the bottom of the dovetail like Paul recommended and it went in a lot tighter. I peened it in at "eyeball" center, so I can move it as much as I need to when I set the sights. I'll probably solder it in like you said when I get the final adjustments done.
Thanks again! :thumbsup:
fw707: It is just my opinion of course, but I wouldn't recommend soldering it without tinning it first like Cody described.
If the dovetail isn't pre tinned, often, the solder won't flow into the joint resulting in an ugly blob of solder at the exposed area of the joint.
This is especially true if there is any oil or oxides present on the surfaces.
zonie
If the dovetail isn't pre tinned, often, the solder won't flow into the joint resulting in an ugly blob of solder at the exposed area of the joint.
This is especially true if there is any oil or oxides present on the surfaces.
zonie
elk_chaser1
32 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2004
- Messages
- 43
- Reaction score
- 0
Nice job! I used Tung OPil on my GPR sotck and I liked the look. I didn't take the time to carve a raised cheekpeice...kinda with I had. YOu'll like the GPR. My .54 perc. shoots one ragged hole all day at 50 yds.
Thanks!
I finally teched 'er off today. I shot about 20 shots, and I would've shot more but it's too danged hot!!
I managed a couple of pretty good groups at 30 yards (3 shots touching) with 65 gr. of 3F and a .530 RB with pillow ticking and Bore Butter. Could've probably done better if my eyes weren't getting older faster than the rest of me. :grin: I haven't gotten the sight adjustment fine tuned, but I'm gonna wait till I can shoot 50 yards to do that.
I noticed a couple of rough spots in the bore about 6 inches in front of the breech area, and the rifling is so sharp at the muzzle it's cutting the ramrod up quite a bit. Maybe it'll polish up with JB Paste after I get a decent rod. The one that came with it ain't fit for nothing but loading.
This is the first .54 I've owned, and I like it already. :thumbsup:
I finally teched 'er off today. I shot about 20 shots, and I would've shot more but it's too danged hot!!
I managed a couple of pretty good groups at 30 yards (3 shots touching) with 65 gr. of 3F and a .530 RB with pillow ticking and Bore Butter. Could've probably done better if my eyes weren't getting older faster than the rest of me. :grin: I haven't gotten the sight adjustment fine tuned, but I'm gonna wait till I can shoot 50 yards to do that.
I noticed a couple of rough spots in the bore about 6 inches in front of the breech area, and the rifling is so sharp at the muzzle it's cutting the ramrod up quite a bit. Maybe it'll polish up with JB Paste after I get a decent rod. The one that came with it ain't fit for nothing but loading.
This is the first .54 I've owned, and I like it already. :thumbsup:
I know for a fact that many patches are cut as they are forced into the bore on new barrels. That's why I always gently round the sharp corners of the rifleing off, just enough to remove all sharp edges.
You can use some 220 grit wet/dry silicone carbide paper (black) to dull up the rifleing at the muzzle.
Tear off a 3/4 X 3/4 piece and lay it flat on the muzzle. Then use your thumb or finger to force it down into a concave shape and start rotating it back and forth.
It may take several pieces to grind off the rifleing so that it makes a smooth transition into the bore.
When it does seem to be a nice smooth radius, use some 600 grit wet/dry paper in the same manner to give it a nice bright finish.
Touch up the bare metal with some Cold Blueing or do as I have done and leave it bright.
zonie
You can use some 220 grit wet/dry silicone carbide paper (black) to dull up the rifleing at the muzzle.
Tear off a 3/4 X 3/4 piece and lay it flat on the muzzle. Then use your thumb or finger to force it down into a concave shape and start rotating it back and forth.
It may take several pieces to grind off the rifleing so that it makes a smooth transition into the bore.
When it does seem to be a nice smooth radius, use some 600 grit wet/dry paper in the same manner to give it a nice bright finish.
Touch up the bare metal with some Cold Blueing or do as I have done and leave it bright.
zonie
Zonie said:I know for a fact that many patches are cut as they are forced into the bore on new barrels.
zonie
Zonie, I know it's kinda odd, but I checked my patches and not a single one was cut. :hmm:
All of them had a nice even ring and just a slight discoloration in the center--but not burnt.
I think I'm just gonna let the muzzle wear in on it's own, that is if my ramrod lasts long enough! :grin: I think a good dose of JB Paste will help as soon as I get a good cleaning rod. What was the rod somebody mentioned in another post---a "Wonder-rod" or something???? I need one about a foot longer than the rod that came with the gun for cleaning, and a few good hickory rods for loading that I can pin some good ends on.
Sorry if that's a dumb question, but I'm a little behind on the new stuff. All I've ever used is a good hickory rod.
Similar threads
- Locked
