Identify and repair

[swilk]

I apologize for the double post. I originally posted this in the percussion forum when it should have been here.

Anyway, I have an older MZ that my father acquired in 1976 or so. All I know is it has GR DOUGLAS .45 on the barrel.

Can anyone tell me more about the gun, its possible age, and what would be the best avenue on restoration.

 

Iam no expert but i would guess it home built .

 

[Zonie]

The Douglas barrel and the curly maple stock almost assures it was not built by a factory.

zonie

 

Probably a first or second time build. Kind of a generic Kentucky/Pennsylvania rifle. If not pitted it should be a good shooting barrel. The lock appears to be an early Dixie gunworks. As far as the repair goes, If the barrels not pitted, and the lock works, it appears that the drum needs a shim to properly align the nipple with the hammer, though it appears in the skyview photo that threads are showing on the cleanout screw. If thats the case the drum needs replacing. I would get a new drum to replace that one and then proof the rifle. It also seems to need a new ramrod, don't use a hardware store dowel, but get a good hickory. The patchbox can have a new lid made and soldered, or rivited on, but I would put on a brass hinge. All these parts are available from TOTW, MBS or TVM listed in the links section.
Bill

 

This one was probably put together completely from mismatched Dixie Gun Works parts in the 70s or 80s. That lock with that stock and hardware sort of pulled a whimper out of me. :shocked2:

I have one of those Douglas barrels in .45. It is in its third stock. Shoots scarey good.

$10 worth of parts and an afternoon in the shop and you could have a good shooter!

Unscrew the drum and send it to Sussie at MBS. She will mail you back what you need. Get back with us then and we will talk you through the installation.

That patch box lid will be the hardest thing to deal with but has no influnce on the shootability of the gun.

 

[swilk]

Well, seeing as how the gun is kind of a hodgepodge of part anyway ... what about taking the barrel an leaving the rest?

The stock has a few stress cracks around the lock area anyway and there isnt much wood to work with in fixing it.

I assume you can buy rough finished curly maple stocks in the same fashion as this is? Matched with a better lock and trigger set it might be good.

I do know dad said it shot very well when he got it. The barrel doesnt have any pitting and is in pretty good shape.

 

[Zonie]

Although it was mentioned in the similar post in the Percussion Forum, I'll take this opportunity to mention the chipped out area of the stock behind the tang in the first photo.

It is an excellent example of what will happen if you do not provide a little clearance between the end of the tang and the stock.
It doesn't take much, perhaps 1/64 - 1/32 of an inch gap in this location and your stock won't chip out like this one has.
Inlet the tang to the wood with no gap at all and you will see a similar problem develop with your gun after it's been shot a lot.

zonie

 

[CrackStock]

Zonie,

True, but this is not that hard to clean up. Carve it or inlet a bit of horn, metal or contrasting wood into the crack area. The limits are one's imagination.

I think that I would use the existing rifle as a no-lose opportunity to build some skills before trashing the collection of parts. You might come out with something that looks and works well. On the other hand, it may still be an odd duck, but you would have learned and therefore do a better job on its replacement parts thanks to the experiences.

CS