You can also easily and quickly age brass simply by rubbing used wiping patches all over the brass surface. Make sure the wiping patches are damp and the dirtier the better.
My Investarms Hawken Rifle
- Thread starter kje54
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Yeah it's the exact same model and I'm going to use the mounting screws.
Bent Sight
36 Cal.
Nice wood in the stock. Are you going to use boiled linseed oil or Tru Oil to protect the wood?
Nah, I'm a tung oil kinda guy.
tung oil all the way
So far the biggest challenge has been fitting the nose cap, as it is it angles downward and the bottom (inside) has too much metal at the bottom of the ramrod hole. Had to do some grinding inside the bottom of the cap and file the flat at an angle as well as filing the woof faces (side inlets) at an angle. Right now I'm about a 16th of an inch off, it was 3/16ths of an inch off. Taking my time with it, don't want to remove too much.
let us see a picture of it when you are done
Okay, I messed up. When I drilled the butt plate it drifted off center, not really a problem as I could still put the screw in at a slight angle. Wouldn't look great but it would work. The real problem occurred when I drilled the pilot hole, the bit snapped off inside the hole with no way to dig it out without creating a fairly large hole.
As far as I can see I'm left with two options, one: buy a new butt plate and start over, two: drill a new hole and fill the existing hole in the butt plate with solder or pewter.
Any other recommendations would be appreciated.
As far as I can see I'm left with two options, one: buy a new butt plate and start over, two: drill a new hole and fill the existing hole in the butt plate with solder or pewter.
Any other recommendations would be appreciated.
Weld it up with what? I'm a carpenter not a welder.
you are going to have a nice rifle when you are done.
Bent Sight
36 Cal.
Welcome to the club. There are those who have drilled holes off center and those who will. I should be president of the club.
I know you don't want to hear this, because you have a lot of time invested. I would be inclined to order a new butt plate. Like 44Bro suggested, I would drill the new butt plate from the backside. I would drill the hole first before doing all the file work you did to remove casting marks and shaping the butt plate.
Using a really sharp center punch before drilling makes a world of difference in keeping the drill bit from wandering. Filing or carefully grinding a very small flat on the back side of the butt plate before you use the center punch and drill helps a great deal too. Just don't file the flat too wide, maybe as wide as the diameter of the largest drill bit you will be using to drill the hole. The idea is to make sure you cannot see the area where you filed the flat after you install the butt plate. After the hole is drilled, you can chamfer the hole from the side of the butt plate you will see.
Do you have a friend who owns a drill press? If not, a hand drill will work. I like to drill at the slowest speed possible when I drill a hole on an irregular metal surface, especially the pilot hole.
Like I said, you are not the first person to do this. It happens.
So far the work you've done looks really nice.
I know you don't want to hear this, because you have a lot of time invested. I would be inclined to order a new butt plate. Like 44Bro suggested, I would drill the new butt plate from the backside. I would drill the hole first before doing all the file work you did to remove casting marks and shaping the butt plate.
Using a really sharp center punch before drilling makes a world of difference in keeping the drill bit from wandering. Filing or carefully grinding a very small flat on the back side of the butt plate before you use the center punch and drill helps a great deal too. Just don't file the flat too wide, maybe as wide as the diameter of the largest drill bit you will be using to drill the hole. The idea is to make sure you cannot see the area where you filed the flat after you install the butt plate. After the hole is drilled, you can chamfer the hole from the side of the butt plate you will see.
Do you have a friend who owns a drill press? If not, a hand drill will work. I like to drill at the slowest speed possible when I drill a hole on an irregular metal surface, especially the pilot hole.
Like I said, you are not the first person to do this. It happens.
So far the work you've done looks really nice.
Thanks, did all of that with the top hole from the back, did that with the back hole but only from the front and I did it with that little voice in the back of my head screaming no, don't do it!! Yeah, I have a drill press and I'm not sure I want to give up on this one yet, I can always fill it and if I don't like it then get a replacement. I'll think about it.
On second thought the replacement buttplate is $18 besides I forgot the steel wedgeplates so ordered them also.
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