Need suggestions for covering up a mistake

[biliff]

A rebarreling job on my flintlock ended up with the new tang being about 1/16" too short for the original inletting leaving a noticeable gap on the back edge of the tang. The sides are fine. I've been looking for pictures, etc. of inlay work that people may have put around the tang that I could possibly duplicate to cover up the gap, but haven't really found anything. FWIW, the rifle is a Lancaster style long rifle, swamped barrel, with the usual brass furniture. Not being particularly "artistic", I wonder if anybody has any suggestions.

 

Will the old tang and breech plug fit your new barrel?

Woody

 

[rich pierce]

All you need to do is peen the tang with a cross-peen hammer and it will lengthen. Find a smooth anvil or something like an anvil. Most tangs are so malleagle you can cold-work them with a hammer. Turn the barrel upside down and do all your hammering on the bottomside of the tang. A 3 pound cross-peen hammer with a wide radius on the peen should be used tappety-tap, whackety-whack, first blows half an inch or more from the breech. Then keep making sharp blows outward to the end. If you end up reducing the thickness of the tang a little, no biggie. First pass with the peen end, next with the flat face of the hammer. It will lengthen plenty with just a little hammer work. You will need to true up the sides and etc. Done this many times. Made flared tangs from straight using the hammer the other way etc. You can do it.

 

[Slowpoke]

Do what Rich says...... that's the best way. But if you don't feel up to doing a "John Henry" on it. Just mix up some 2-part epoxy with a touch of brown/black boot polish and fill the gap. Noone but you will know it's there. Be sure to put a little car wax on the tang or you'll never get it out again. But again, Rich's way is the best.

SP

 

[Bushwhacker]

tappety-tap, whackety-whack,

That shoud do it. Check often to see the progress, might need to tap a little harder. WHACK, BANG, POW...Why you little son o* a B***H :curse: WHAM, WHAM, WHAM :redthumb:

 

If you don't want to reduce the thickness of your tang and the back of the tang is flat, just sweat solder on a piece :thumbsup: of 1/16 sheet and file to shape.

 

[Zonie]

If you have access to a welding rig (preferably TIG or MIG, but oxyacetylene would do), you can weld up the area, adding material to the end.
File it back to the proper length, dress up the sides, top and bottom with a file and your in business. ::

A arc welder could also be used, but I have difficulty controlling them when I only want to add a little material.
They (arc welders) can rapidly do more damage than they fix, at least with me doing the welding. ::
(Yes, I know the TIG and MIG are arc processes, but they are much more controlable than the FIGZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ WITH THE BIG ARC FROM THE ROD TO THE BASE METAL MELTING EVERYTHING IN SIGHT.)

If you don't have a welding rig, some places will do a little TIG job like that for $10-$15.

 

[canyonman]

Another option could be to fill the area with a wedge of deer antler then sand down flush with the rest of the area after you epoxy glue it into place. Then you just finish it off like the rest of the stock.

Larry

 

[tg]

Some builders leave a slight gap there to prevent recoil from pushing the end of the tang into the wood.

 

[biliff]

Thanks for all the input folks. Never even considered most of the suggestions posted. Guess there's more than one way to skin a cat, plus its nice to know I'm not the only one who's buggered something up this way.

 

Cut a piece of brass or silver and shape it to fit, and glue in place

 

[BLAHMAN]

Bill, I agree with Slowpoke and Rich. Swedging out the tang a bit is by far the easiest and most practical...most everybody owns a ball peen hammer. If you swedge too much, simply file it to shape...really simple process. Good luck!