nose caps

[Robert Hertrich]

Am trying to build the "perfect pistol" to enter in Dixons. Probably can't happen but my question is should the front face of the nose cap be inside or soldered on to the front. Hershel House in his video puts it on outside but the ones you buy are all on the inside. I have made one piece caps but have a hard time to get them to look right.

 

[Birddog6]

Outside is easier & much faster. Inside looks better if you make it a perfect fit, as you can't see the solder joint if it is a perfect fit..

As for Dixons, probably depends on who is judging. You might contact Chuck Dixon & see what he says, as since it is at his place, he will most likely know..

 

[Stophel]

I have never cared to cut and fit the little end piece inside, like the Ted Cash ones you buy (one of my old German guns has an end cap made this way, by the way). MUCH simpler to solder it onto the end, and THEN shape it to match the body of the nosecap. Plus, it definitely was done that way 200+ years ago, so no one could (or should) fault you for doing them like this. :wink: As an example, the Oerter "griffon" rifle has a nosecap made this way. I BELIEVE photos of it are available on the Americanhistoricservices site...

I've done one one-piece nosecap. A real PITA. Folding the brass over at the front is hard, man. Brass simply doesn't shrink when you hammer it...it spreads out. Really need a purpose made jig to hold it the way it needs to be held and formed around....I don't have one.

 

[bioprof]

I watched some of the workshops at Dixon online that were broadcast by one of the Pennyslvania Public TV affliates. The message that I got from this is that you should do it the way it was done originally by the school that you are trying to replicate. In other words, don't deviate from the school. Having said this, I don't know how you would know this unless you were able to examine an original in person.