Pedersoli, Cabelas, Armi Sport Kentucky Rifle Experiences?

[tg]

You are on the right track by weighing it all out and getting a good handle on all the options and not rushing into things, good luck, hopefully something will turn up that is just right at the right price.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Learning to finish metals, and wood stocks is a simple skill anyone can learn to do. You are cheating yourself, by not taking the opportunity to learn how to do these skills. With all the help available here on the forum, you simply won't make a MISTAKE, PROVIDED, that you actually Follow the advice given.

WADR, You tend to have a habit of insisting on peeing on those electric fences to prove to yourself that it hurts when you do that. Its your age, of course, and if you survive, you will grow out of it. Life is a lot easier if you simply accept the advice of older people who have been there before you. But, that might be a few years away for you to discover, yet. I was not much different at your age. :shocked2: :blah: :grin: :hmm: :hatsoff: :hatsoff:

 

[luieb45]

You know what I just thought of to use for practice on metal finishing? I have an older spanish import .45 percussion pistol that my uncle gave me. I shot it a few times but the gun's bore had never been cleaned and the threads on the nipple are so weak that the nipple when shot will pop out. So now it just sits around. And I just acquired $50 extra to finance this gun project. So it looks like I might just give Pecatonica River a call this winter :wink: . Or if I find a nice used TVM or something of that sort but it sounds like a kit from Pecatonica will be good if I have them do the inletting, install breech plug, install dovetails, cut the butt plate, and maybe install the staple underlugs. But zonie said those are easier since they don't show up like the sight dovetails do if you make a mistake. :idunno:

 

[nkbj]

Been wanting another full stock. Maybe gonna put some Renegade parts into one of those TOTW replacement stocks that are good for up to 33" barrel lengths. Reckon it won't be a Kentucky by any stretch but it'd make a great 58 or 62.

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you will take that nipple to a local Hardware store, or machine shop, where they have gauges to measure metric threads, you should be able to learn what the thread size is on that nipple. Then, you will be in a position to order a replacement nipple, OR, should the threads in the bolster be rusted out, or ruined( cross threading is a common problem with these guns), then you can talk directly, by phone, to the folks at either Track of the Wolf, or at Brownell's, in Montezuma, Iowa, across the river from you, about the next larger size nipple you can install. Both suppliers sell the oversized nipples, as well as the Taps needed to thread the bolster larger to fit the larger nipple size. If you go on-line to TOTW's catalogue, and look up nipples, they have a page with their chart of oversized nipples you can study before you call any supplier.

Old guns DO make nice projects to refinish- both the metal, and the wood. I refinished a .22 rifle for a friend who worked in an office next to mine. He had left the gun in a damp basement, and it has tiny spots of rust all over the barrel. The gun was fairly cheap to by, and he didn't want to sink a lot of money in having the barrel reblued. So, I took the gun, to try out some techniques I had heard about. They worked perfectly on the barrel, and made the factory stock, with its dinks, and gouges, and scratches simply look terrible against that newly finished barrel. So, I stripped the stock down with Acetone, to find a rather nice, straight grained piece of Birch. It even had a burl in the butt stock. I washed the stock with some B/C cherry stain, and then rubbed off the high spots using OOOO steel wool. Then, I hand rubbed on a finish of Gunstock oil finish, in several layers, until I had a very fine finish. It made the gun look like a "million bucks" I stripped the gun down, and cleaned it thoroughly. I oiled it, and then put it back together and test fired it with new ammo. When I gave the gun back to Bob, he didn't recognize it. Only the serial number convinced him it was his gun!

But, most of all I had fun. I was able to try out some finishing techniques for both barrels, and wood. I enjoy stripping and cleaning makes of guns I have never handled before- and am relieved when they go back together without me holding on to some "extra parts!" :shocked2: :wink: )I removed some burrs, from inside the action that smoothed the action, and decreased the trigger pull to something an ordinary human could use to fire the gun without the aid of a troop of scouts. :rotf: :idunno: When the gun fired perfectly, ejecting the empty casings correctly, and reliably, I was ecstatic. I have the same feeling when I tune Mlers for others. :surrender: :grin: :v :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

So, go for it. There is about NOTHING you can do to that pistol to ruin it, considering its present state. If your work turns it into a better looking gun, and a shooter, all the more power to you. :hatsoff:

 

[luieb45]

I don't think I'm going to try restoring that old pistol. Even after smoothing the barrel with steel wool the bore has no rifling and CRATERS everywhere. The stock has several cracks in it. But, I was going to do some work on my lyman trade rifle barrel because it has bluing that is wearing off at the end of the barrel and around the breech area. Then I need to check out what the deal is with the trigger assembly because to get the gun to go off the trigger has to come back and touch the trigger guard.

 

[BrownBear]

Then I need to check out what the deal is with the trigger assembly because to get the gun to go off the trigger has to come back and touch the trigger guard.

Before refinishing, I'd sure get hold of Lyman and ask them about the trigger. There's every possibility they'll give you a new gun or at least new parts to fix it.

For good reading on metal finishing while you contemplate, go to the gun builders section and read the sticky about LMF browning.

 

[Vtsmoker]

If you are thinking about a kit, look at Sitting Fox. Prices are about the same as a production gun and look like easy kits to assemble. As far as metal finishing..I've blued barrels before and it's easy. Doing a good job finishing the stock is way more work than metal finishing. Is'nt deciding what to do half the fun when choosing a new gun?!

 

[hoochiepapa]

You hit that nail on the head.

 

[wjgonzalez]

Where in Vermont? Are you familiar with the Troy-Newport area? My niece lives in Hardwick.

Hazen's Notch.