Pistol Kits

[roundball]

Kits would never take me that long to be done with...after about 10 hours, I'd have thrown it in the trash can !!

I just looked at the only "finished" flintlock pistol I could find on TVM's site...sure is pricey...and that's just for what they call a "poor boy"...

 

[Firedanse]

Well, yes, based on a recommendation I was looking at Pecatonica for a kit. As I said, they have the curly maple to match the existing rifle. So, let me ask, what takes so much time (ie. 150+ hours)? I don't want to get into something that I am over my head. I had wanted the "homemade" thought behind it but am now concerned that it is above me. Are the kits from dixie gun works simpler? Is a walnut stock acceptable for someone who owns a curly maple? I am a believer in wooden stocks, having several newer rifles with wooden stocks. I would like the best visual effect.

 

IMO Curly maple is a point of preference only and any walnut, Ash or cherry would be fine for a personal side arm.
Production kits differ greatly from a builder kit. Many times in a production kit all the drilling is done for you and as is most if not all of the basic inletting . This leaves you to maybe put on the sights , clean up the inletting then brown or blue the barrel and do the finish work on the stock .

As to what takes time, Pecatonica has done a very good job with inletting and if you have the barrel lugs and dove tails , as well as the basic shaping done by them it will save you some time. However you have to remember the final job is up to you. You will still have to
*Bed barrel and inlet tang
*Drill the tang to trigger and tap it
* Drill the side plate to lock and tap the lock
* Drill the stock and barrel lugs for the barrel pins
*Inlet trigger,
*Finish inletting the lock area so lock will seat
to barrel fully.
*take the stock down any where from 3/16 to 1/4
* File and polish up all the hardware

 

Nope Captchee , it wasn't me who asked about the curly maple . I believe it was Firedanse . BTW I never thought to use burlap , I've always used steel wool , but I'm going to try that burlap . I can't wait for my kit to arrive . I haven't done a kit since I became a dad (almost 17 years ago). :shake:

 

[Zonie]

Well, yes, based on a recommendation I was looking at Pecatonica for a kit... Are the kits from dixie gun works simpler? Is a walnut stock acceptable for someone who owns a curly maple?

Pecatonica River kits are great, and I think Captchee pritty much covered what the "biggies" are to assemble one of them.

If I might elaborate a little on what he posted by picking just one of the many things he mentioned:

Most of the "furniture" like trigger guards are sand castings. They require filing, bending or straightening (sometimes a lot!) multiple sandings and polishing before you can begin to inlay them into the wood.
Inlaying a trigger guard can take me 1-6 hours depending on the shape of the finials. These are usually held in place with small pins. Drilling the holes for these can be a chore in itself...
I could go on, but suffice it to say: I think that you could make one of these, but IMO it would take a lot longer for a first time builder than the 2 1/2 months left until Christmas time.

That time limit and the fact that this is your first home built gun is the reason I suggested one of the Pedersoli Kits from Dixie.
They are pretty much fully inlayed for the lock, the trigger, the trigger guard and the holes are drilled and threaded for the screws.
In other words, all of the things that take a lot of time are already pretty much done for you and require only a little trimming/cutting/tweeking to get the kit assembled. This leaves plenty of time to sand, stain and oil the stock and to lightly sand and finish the barrel.

As for how fitting is a Walnut stocked pistol for someone with a Curly Maple rifle?
Many of the surviving pistols from the flintlock age have Walnut stocks even though most of the rifles from the same era are stocked in Curly Maple or Cherry.
Sure, a wealthy person might have had a matching pistol made to go with his rifle, and indeed I have made a matching pistol for a CM stocked rifle but I don't think it is really necessary.

IMO Walnut would be fine.

 

[REX]

Firedanse: I finally found the pic,s of the Queen Anne kit from DGW that I ordered, Zonie did a great job of explaining the in's and out's of kit building, but being old I like pic's :imo:
this is what the kit looked like out of the box.

after about 40hours of work, which is more time then skill.

and complete assembly.

Like I said Zonie's looks better, by the way Zonie what size RB do you use in your Queen Anne, I have a hard time feeding a 490 RB with a .010 lubed patch.
Firedanse Hope the pic's help with Zonie's words.
rex (westcoastBPgramps)
bp can be fun

 

[Zonie]

WCBPG: I haven't shot it for a long time, but your comment brought back some memories.
Unfortunatly a .490 ball is the smallest commercially available size that will work.
If your using factory made .010 pre lubed patches, they have a very fine (close) weave as I recall, so they don't "give" much when you try fitting the patched ball in the bore.

If you could find some really thin, loose weave, thin, COTTON material like perhaps a old worn out pair of womens undies (sorry ladies) that might work well. Now if your wife comes up missing a pair, remember, I had absolutly NOTHING to do with it!!
Remember, because this is a smooth bore, the patch/ball only has to be a light push fit in the bore to center the ball and keep it from moving forward easily.
The tighter fit required by rifled guns is not needed.

 

[REX]

thank's Zonie, I'm thinking (something that's hard to do) about getting a .457 RB mold and then using a thick patch about .020 to .030. What do you think. I love to make smoke with the gun. :thumbsup:
rex (WCBPG)
bp can be fun

 

[Zonie]

WCBPG: A .457 ball+.025+.025 (a pair of my worn out levi's measure about .025 at the hole in the knee)=.507. Sounds like an idea!

I say that based on my past accuracy shooting a smooth bore flintlock pistol which does not have any sights. :: (the Queen Anne).
It was kind of a "Point, Squeeze and Pray" experiance, but FUN!!

As I recall, after I took my Queen Anne out to the range, I came home with the opnion that I hoped my life wouldn't ever have to depend on me hitting anything anything smaller than a full size man at a distance of more than 10 feet. ::

Actually, I felt that I was doing exceptionally well for me when I kept 4 out of 5 shots on a 10 inch square target at 5 yards.
I guess whacking the "enemy" on the head is what the brass Grotesque butt plate is for! :shocking:

 

[Dave Poss]

I had a QA once and never shot a ball in it...I loaded it with lead shot and used it for a snake gun when I was in the woods. Worked good! I was able to dispatch copperheads with ease....With a ball, I would have probably not even hit the ground! :shocking:

 

[Firedanse]

OK fellas, I have ordered a kit. I'm off on vacation for a week but will no doubt be seeking your advice when I start getting into it. Thanks.

 

[Zonie]

When you get back from your vacation (what's that?), if you have any questions, feel free to ask them over in the Builder's Bench area. We'll give you all the help we can.

 

Longknife , I will be building a Oueen Anne kit (as soon as it arrives) , and I was wondering how much powder and shot I should use . Will you tell me please , what load you used ?