RE-building for the first timer?

[cdg]

Hello everybody. In my quest for a muzzleloader, I happened to chance upon a post in the pistol forum about Joe Yanta and his sawed off Kentucky pistol. For those who haven't seen it, check it out in the pistol forum- it looks really mean.

So I've always kind of wanted to refinish a firearm, but I can never seem to find the right project to do it with. I am wondering if any of you have any thoughts on a novice looking for a project pistol for a first muzzleloader. Rather then starting from a kit, you can start from an assembled piece, disassemble, clean, refinish, and refurbish where needed. I was thinking to minimize complexity that I would start with a precussion pistol, rather then a flintlock.

So, I guess my first question is whether or not rebuilding your first muzzeloader is practical.

Second question is what to generally look for in a used project muzzleloader. I'm not a gunsmith, so obviously nothing that requires much machine work. What is there on a muzzleloader that could break that might make restoration prohibitively expensive?

What about refinishing? I've never done anything of the like. Can a glass bead cabinet be used to safely strip finish off of metal parts?

All these questions and more. Can anybody get me started on some ideas here? Your thoughts, advice, and ancient wisdom are appreciated :bow:



:haha:

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Re-building a factory gun or one that someone else has built from a kit is an inexpensive way to hone your skills and can be well worthwhile. One can pick up an ugly duckling for cheap and turn it into something much nicer than the factory product. Most production guns have way too much wood and clunky lines which you can greatly improve.
Two things to avoid are sloppy inletting, you can't replace missing wood, and rust pitted bores, you can't replace the pits either. :grin:

 

[cdg]

OK now a question on bores- can they be re-bored and/or honed by a skilled machinist? This would most likely apply to a smoothebore pistol- can it be inexpensively honed or overbored?

I would assume a rifled barrel would be a different story, requiring more expensive machine work to fix...

 

[Pork Chop]

Check out your local flea markets, yard sales and pawn shops for old CVA pistols. There were tons of these sold both completed and in kits. Quite a few never got built. Some were crudely assembled. I have seen some that never even had the brass sanded smooth. Lots never got shot either. Pick up one with a good bore and have at it. You can find them CHEAP if you look, and have fun with it.