Rifle cleanup on aisle 1 !

[Sudsy]

Picked up this Kentucky style percussion from BigSkyRambler a few weeks ago (Fine gentleman, excellent person to do business with !)
He said he thought it would clean up nice, he understated that, it cleaned up beautifully with some really nice birds eye grain!!

A few before and afters:

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

 

[50calBoone]

Looks Great . What did you use ?

 

[Sudsy]

A LOT of fine grit sandpaper and Tru-Oil

Now it sits for a week to fully cure, then wax and onto the Baldor where it gets buffed until it glows.

 

[TDM]

Beautiful! You did good.

 

[kansas_volunteer]

Sudsy, I suggest you post your restoration method on the American Longrifle forum. They will find it interesting.

 

[Urban Coyote]

Very nice, awesome job.

 

[Sudsy]

Sudsy, I suggest you post your restoration method on the American Longrifle forum. They will find it interesting.

Thank you, but it was just sandpaper and Tru-Oil, and deepening some inletting - about as basic a method as you can get if you can even call it a method.
The only thing special was the amount of time spent sanding down to 1000 grit.

And this repair on the catch for the patchbox that wasn't catching - added a spring and it's working really well !

 

[aussie pete]

Lovely job there, Sudsy. Once it sets up hard, send us all a range report. You're going to have to follow up on this adventure!

Kind regards, Pete

 

[ETipp]

Beautiful. What caliber is it, or did I miss that somewhere?

 

[1BadDart]

Beautiful rifle!

 

[OldSmoky1967]

Picked up this Kentucky style percussion from BigSkyRambler a few weeks ago (Fine gentleman, excellent person to do business with !)
He said he thought it would clean up nice, he understated that, it cleaned up beautifully with some really nice birds eye grain!!

A few before and afters:

Before
View attachment 189729
After
View attachment 189733
Before
View attachment 189732
After
View attachment 189734
Before
View attachment 189731
After
View attachment 189738
Before
View attachment 189739
After
View attachment 189741

Gorgeous!

 

[Sudsy]

Beautiful. What caliber is it, or did I miss that somewhere?

.44 (ish)

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Nice job.

 

[hanshi]

You really turned a sows ear into a gorgeous rifle. If your method was just ordinary and simple then the magic had to come from elbow grease and your strong commitment. You impressed me!

 

[Bullit]

Looking good!

 

[Sudsy]

Out of curiosity, if I were ever to sell it (someday I'd like a Kentucky swamped barrel flintlock) How much might it be worth ?

 

[kansas_volunteer]

Now that it has been "restored" it is worth only a fraction what Sudsy paid for it.

 

[Sudsy]

Now that it has been "restored" it is worth only a fraction what Sudsy paid for it.

$580 including shipping (1960's ish gun)

 

[Sudsy]

Done curing. Just hit it with clear Butchers paste wax and buffed it out on the Baldor (this same machine has buffed out the guitars of Eddie Van Halen and Johnny Cash when they came in for service)
The depth is beautiful

Shooting it tomorrow, will report back

 

[Sudsy]

Was working on a new load for an unmentionable today so only took a few shots with the Kentucky
With a .43 ball and pillow ticking patch lightly lubed with Ballistol the first shot at 50 yards was in the 9 ring.
This long heavy barrel is tough to keep still freehand and the sights seem to be a little bit off - something to work on.

Going to go back with the "Lead Sled" (takes a lot of the human element out) and really see what it can do.