I seldom post work in progress here because my progress is often slow, but this build is new and interesting to me as I seldom build “later” flint rifles. I’m starting a Deringer trade rifle on a whim, because I saw an ad for parts for a Deringer trade rifle. Basically the deal was a stock already cut to profile (that gives me the willies) with a 43.5” tapered .54 barrel in it for a fair price. He threw in a sideplate and a stamped out patchbox, which I may or may not use. I approach abandoned builds with trepidation but decided to take it on. I found good information and pictures of Deringer trade rifles in many varieties online, in The Encyclopedia of Trade Goods volume 1, For Trade and Treaty, and The Trade Gun Sketchbook. Armed with these resources, I made a blueprint that will fit on the pre-profiled blank. Here is my planned parts list:
Barrel- 43.5” tapered barrel, .54, 1” to 7/8” taper. No name due to draw filing, but inside it looks exactly like a swamped Charles Burton barrel I have in .54.
Stock: pre-profiled tight curly sugar maple, barrel inlet, with a ramrod groove cut but no hole.
Lock: I decided on the Davis Contract Rifle lock due to availability and size and style. The Chambers Late Ketland is too fancy and The Rifle Shoppe is out of castings of an original Deringer lock (which I really wanted).
Trigger: I will make a single trigger.
Guard: I could not find a guard close to use or modify so I made a master for a guard based on tracings and photos, using plain maple, and sent it to Mike Brooks who will get some cast at a local foundry he’s happy with.
Buttplate: I hammered one out of sheet brass.
Sideplate: will see if the one that came with the stock fits or cut one from sheet brass.
Patchbox: I’m likely to use the one that came with the stock and barrel as a template and make on because the hinge is not as nice as I like.
Thimbles: will make from sheet brass to closely match originals.
Nosecap: will make from sheet brass.
Underlugs: made from folded sheet steel brazed up.
Keys: will peen from mild steel.
Sights: probably purchased.
Progress to date:
Yesterday I moved the barrel back about 3/4 inch to keep the wrist from being longer than on originals. I folded up and brazed up underlugs suitable for keys from sheet steel, made dovetails in the barrel and fitted the underlugs and pinned the barrel in. I’ll make and inlet keys later; for now I just need the barrel locked in. I checked and adjusted the ramrod groove and drilled the ramrod hole. Looks good.
Today I disassembled the Davis Contract Rifle lock, which seems very snappy, and reduced the bolster thickness by about 0.050” and trimmed the inner frizzen edge to match, and re-centered the rib on the backside of the frizzen. Next I re-shaped the tail of the lock to bring the teat more up to center and filed the edges smooth with some draft.
Next step is inletting the lock.
Barrel- 43.5” tapered barrel, .54, 1” to 7/8” taper. No name due to draw filing, but inside it looks exactly like a swamped Charles Burton barrel I have in .54.
Stock: pre-profiled tight curly sugar maple, barrel inlet, with a ramrod groove cut but no hole.
Lock: I decided on the Davis Contract Rifle lock due to availability and size and style. The Chambers Late Ketland is too fancy and The Rifle Shoppe is out of castings of an original Deringer lock (which I really wanted).
Trigger: I will make a single trigger.
Guard: I could not find a guard close to use or modify so I made a master for a guard based on tracings and photos, using plain maple, and sent it to Mike Brooks who will get some cast at a local foundry he’s happy with.
Buttplate: I hammered one out of sheet brass.
Sideplate: will see if the one that came with the stock fits or cut one from sheet brass.
Patchbox: I’m likely to use the one that came with the stock and barrel as a template and make on because the hinge is not as nice as I like.
Thimbles: will make from sheet brass to closely match originals.
Nosecap: will make from sheet brass.
Underlugs: made from folded sheet steel brazed up.
Keys: will peen from mild steel.
Sights: probably purchased.
Progress to date:
Yesterday I moved the barrel back about 3/4 inch to keep the wrist from being longer than on originals. I folded up and brazed up underlugs suitable for keys from sheet steel, made dovetails in the barrel and fitted the underlugs and pinned the barrel in. I’ll make and inlet keys later; for now I just need the barrel locked in. I checked and adjusted the ramrod groove and drilled the ramrod hole. Looks good.
Today I disassembled the Davis Contract Rifle lock, which seems very snappy, and reduced the bolster thickness by about 0.050” and trimmed the inner frizzen edge to match, and re-centered the rib on the backside of the frizzen. Next I re-shaped the tail of the lock to bring the teat more up to center and filed the edges smooth with some draft.
Next step is inletting the lock.
