What would you do?

[Joe Yanta]

I am restocking a TC flintlock Hawken rifle to a full stock. I would imagine that some of you would ask why I would do that. I like TC but for some reason they never build their stocks with enough drop of comb for me. I have to trum my head sideways and lay my ear down on the comb to get my eyes low enough to get into my sights.

What would you do with the underlugs? Would you use TC's underlug and wedge or would you sweat on underlugs and use 1/16" steel dowels.

It would look more authentic with steel dowels, but underlugs and wedge would allow for easy barrel removal?

Your thoughts will be appreciated

Joe

 

[George F.]

Well....I would use tennons that are avaiable through a supplier and dovetail them into the barrel.You can get them already slotted for barrel keys. As for the eschuchons, you can either cut your own or, order some from a catolgue and inlet them.You can cut the tennons in with a hack saw or a jewelers saw to depth and use a trianglar file with one side safe( cutting teeth are ground off on one side). Just make sure you mark the barrel that you take your measurment of the short side of the tennon, minus a little bitto help get a tight fit.
.......George F.

 

[mikelange]

You actually have a few options as to how you secure your barrel. You can, as you mentioned, use the original T/C underlug and wedge. In this case I would buy another T/C-style underlug and wedge to install out toward the muzzle. On fullstocks it not only looks better to have two or three wedges, or pins, whichever (on a barrel this short you can get by with two, but three would be fine if you think it would look better), but the forward fastener will help somewhat to keep the forestock from warping over time. You can also discard the large T/C lug and wedge, and buy a pair or three smaller (thinner) wedges with appropriate-sized lugs. Or, you can go with two or three pins. Should you go with pins, I would strongly suggest 3/32" rather than 1/16". Why? 3/32" happens to be the exact size of a #6 finish nail -- you make your own pins. 3/32" will be sturdier. Also of great importance, 1/16" drill bits have a bad habit of flexing out of line and even breaking in hard woods like maple. I know some builders' books recommend 1/16" pins, but the practical experience of myself and numerous other builders is that 3/32" works better, all the way around.

Whichever method you choose, I'd recommend dovetailing your lugs, rather than sweating. I don't like heating barrels unless it's absolutely necessary, and with the amount of meat you've got on a T/C barrel it most definitely isn't.

 

[bob1961]

from mongrel....

Whichever method you choose, I'd recommend dovetailing your lugs, rather than sweating. I don't like heating barrels unless it's absolutely necessary, and with the amount of meat you've got on a T/C barrel it most definitely isn't

this will work....but if ya do anything like drilling or cut dovetails in the barrel "YOU WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY" as i talked to T/C bout reblueing a barrel....they said as long as you don't drill or machine it i will be good...........bob

 

[mikelange]

Good point. New guns and the warranties attached to same are something I'm utterly ignorant about, due to finances and my liking for building my own stuff. I'll be glad to have that bit of information at hand, though, should I be brought a T/C to be worked over.

Restocked a Renegade for a local guy, once, but since he stiffed me on the payment I can't say I would care if I caused him warranty issues. I stop short of wishing the gun would blow up in his face, but needless to say he's not on my A-list of favorite people.

Got a bit off the topic there. Sorry. There's a small (well, actually, rather large) cache of rage issues lodged in my tiny brain that tends to spew out embarressing or at least inappropriate comments completely at random.

 

[Joe Yanta]

Some good thoughts here, thank you. I am not really concerned about the warranties.

Flintlock TC's are somewhat rare here in Colorado. I see a lot more percussion than I do Flintlock. I actually bought two used TC flintlock rifles in about 5 minutes from two different fellows that were getting out of the hobby. Both 54 calibers. I had purchased a full stock from Pecatonica last year to put a TC 56 caliber smoothbore on but I decided to keep it orginal so I decided on the Hawken. I'm going to swap out the brass furniture from the Hawken and replace it with iron funiture from the flintlock Renegade. I guess it will look more like a TC full stock leman trade rifle carbine. That sounds terrible I know. Sorry, but now that I finally finished my basement I need to do something with my time and I really dont have much invested in the project. I just thought it would make a light carry kicking around gun that I could actually get down into the sights with.

I have two friends that have TC's and they feel the same way about TC's high comb. Anyone else notice the high comb on TC's or is it just us old guys here in Colorado?

Joe

 

[davy]

Yes indeedy I noticed it Joe ... you have forced my hand into exposing the error of my ways in an attempt to rectify that too high heel problem ... check this link out to see what I mean! A proud moment indeed in my short and limited amatuer gunsmithing career! That one hurt a bit ouch!:cursing:

[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum...?fid/21/tid/186206/pid/193581/post/last/#LAST[/url]


Davy