Doble Troble Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Didn't think this would take so long. I figure I'm about half done. I have learned so incredibly much about working with wood doing this, and I'm not even done yet . After inletting the first entry ramrod tube and nose piece (barely visible in the pic - very hard to photograph an entire longrifle) I've decided to save the buttplate for the next adventure . I'm looking forward to getting back to Mausers after this. I was hoping to have it done by now. It's .45 with a 42" bbl. I've got the lock taken apart right now but its a flinter. You're allowed to hunt with these without being at least 8' off the ground and so I'm hoping this will get me out of the tree stand really hunting. The season ends here Jan 1. Will I finish in time? I'm going to rust blue the metal. I read somewhere that originals were sometimes "blacked" and so I'm prepared to deal with the period correct people. I am going to use an aqua fortis stain of my own recipe. I'll post results. Hopefully it won't be green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emul8 Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Doble Troble -- That's a cool project! From what I can tell, the wood looks like it's going to have some great figure once you get it stained and finished. I think that projects like these always take much longer than we anticipate, but then again, when one moves through such a project slowly, I would think that the likelihood of accuracy and proper fitment of the parts increases greatly. Taking the time to do things right on this gun will pay off for you down the line in most anything else you do with other guns...like you said, though I'm paraphrasing it, getting back to Mausers will probably be a cake walk after this! I would like to try something like this myself one day, only not a flinter, and not with a right handed lock...the whole idea of being One-eyed Emul8 isn't appealling to me! LOL! I think the only choices of kits for left handed percussion cap rifles are the Hawken type, and I don't find those very interesting...certainly not as interesting as those longgggg rifles! Anyway, I wish you luck and good progress with this gun! I am looking forward to the photos when you get it all finished and ready for shootin'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FC Posted October 14, 2005 Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 It is coming along nicely. Did you do all the work yourself? Inletting, shaping, etc.? You are brave! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShooterTom Posted October 15, 2005 Report Share Posted October 15, 2005 Doble, Looks good so far I can't wait to see the end result! Nice work. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doble Troble Posted October 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2005 Thanks guys (and gal). This has been really rewarding and I can highly recommend it. FC the stock was already shaped with the barrel channel and ramrod hole cut from Track of the Wolf. I'm glad I got the already shaped one for this first effort. I think I'll be able to make one out of a blank next time though. I had to buy another copy of "Recreating the American Longrifle". Something tells me I left it somewhere I shouldn't have and it disappeared with other stuff deemed unnecessary by my better half. It's a very good "how to". I made my own rear sight based on some drawings in "Recreating..." It went very smoothly and I'm very happy with the result. The book said the rear sight was the toughest, but of course now I've been trying to put together the front sight for two evenings and I've just botched the most recent effort. Typical for me to turn the easy part into a trying experience. The problem is attaching the dovetail base to the narrow sight blade. I think for my next try I'll notch the dovetail to fit the blade, drill through both with a #53 or so and try pinning them together. Then I'll silver solder. Good thing I'm only working with steel scraps. If it were real silver I'd be crying by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FC Posted October 16, 2005 Report Share Posted October 16, 2005 I have a video on building a muzzleloader. It is pretty good. I did like he said and ground the teeth off one side of a triangle file to cut the dovetail. I cannot find anyone to take my mesquite blank I cut and make a rough stock. I wouldn't mind lending the video if you swore you would return it. I think I bought it from muzzleloader's building supply in Ozone, AR. I sold the VHS, but transfered it to a DVD+R. Only +R players like Phillips can play it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doble Troble Posted October 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2005 Thanks very much, Tony. We're kind-of low-tech and don't have a DVD+R. But I don't think it would help me much anyway. I can't watch someone else do something well and know how to do it that way myself - I pretty-much have to screw things up a few times to figure-out how I can make it work. This has been a life-long problem - kind-of mechanical dyslexia. It isn't too bad of a problem once you know you have it . I've got the dovetailing down though. I'm just having a devil of a time fitting a blade to the front sight bases that I've made. I know that I should probably just buy a front sight and they're not expensive but my sight-making honor is at stake and I can't give in . Well, I'll give it at least one more try. These types of issues are why I'm worried about not finishing by the end of the year. But I'm really glad that I have an excuse to dink around figuring-out how to make sights. I'm getting ideas about trying to make an apeture sight for a Mauser again - this time armed with some experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FC Posted October 16, 2005 Report Share Posted October 16, 2005 If you don't have a Dremel with all the bits and tools you really need it. I almost always use a Dremel for small work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doble Troble Posted October 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2005 Sweet victory! Have the sometimes evil Dremel . I've been trying hard on this project to use wood chisels as much as possible, but I did break-out the evil dremel for inletting the lock. Next step finishing the stock contour - risky business! Mr. Rasp and I are going to get to know each other really well. Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement guys (and gal). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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