.40 Cal Flint

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  • Last Post 22 April 2018
Pigslayer posted this 23 June 2012

For some time now I've had the components for my .40 Cal. Flint Rifle but haven't gotten at it. It's going to be a Tennesse rifle much like the Southern Mtn. that I built. Alike but different. Not as much drop at the heel. A little plainer in that there will be no escutcheons at the barrel pins. I'm using a Chambers small Siler lock & again a double set trigger assy.. Some time ago I browned the ramrod pipes, sights, patchbox, ramrod end & trigger guard. Just to get those parts ready for browning is a lot of work as they are rough cast steel. Much shaping, filing & cleaning up with emery is needed. I used Dixie Browning Solution for the finish. I had also fit the breechplug to the barrel. Today I drawfiled the breechplug tang even with the top barrel flat and polished it off with 600 grit emery. The tang is really long and I'm going to cut it back some. The buttplate is brass and as usual came in rough cast condition. With files & the use of emery it's starting to look pretty good but still needs a lot more work. After fitting the lock & trigger assy. I'll determine the pull length & fit the buttplate. It seems that power tools of any kind are not to be used in building these rifles. As much as I would like to use a dremel, there is too much chance of a slip. One slip and a expensive curly maple stock is ruined. An electric drill is Taboo. My first build was an Issac Haines in curly cherry and has developed a color which is absolutely beautiful. This stock is Curly Maple #3. Middle of the road as was my last. I allready have plans for a .36 Cal and I believe that after building this one I will have enough experience to dare to order the next stock in curly maple #5 . . . extra fancy! I have gotten my last two stocks from Pecotonica long Rifle Supply and they do produce a nice stock! Building these gems is not cheap and I am most certainly not well off & buy one part at a time. Pat

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Pigslayer posted this 22 April 2018

I can't stress this enough. A mainspring vice is crucial when assembling or disassembling one of these locks. 

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Pigslayer posted this 22 April 2018

The Siler lock browning complete & the lock reassembled. It took six applications of the browning solution.

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Pigslayer posted this 19 April 2018

I have the previous three pics in reverse order as you are scrolling down. The bottom pick is after the parts had set for 24 hrs. after applying solution. The center pic is after I buffed off the residue. The top pic is shortly after reapplying solution.

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Pigslayer posted this 19 April 2018

Attached are some pics of the browning process. 

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Pigslayer posted this 17 April 2018

I applied the first coat of browning solution to what will be the visible lock parts last night & the second application today. The solution is rapidly doing it's work. Will get some pics of that soon.

 

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Pigslayer posted this 13 April 2018

One of the four barrel lug pins in place. 

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Pigslayer posted this 13 April 2018

A set of riffler files for both wood and metal are a good addition to the tool chest. They are really not that expensive. 

 

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Pigslayer posted this 13 April 2018

Pat,

I like your mainspring vice. is that English or Yankee?

Gary

Well Gary, I guess that it would have to be "Yankee" . . . me thinks. Bought it years ago from "Track Of The Wolf". Learned the hard way that "visegrips" result in a broken spring.

 

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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onondaga posted this 13 April 2018

Pat,

I like your mainspring vice. is that English or Yankee?

Gary

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Pigslayer posted this 13 April 2018

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Pigslayer posted this 13 April 2018

rhbrink; I love the one that I did in blonde. You should see it up close. Everyone else likes it too!

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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R. Dupraz posted this 13 April 2018

"One of the great things about maturity is the ability to let things rest for a while. Then pick them up when the fancy strikes."

 

Yep, I think it's called "motivation"  But. guess what?  Don't care. Except when the kitchen faucet starts leaking, or..,or..,or..............

 

R.

 

R. 

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rhbrink posted this 13 April 2018

"One of the great things about maturity is the ability to let things rest for a while. Then pick them up when the fancy strikes."

I must be a really "mature" person I have a lot of projects resting!

Pigslayer you do nice work but please put some stain on those muzzle loader stocks, please?

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Scearcy posted this 13 April 2018

You have serious skills! It is good that the rifle is progressing again.

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RicinYakima posted this 13 April 2018

One of the great things about maturity is the ability to let things rest for a while. Then pick them up when the fancy strikes.

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Pigslayer posted this 04 July 2012

Began inletting for the tang last evening & this morning. had to bend the tang to match the curve of the stock. Got it pretty close but may need a little tweeking yet. Getting to hot out in the shop even though I have a ceiling fan.

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Pigslayer posted this 02 July 2012

hunterspistol wrote: Building these gems is not cheap and I am most certainly not well off & buy one part at a time.

 

      And apparently assemble them with lots of tender, loving care.  These are great photos, I don't see a lot of muzzleloaders here on the grasslands because of the fire danger.   Texas has too many droughts.   That does not mean I don't want one!  Maybe in Spring or Fall....... Gee.

    Thanks for the pictures and these threads, this is great workshop views! I'm sure that there have been a lot of patched round balls fired on those grasslands during the not so dry seasons. I'm no expert but anytime you want to dive in & build one I'll give you all the help I can!

Pat R.

     Ron

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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sharps4590 posted this 01 July 2012

Thanks for the ride along Pig. It's always wonderful to see a fine rifle come together.

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Pigslayer posted this 01 July 2012

Seated the breech back further about 1/16” & it's bedded pretty good as you can see by the “footprint” the barrel left by the black marks. I installed the stainless steel vent(touch hole liner) and then installed the breech plug/tang. When drilling the hole for the vent the drill bit started to drift but I caught it in time. Whew! Then I tapped the barrel to 1/4-28 thread. The liner extended into the inside of the barrel by about 1/8” so I had to cut some off from it. After screwing the vent in I filed it flush with the barrel. I used blue locktite on both the liner & breech plug. Now to inlet for the tang as it is attached to the barrel. The barrel & stock are starting to look pretty dirty from dirty hands, black Sharpie ink & layout die and it'll get worse before it's over. It ain't gonna look pretty until it's all done! But it will all clean up. This has sort of turned into a tutorial which I hadn't intended but if the moderators don't mind I'll continue. It's kinda fun sharing this project with everyone.

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Pigslayer posted this 01 July 2012

Got the barrel channel cut back close to where in needs to be and got the breech settled in. Now that I study my pics closer I see that the barrel has to go back another 1/16". The scribe line on the top of the barrel dictates the center of the vent or “touch hole liner” which will be just slightly ahead of the face of the breechplug. Next I'll install the breech plug on the barrel & inlet for that. I need to remove a little more stock under the lock assy. due to it being about 1/64” away from the barrel flat . . . can't have that. It must be tight against the barrel flat. Excuse my ugly bare feet. They always seem to get in the pics. 60 years old & still running around barefoot. Must be the redneck in me.

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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