guitar_slinger Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Seemed there was a little interest in another thread. Hope I'm not breaking rules. Moderators, if this is against rules, please delete this thread. - Guitar Slinger These are photos of a couple of the more recent flintlock rifles I've built. It's a hobby and I don't build them to sell (these are not for sale and are currently in the rotation of my competition firearms). Early Colonial Fowler: .62cal smoothbore (20ga). Cherry Wood. 46" barrel. Late 1700's Pennsylvania Style Rifle .40 cal rifled. curly maple stock, 39" barrel. Mid 1700's (1750's) Transitional Kentucky .58 cal Rifled, maple stock. 38" barrel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Man, that's nice stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Great looking' rifles. Good job!! They look like works of art. I'm impressed since I would never have the patience to do that. Rye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_slinger Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 Guys, thanks. Lots of hours work in those. It does give me something to do during those long winter months when its too cold to shoot and not enough ice to fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 It is against the rules to make me drool this early in the morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Nice work! Thanks for sharing those with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yul Lose Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Great job. You should put those up on the Wild West Arts forum also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 GS very NICE I do see one slight problem though , them be made for the WRONG hand I could not get used to a flinter , being right handed , one of these days , I will run across a LEFT handed one CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Great stuff, GS. I'm with Utah Bob. I am salivating all over the screen. I could get real happy with that wooden patch box cover. Wait till Hardpan sees these. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramblin Gambler Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 You said you build them, what raw components do you start out with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_slinger Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 You said you build them, what raw components do you start out with? Components block of wood (sometimes will use a rough shaped stock blank to save about 50 hours of time turning a block into sawdust) I buy most of the metal parts, I don't have the technology or skill to forge a barrel myself and I have made triggers and locks, it's far easier and more effective to buy than build those parts. barrel lock brass furniture in cast form Side Plate, butt plate, nose cap (when used), toe plates (when used), trigger guard, inlays (if I'm feeling too lazy to cut out my own) (some rifles have iron mountings) triggers From there, I fit the pieces onto the wood and shape it. Drill the ramrod hole (if it's not already drilled in a rough cut stock blank, sometimes they will have it pre-drilled which is nice). I make the sights, the under lugs, sometimes the thimbles (not on all rifles since I can buy them for a couple bucks each). I use 1/16" steel pins to hold barrel to wood (dovetail under lug in barrel, drill through stock, under lug, other side of stock) Cut the dovetails for the sights and under lugs & attach barrel to stock drill and tap the touch hole and insert liner (stainless steel or AMPCO depending on what I have at the time). final shape stock after major parts are inlet, add any decorative inlays (star in cheek piece, etc.) final sand do any carving the rifle requires one more light final sand (800 or finer grit) stain (variety of stains, i prefer alcohol based dye) apply finish (I normally use Tung Oil). reassemble shoot. Truly a labor of love. considering I put about 150-200 hours in a rifle, to sell one I'd either be working really cheap or looking for rich rifle buyers. I've sold a few to fuel parts for others. Mostly, I build them to shoot and because I enjoy doing it. Inletting a lock and barrel into a piece of curly maple is great stress relief. You cannot think of anything else while concentrating on that task. Guitar Slinger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 It is against the rules to make me drool this early in the morning. Yeah, it dilutes his coffee. I spent 12 years working for The Flintlock at Hobby City in Anaheim and saw a lot of very fine hand made long rifles. Yours are better than most and as good as some of the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tascosa, SASS# 24838 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Absolutely works of art!!!! Thanks for sharing yer hobby with us. Tascosa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_slinger Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 Thanks again fellows for all the kind words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Wow, those are just beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bama Red Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I'm working on a percussion kit gun, and you're right about the stress relief. It's also a love/hate relationship. Working with some of the soft brass parts, esp. the trigger guard, can really frustrate you. Sanding final curves and edges on the stock to get just the right shape is also an exercise in humility. But when it's done, I'll have something to be proud of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G #1840 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Ive seen your work before by the incized carving and lions. Very nice. Here is one I made: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_slinger Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 I'm working on a percussion kit gun, and you're right about the stress relief. It's also a love/hate relationship. Working with some of the soft brass parts, esp. the trigger guard, can really frustrate you. Sanding final curves and edges on the stock to get just the right shape is also an exercise in humility. But when it's done, I'll have something to be proud of. Proud you will be. Would love to see pics when done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_slinger Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 Ive seen your work before by the incized carving and lions. Very nice. Here is one I made: Very nice. Ketland style lock. Is it an L&R? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elk Creek LeMieux Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Beautiful guns. How do you finish them? Modern finishes or something period? They look great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_slinger Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 Beautiful guns. How do you finish them? Modern finishes or something period? They look great! A little of both. I use alcohol based stain (dye actually) because it doesn't have as many solids to cover the grain as most of the modern wood finish stains (think Minwax). For the finish, I have been using Tung Oil for years. It's not exactly a period finish but looks pretty close. Many of the old guns were finished in shellac or a resin based varnish. Lots of guys use boiled linseed oil but I just don't like it. Takes forever to dry and just doesn't look like the finish remaining on any of the originals I've had the pleasure to handle and take apart. I also use sandpaper down to 800 grit and that is not exactly period correct either. many used scrapers, glass, and sharkskin has even been seen in estate inventories of old time gunmakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G #1840 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 The lock was a from a kit by Cochrane. The finish is with Aqua Fortis (nitric acid) stain which darkens when you wave a salamander (red hot iron) over the stained wood. Linseed oil over that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_slinger Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 The lock was a from a kit by Cochrane. The finish is with Aqua Fortis (nitric acid) stain which darkens when you wave a salamander (red hot iron) over the stained wood. Linseed oil over that. Nice work indeed. You use it for hunting, target shooting, competition? I've had mixed results with Aqua Fortis. On some Maple, the wood takes a greenish color under tone. Not all, but enough that it can be a problem. It is fun though to run the hot iron bar over the stock and watch it turn color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Aqua fortis has to be neutralized with baking soda else it may create some problems. For bringing out the figure its hard to beat chromium trioxide but its kinda hazardous and likewise has to be neutralized.. There are better ways or just as good....I don't use either anymore. John Bivins has done extensive writing on stains and finishes of rifles during and after the Golden Age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Here ya go for a lefty southern mountain flinter I did in 1984...my first rifle attempt from scratch. Siler lock, green mountain barrel, Davis triggers, and wood from I forget where. [/url]">http:// Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_slinger Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 Love the Southern rifles. I'll have to dig up some photos of some of the ones I've built. Nice work on that gun even though you put the lock on the wrong side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Have heard that a time or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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