New Guy Questions

[Rolf Steiner]

I'm fairly new to this forum, this is my first post though I have been lurking and reading for a few months. I'm new to blackpowder, I've been a "gun guy" since I was a lad but always more modern things.  I have gotten started doing 18th Century/RevWar living history and so far have managed to acquire three muskets. Two are Pedersoli Bess's, the third is an Indian made Carolina Gun. I do not intend to live fire the Carolina Gun, its just for burning powder. All three need various degrees of work, some of which I am unsure the best way to progress.

One of the Pedersolis I would like to basically make look a bit more historically correct as an issue musket to the King's troops. I am aware that it has some issues in that regard but I want to correct what I can. The other Pedersoli I intend to fashion into a Committee of Safety musket.  The Carolina Gun is of somewhat questionable architecture, but it looks the part. Other than adding a faux third lock screw and doing a bit of engraving on the sideplate and buttplate its about as good as it will get.

I am hopeful that after doing these various projects I will be ready to attempt something like a Kibler Colonial kit and have it come out at least credible looking and not as my attempt to ruin a fine kit.

So, after all that (geez, this guy talks a lot) my first question:

The Pedersolis, I wish to refinish both of the stocks. What is the best way to strip the factory finish. These are both about 20 years old or so, I dont know if the finish has changed over the years but I mention it just in case. Should I strip it with something, just sand it or scrape it, or some combination of the two?

I am asking about these specifically in case Pedersoli uses something that is a challenge to remove, etc, that a more generalized question might miss. Thanks in advance for your indulgence and advice.

Cheers,

Rolf Steiner

[Lzymtlsmth]

Paint remover/ lacquer thinner? Just a guess. Try it on a small portion of the stock see what happens. 🚭

[smart dog]

Hi Rolf and welcome,
For the Pedersoli Bess, this link will help:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/new-reworking-a-pedersoli-brown-bess.107405/

dave

[Kingsburyarms]

First, welcome aboard Rolf - You have landed among the finest historical builders and period historians globally,

Dave, I read through your complete Pedersolis Remake and I am blown away on how much you know and how you get this done. You have forgotten more than I will ever learn in my lifetime on all types of historical guns.  Awesome lesson as well as a very helpful conversion. I remember seeing Bess's over fireplaces in my home town (Bedford, MA) , and never once realized the historical significance. Thank you for doing what you do,

Jon

[hanshi]

Welcome to our forum, Rolph.  You're in the right place.

[Rolf Steiner]

You guys do not disappoint.  Dave, that link is exactly what I needed - some of the steps I know I can do and many that I will have to learn along the way.  Thanks much, everyone!

[Hungry Horse]

Unfortunately many Italian replicas have some sort of penetrating sealer that is the very devil to get rid of. Even a good sanding fails to remove this stuff in moldings, and crevices. The only thing I’ve found that cuts it to any degree is epoxy stripper.

  Hungry Horse

[fahnenschmied]

I like to use aircraft stripper when reworking a musket like this.  Sadly it is rather impossible to get the Pedersoli to really look like a Short Land musket; the butt is just too small.  Ive seen somebody saw a deep cut in the butt, steam it, and drive and glue a long narrow wedge in, then inlet a new, properly shaped buttplate. Lot of tricky work.  Reshaping the lock panels, and especially reworking the tang carving goes a long ways - Bess tangs are pretty much always flat on the back, and there is a flat D shaped panel of wood immediately behind this.  No ready made repros get this right. Reshaping the comb a bit and dropping the cuts in the side of the butt a little lower down helps too.  Did you get your Carolina Gun from Tom?  I reworked at least six of them, that I added the front screw to the sideplate.

[Rolf Steiner]

  Did you get your Carolina Gun from Tom?  I reworked at least six of them, that I added the front screw to the sideplate.

Not directly from him, but yes it is one of the Tom guns. Mine came from the "Gen 2" lot - smaller bore, perhaps other minor differences. As I understand it the Gen 1s are aprox 14 gauge, mine is aprox 23 gauge.

Did you have any trouble getting the sideplates off? Mine feels like maybe its glued in. I'm afraid to pry at it with much force for fear of chipping the stock as I understand it is fairly brittle wood. I had planned to shorten the shank and thread the sidenail I got, and just put a nut on the backside of the sideplate (after drilling a relief hole in the stock) but I cannot budge it. 

I also noted that mine has the number "14" stamped inside the lockplate, underside of the tigger guard, etc. Do they all have that or are they individually numbered?

Cheers,

Rolf Steiner