AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: jmf on April 06, 2022, 05:43:37 PM
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I bought an old New York rifle. Not sure of age, but its percussion, so likely 1850’s or possibly later. It has two shallow holes, around 1 or 2 mm deep and 14 mm across. Those holes are on each side of the buttstock. Do you think it possible that period coins would have been inlaid? I think the old half dimes are about that same size. Otherwise, what sort of round inlays would have been common on these?
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Inlays of coins and tokens were occasionally used on percussion guns ( I have a couple percussion guns with these still in place)
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how big is 14mm?
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Its very close to 9/16”. Oddly, coins diameters even back then where sized in millimeters. At least from what I researched.
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14mm = .5512".
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0.5512 inch
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Here are some pictures. Actually the holes seem to be .570 diameter. I was looking at filling them somehow. Coins or brass stampings maybe. The coins are available but not real cheap. Id hate to triple the value of the old gun. The stampings would be a little thin but I could double them up.
(https://i.ibb.co/nR8hyH8/2-DFAE933-6-B91-4814-8028-70811-D1-B4360.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6NJ6S3J)
(https://i.ibb.co/pQTST2C/38-F7837-B-FA6-D-4-A4-B-8-AA9-156-FA440201-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZSr0rdy)
(https://i.ibb.co/MCSSmSB/229409-BF-9343-48-F8-95-C1-E25-ADF04-F8-CC.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tJKK9KL)
(https://i.ibb.co/2dYtdtF/D229583-C-7-E15-468-A-B91-D-5-EFF4-E4-CF60-D.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DQgCQC1)
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4-6-22
Mike,
Converting millimeters to inches --- 1mm = .0393701 Inches
14mm x .0393701 Inches = .5511814 Inches or (.5512 Inches) to four decimal places (Rounded Up).
Therefore 14mm = .5512 Inches
Best Regards,
Robert
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Since you really don't know what type of material was in the mortises, why not make it easier on yourself and use a material that's been used before in similar situations, but cheaper and easier to work with, such as bone, shell or ivory? An old ivory piano key provides good material to work with, easy to shape, and has been found on a few rifles.
Shelby Gallien
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4-6-22
Mike,
Converting millimeters to inches --- 1mm = .0393701 Inches
14mm x .0393701 Inches = .5511814 Inches or (.5512 Inches) to four decimal places (Rounded Up).
Therefore 14mm = .5512 Inches
Best Regards,
Robert
I ain’t gonna bother.
I don’t live in a metric world if I can possibly avoid it. Why the US Kowtowed to this $#@* is beyond me
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Since you really don't know what type of material was in the mortises, why not make it easier on yourself and use a material that's been used before in similar situations, but cheaper and easier to work with, such as bone, shell or ivory? An old ivory piano key provides good material to work with, easy to shape, and has been found on a few rifles.
Shelby Gallien
For about 5 gallons of gas (at todays prices) its possible to buy Sterling Silver rounds.
https://www.riogrande.com/product/Sterling-Silver-18mm-Disc-20-Ga-Soft/922465
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I have seen old tobacco tabs set in. They are about that size.
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I appreciate the suggestions. I like the idea of the sterling silver as itd be easy to engrave on, just that I really have no idea what Id put on them. The bone or ivory would be fairly easy, but I really doubt this sort of piece would have had that kind of bling. I havnt seen tobacco tabs, but will research that idea some. Thanks all!
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They were likely silver coins that were pulled out and maybe sold or repurposed sometime in the past. Stuff with no value would likely have been left alone. However, I gave up years ago trying to figure out why people changed, hacked up or otherwise “gunsmithed” old guns.
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4-6-22
Mike,
Converting millimeters to inches --- 1mm = .0393701 Inches
14mm x .0393701 Inches = .5511814 Inches or (.5512 Inches) to four decimal places (Rounded Up).
Therefore 14mm = .5512 Inches
Best Regards,
Robert
I ain’t gonna bother.
I don’t live in a metric world if I can possibly avoid it. Why the US Kowtowed to this $#@* is beyond me
The United States actually adopted the French system (Metric) in 1805. The argument for it usage was the same argument for the current dollar system and by the same gentleman that is quite famous and has his likeness on currency. While the American public quickly took to the currency system that was much easier to understand than the English mess, it ignored the French system in favor of the rest of the English mess.
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Here's a current full-stocked rifle on GunBroker with a coin inlay in front butt. I've seen silver half-dimes and dimes in stocks, but never with a pin through the middle of them as your mortise seems to show.
Shelby Gallien
(https://i.ibb.co/NxKnMCJ/Gun-butt-penny.jpg) (https://ibb.co/R2c4qbs)
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The hole may be a pilot hole to guide a drill bit to cut the circle. Pretty rifle, good one to have. Thank. you for bringing it in to be seen.
Dick
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The inlays were nailed in. In fact theres part of a nail still in one side. I presume if they were falling out at some point that its owner figured he’d fix it the best way he knew how.
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9/16 if your broke down and aint got your metric wrenches…