AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: JTR on May 12, 2012, 05:35:05 AM
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Some of you guys might remember when I bought this rifle a few years ago.
It needed some restoration and I spent quite a bit of time discussing with some knowledgeable guys as just what to do. I completed to work a while ago and have just been enjoying it since then.
As for the name on the barrel and the J/D mistake. Looking at it through a microscope, the D was engraved first. Then the attempt to try to make a J out of the D.
Sorry for the photo heavy post, but I had trouble thinning out the pictures! :P
John
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This is a classic example of why many restorations are desirable.
There was no good reason to leave this rifle as found.
The work turned what was, unfortunately, a junker into a very nice Dickert again.
Congratulations.
Dan
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What a great Dickert. +1 for restoration! :)
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If left the way it was we would have testimony to how badly people can screw a good thing up. As you have restored it we can appreciate the talent of a great gunmaker and a beautiful part of our American Heritage. You definitely have added value from my perspective. I think Mr Dickert would be grateful!!
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Thank you guys for your perspectives and opinions. It’s very much appreciated!
So just a little more about it, and I’ll try not to bore you with too many details, but having this gun in hand was very exciting to me, so once it was decided that the gun should have a decent restoration, I spent a good bit of time talking to friends that I consider far more experienced than myself, as to how to go about doing it.
I also talked to a few guys that own some of the best Dickert rifles, and those guys were a terrific help. For instance, since this gun was missing a big portion of the tang carving, one guy with a gun similar to mine (the carving, and it also has the two moons on either side of the cheek piece star, plus the chip cuts that follow along the butt plate line) took the time to copy and hand draw the carving on his rifle and sent it to me, which was very likely what this gun had originally.
Another friend knew of a Dickert barrel for sale that had some cut off from the breech end, but had the complete muzzle end with its original front sight, so I got it. It was a smaller barrel by about 1/8” across the flats, but I was able to use the front sight off it, as well as the sight placement, and I used the same proportions of swamp for the bit of barrel I had to add to the front of my gun.
Other guys helped me with the correct type flintlock parts for the lock on this gun, and still other guys helped out with muzzle cap types and attachment, etc., so, though I did the work, I had a lot of great help with the details, pictures, and a lot of information, and to those guys, some on this forum and some not, I owe a big Thanks! Plus a special thanks to mr no gold, who seemed to always be looking over my shoulder!
I remember when this gun first showed up on the forum; One guy said it was a nice gun that just needed about $10,000 worth of work.
Yep, it did!
John ;D
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A beautiful, and very appropriate restoration. I'm sure Jacob Dickert would be proud. To have left it the way it was would have been a disservice to the rifle and its maker.
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Fabulous job, John!!!!!!
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Well done indeed!
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I can't imagine a more beautiful job. Just wonderful. Bravo.
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John,
Very nice work. I hope I get to see it at Pittsburgh in a little under a month. There is a special challenge in doing a quality restorations, the hours do not matter, the result do. You learn so much about the original maker and how he did things. The gun was a worthy candidate for a project like this.
Ron
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Lucky,
As Fred mentioned earlier the gun will be at the meeting, with him and no gold. I was going to attend, but a new job situation has got in the way of a good time, so unfortunately I'll be stuck out at sea. In fact I go to the new boat tomorrow.
Thanks again to you and the other guys that have commented! The job was really excitying to do, and quite an adventure actually getting into the nuts and bolts of something Jacob Dickert made! :o And true, there were times when I wondered if ol' Dickert would approve of what I was doing.
John
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JTR, I think the first rule of the 'Hippocratic Oath' is, 'I will do no harm'! I'd say you are a Doctor of restoration, beautiful job!!!
Robby
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Thats a mighty fine job on a great rifle. Thanks for showing it to us.
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John,
Mr. Dickert would be proud!!
Gus
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Nice job, I have it's twin brother, my is also a nice restoration. Remember mine John ?
Paul
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Paul, yes, I remember you sent me a couple pictures of your rifle.
How about posting some pictures of it here on the forum.
For everyone that was reading this thread a couple weeks ago, I don't know what happened to a bunch of the comments. At one point it was 2 pages long, then I traveled for two days to get to the ship I work on, and when I looked again, about half the comments were gone? I think the topic had pretty much run its course anyway, but don't have a clue as to what happened while I was traveling.
John
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John here is mine.
John, I saw you beautiful Dickert this KRA weekend, if I only knew
i would have brought it's brother. I' m glad I asked Fred about the Dickert. Wish I could have met you.
Paul
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Here it is
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Paul,
Beautiful rifle.
Buck
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Thanks Buck.
I narrow my collection down to just Lancaster County rifles. I do miss some nice guns, but it's
A lot easier doing research & living in that area (next county) makes it little more fun.
Regards
Paul
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Both appear to be nice Dickert rifles, gentlemen.
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John I had gotten way behind on reading and sorry this comment is so late but this is a fantastic restoration. It is hard to believe this is the same rifle. You sir, are a craftsman and this was a rifle well worth the effort.
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John.......terrible gun, the most disturbing thing about it is the fact that it's in your house and not mine. Great to see one
that has been given a new life...........Don
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Not having seen the before photos, it's very hard to tell what was done to this
rifle, so my hats off on the restoration because it was described as being in
poor condition before. It's sure a beautiful rifle now!
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Thanks copdoc and Rob!
Don, just send money, and it can go to your house! ;D
John