Recent Posts

51

Gun Building / Re: How to figure sight height

« Last post by bobw on September 28, 2023, 05:34:52 PM »

The original question has been answered but sight correction come into question sometimes.  The post before this one has a correction in metric.  This is an easy sight correction calculator I use in inches.

http://www.sdmfabricating.com/sightcalc.html

Appears to be over simplistic as the weight and velocity of the projectile comes into play. This website has no input for either.

LOL, Yes it is, a simple calculator for a simple guy like me!
It’s not a ballistic calculator, it’s a sight adjustment calculator and is only intended to be used with a consistent load, usually after working a load up.
For example, I have a gun in my shop that is shooting a nice tight group, 2 1/2 inches high at 50 yards.  It has a rear peep sight that is adjusted as low as it will go.  The front sight is a bead that can not be modified.  So I either need to make a new front sight or try to find one that will work that is the correct height.  In either case this calculator help get me in the ball park, from where it it currently is, where I can get more adjustment out of the rear sight.
Hope this clears up how this is used.
Bob

52

Gun Building / Re: Rebuilding a Frankenrifle

« Last post by BJH on September 28, 2023, 05:15:48 PM »

I asked the owner if he wanted the remains turned into a war club, when I finish the rebuild. To be brought to him with the finished rebuild. Imagine that he declined GBG

53

Black Powder Shooting / Re: Load surprise

« Last post by Maven on September 28, 2023, 04:38:44 PM »

The "almost bare RB" as per Hungry Horse is easy enough to test v. patched RB, so why not try it?  However, at 25 yd., kneeling with my right arm on the bench, these are the results I got with patched RB's:  First target is with .597" -. 598" RB's; the second is with .603" RB (out of round Lyman mould).  Patched thickness was either .014" or .018" and really made no difference other than the effort needed to seat the RB.  Btw, the gun was my GRF 20ga. NW trade gun.

54

Gun Building / Re: Engravers Bondo Substitute

« Last post by Cody Tetachuk on September 28, 2023, 04:35:03 PM »

While thermoloc makes great jigs for holding objects to engrave, it does not generally stick to what you want to hold.
I usually just use hot melt glue sticks to hold what i need to on a block of wood which is held in my vice jaws.  When done i use alcohol to release the metal.  Been doing this for years with both products.

Hot glue sticks sounds like a great option as well. Cheap, readily available anywhere and the added advantage of adhesive qualities. Great tip.

55

Gun Building / Re: Engravers Bondo Substitute

« Last post by Cody Tetachuk on September 28, 2023, 04:33:31 PM »

I caution against this method . Because Soft yellow brass or sterling is too delicate to risk accidentally warping the shape while Hammer chasing your Graver during the engraving process I feel the best way of holding your inlay is "in situ". I'm finishing engraving a pistol insitu now. The only thing I remove from any guns to engrave are my lock plate and side plate which I attached to flat steel plate anchored to workbench top. If you accidentally warp your precious work piece that you've invested hours into shaping you may have to end up filing it and finishing it all over again to the mortise you created before it got warped. If it's not yet mortised and you engrave it before mortising then you may have to file away your engraving in order to fit the inlay flush to your wood. Not everybody's going to agree on this and I am by no means a master engraver nor do I use a power graver. Only use hand gravers and hammers but this is what works for me.

I also did most of my engraving "in situ" mostly because I pin my inlays so once they are inlet, they are there to stay. Also I found that if I even removed an inlay, it never seemed to fit quite as nice on "re-entry". As far as warping goes, the beauty of things like thermoloc is that it forms to the back of the inlay providing support just like the gunstock does so one can engrave with as heavy a hand as they like without risking distortion. To be clear, I am NOT suggesting that you engrave with a "heavy hand", just saying that there is plenty of support, perhaps even BETTER support than on the gun if the inlet background is uneven. IIRC, the Jacob Kuntz at the Met showed evidence that it ma have been engraved even BEFORE being inlet like it was engraved on a sheet, THEN cut out and inlet. If that is so I do not know for sure and I can't imagine why anyone would do it that way but, if memory serves (which it usually does NOT) the patch box on that rifle shows the outline of the box engraved and not particularly "in sync" with the actual outline of the box. In other words, it seems to me that I recall that the outline engraving of the box varied from having a relatively substantial gap to the edge of the box to running right TO the wood or even off the edge. My memory is a bit fuzzy on this but I seem to recall something along those lines (pun intended).

56

Gun Building / Re: Engravers Bondo Substitute

« Last post by smoke and flames on September 28, 2023, 04:03:46 PM »

yup  hot melt glue like what you use in a glue gun.  Just melt some on to a block of wood with a torch. When melted press your metal on to it and hold a bit and let it cool  easy peasy.  it doesn't have to be super hot and boiling just melted

57

Gun Building / Re: Engravers Bondo Substitute

« Last post by Goo on September 28, 2023, 03:31:50 PM »

Hot Glue? or am I way off the mark here?

58

Gun Building / Re: Engravers Bondo Substitute

« Last post by smoke and flames on September 28, 2023, 02:22:45 PM »

While thermoloc makes great jigs for holding objects to engrave, it does not generally stick to what you want to hold.
I usually just use hot melt glue sticks to hold what i need to on a block of wood which is held in my vice jaws.  When done i use alcohol to release the metal.  Been doing this for years with both products.

59

Black Powder Shooting / Re: Load surprise

« Last post by alacran on September 28, 2023, 11:02:43 AM »

I built my first smoothbore over twenty years ago. I did a lot of experimenting with ball and patch size. I also shot with an over powder card a cushion wad a bare ball and an over shot card. I got pretty good accuracy out to 25 yards. However, the fouling was substantial. After a couple of shots the over shot card became unnecessary. The fouling was almost as bad as shooting blanks.
Not enough pressure is built up with a lousy seal.
I am as skeptical as Daryl. I would like to see 50-yard groups on paper. Even a marginal hit with a .595 ball on a gong looks impressive.

60

Antique Gun Collecting / John Volger Rifle from Salem School in North Carolina?

« Last post by Tanselman on September 28, 2023, 04:47:42 AM »

I recently picked up what I believe is a Salem School, North Carolina, longrifle by John Vogler. The barrel is unsigned and the gun is a late flint, ca. 1830-1835 based on the Joseph Golcher lock that's been converted to percussion, the lack of incised moldings, and a double-spurred guard. I base the attribution heavily on the engraving, almost an exact match for the inlay borders used by John Vogler, while the basic stock architecture and furniture also support a Vogler attribution.

The gun lacks the traditional North Carolina incised comb lines, as well as any incised moldings. The wrist was broken at one time and rejoined, and the repair is visible in several images. But despite the repaired wrist, the original gun is all there, full length barrel, all inlays intact with borders engraved in John Vogler's style. Barrel: 44-5/8" long, .38 caliber bore, 7-groove rifling, slight swamp in hand-filed barrel.

Since the gun is unsigned and has an odd patchbox [but with correct style hinge with Salem "dimple" on either side], I'd like to get other people's opinions on how they might attribute - and date - this rifle. And I thought our members who are interested in southern rifles might enjoy seeing this new one.

Shelby Gallien