Gun building tips for the novice

[ExMachina]

Greetings!  Am I missing a section of this website that has a FAQ (or sticky) that address the basics of gunbuilding (tips, techniques, supplies, etc...)? I know there's a lot of good information here and was hoping that it was collected in one, easy-to-find location? 

I've built one flinter before (Chamber's kit) and had a ball. Now I have another lined up to go and want to correct all the mistakes I made with the first one. 

-Dave

[tallbear]

Dave
Look down in the Tutorial section I think you will find lots of helpful info there.

Mitch Yates

[PPatch]

Hello Dave - Welcome to the ALR site.

I will take a stab at your question, others may have more information. At the home page for ALR you will see a link titled "GUNBUILDING." in there are some pretty basic information - try this link:

http://www.americanlongrifles.org/WorkShop_frame.htm

In the Tutorials area you can find a lot of gun building information on specific tasks. There is also the search function (tab) at the top of each page. Searches should be kept simple as in "Lancaster" or "aqua fortis" and the like. You have to know what you are after and reduce it to one or two words.

Last, and certainly not least: Just ask, post a question to the  gun building forum or which ever forum seems appropriate. ALR has some of the most accomplished builders working today (not including me), who are generous with their information on any aspect of building a muzzleloader.

Good luck on your coming build - show us your Chambers build if you feel like it.

dave (yep, another one...)

And oh... a wonderful resource will be found in the ALR Library and museum area - loads of pictures and descriptions of longrifles and pistols of the past.

[whetrock]

Welcome, Dave.
Yeah, check out the tutorials. You might also want to read reviews of various books and videos. Many of us have found the various published resources to be very helpful. Some of them are more complete and thorough than others, so it is helpful to read discussions about them. See below for a link to one thread on that topic. You might also want to search on "books" or something like that, to find other threads addressing similar questions.

Whet

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=24569.msg235238#msg235238

[ExMachina]

Ah, very good info.  Thank you guys.  And if you all don't mind, I might flesh out this thread with links to helpful discussions I uncover here.

Since you asked, my first Chambers gun is long gone.  An English fowler sold at Track of the Wolf at least 7 years ago (so I've forgotten enough as to be essentially starting over).  FWIW, here are a few pics of her...

[PPatch]

Nice job on the fowler Dave. What are you planning next?

dave

[ExMachina]

Thanks for the compliment--it was certainly fun to build.  A Chamber's Isaac Haines is the kit that I am starting in on next.  Now that I'm actually planning my attack on this gun, I realize how much easier the fowler's round barrel was to inlet.  I'm really having to think the this whole swamped octagon barrel thing through

My current plan comes from a thread on here that recommended the Gunline barrel bedding scraper (http://www.gunline.com/inletting.html).  I'm not sure how well it would work with the swamped barrel of the Haines, but decided to go ahead and order a scraper set that was just a little smaller that the narrowest part of the barrel (hoping that by using overlapping passes, I can smoothly accommodate the barrel's profile.  The tool will get here later this week and we'll see how it goes.  

The only question I have at this point (and that the search function is not helping me find an answer to) is how far off the breech plug the touch hole should sit?--right now it looks like a hole drilled from the center of the pan will be *right on* the front of the breech face. I'm wondering if one of my inletting tasks should be to move the breech ~0.10" further to the rear?   Are any firing/accuracy characteristics that are improved by having the hole more toward the center of the powder charge?

-Dave

[whitebear]

On your question about touchhole location.  This is my personal preference but I like them just in front of the breechplug.  I feel that when the gun is fired the powder ignites from the back first and then ignites progressively as it is shoved up the barrel.  Admittedly this only takes a millisecond.  Some say to center the hole in the charge by putting it a little farther forward so that there is total ignition on firing.  It is a mote point but still if the touchhole is too far forward and you dry ball it (and if you haven't you will) the ball, depending on caliber, may seat too far down to be able to work any priming powder down behind it.
I have seen this cussed, fussed, and discussed on several forums and it usually ends up being "to each his own way of doing it".  Hope this helps.

[PPatch]

Dave;

I believe Whitebear's answer is a good one. I am no expert in these matters but placed my touch hole immediately in front of the breech face. I did have to order a 1/4 inch dia. White Lighting liner to make it work. If at all possible avoid modifying the breech face to accommodate the touch hole but DO make sure it seats well to the bore.

When you order the kit ask Jim Chambers or Barb if you will need to move the barrel back. They are great folks to deal with and will answer any and all questions. I am building (my first gun) one of Jim's Lancaster style offerings and upon his recommendation I moved the barrel back almost an 8th of an inch, could have gone a full 8th. Don't worry too much about the swamped barrel, even going back an 8th mine is still sung in its channel. All I used to scrap the channel was a 1/4" wide bent chisel kept very sharp. Had to take the barrel down a smidge over a 16th inch. I took it back and down at the same time. You are correct in planning your touch hole position first, as the lock inlet on a kit gun is essentially fixed and the only way to aline things is by moving the breech/barrel.

dave