Bivens nosecaps

[Curt Larsen]

I started fitting a Bivens cast brass nosecap to the Haines I'm building and suddenly stopped after realizing that I was trying to fit this thick brass casting to a swamped barrel.  I can't slide this nosecap down the tip of the fore end as I normally do for straight barrels and can't see how I can peen this casting to fit the thinner portion of the barrel down from the flared muzzle.  Has anyone else used this casting and how did you do it?

Curt

[Birddog6]

I fit the cap to the barrel where I want it, & then I  fit the cap to the forestock wood where I want it.  Then I accraglas the cap to the forestock & lay a small flat board about 8" long & 2" wide with a piece of saran wrap around it at the top of the forestock where the  barrel would be & lightly rubber band the cap & forestock to that board as this keeps the cap level with the side of the forestock.

Then I put a long pin or wire or rod (4" long) thru the front barrel underlug hole & I take rubber bands & I go from this pin out over the end of the cap & back to the other side & this pulls the cap back tight to your cap inlet.  Then I put more rubber bands around the forestock & cap to insure it is flat & now I have it back snug to the wood & up level with the forestock sides.

After it sits overnight, I remove the bands & pin & board & start working the cap & forestock wood down.  After this I fit the barrel back down into the stock & insure it goes in easily & not binding & all, filing where I need to insure this.

Once this is all fitting correctly, I remove the barrel & I drill down from inside the barrel channel thru the wood & the cap & make a lil countersink into the wood & cap & put in the rivet if using such, or a larger countersink from the inside & tap the hole I drilled & insert a flathead screw from inside, cut it off on the outside & file flush to the cap. I prefer the screw over the rivet, however I am not a s PC as some. 

Some guys just inlet them & rivet them but I have always glued mine as well with some good epoxy, accraglas or microbed.   

[billd]

I'm glad someone else admits to bedding the nose cap. I always do it, just never admitted it.

bill

[George F.]

Hi Bill. I really like those nose caps. One time ordered a few of them and there was something wrong with them. I didn't notice that one side was a greater distance off the barrel a than the other and weren't symmetrically round. Of course I didn't notice this until after I installed it and filing it down to getting it everything evened out, until I noticed something dark on the nose cap. My initial thought was "it's epoxy". Filed alittle more and instead of the spot getting smaller, it started getting bigger. I next ordered another.This time I checked it over and noticed that it too was crooked like the first one. I also found out that I couldn't bend it, and couldn't anneal it either. Beating on it with a hammer did nothing, must of been bronze I'm guessing. Well that gun sat in the corner for 3 years until I finally cut the nose cap off where the crookedness started and silver soldered a heavy piece of brass in  place. My guess as to what happened is when the was molds were waxed to the tree they were miss handled somehow and maybe squeezed, and distorted some. Any way, I epoxy my nosecaps on first, then after they are set and dried, I rivet them.  ...Geo.

[Jim Filipski]

If I'm doing one of those... sometimes It happens. I will fit it to the  semi shaped stock ( & yes there is some of that modern magical adhesive involved!) then I fit the barrel & cap together by careful filing. Then I shape the outsides of the stock & cap together. Most times this gives a nice flared appearnce. Then, although not necessary, the obligitory copper revit!
Of course this is only on the production pieces. Otherwise I make the cap from sheet for the custom builds
Jim

[Acer Saccharum]

I always found that these caps are SO much trouble to fit....
They are too thick... they wood is really really thin by the time you're done installing one of these.
They can't be formed, so they are more trouble to fit than a sheet cap.

Try out making your own sometime. Tools are easy to make, and then you have them for the next time.

a brief tutorial on the one piece cap:
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=9.0

[Majorjoel]

I just installed one of these this morning in 3\4 inch on a Rice swamped barrel. Curt, you must be clairvoiant! It went on pretty well with the use of inletting black once I got the wood down to the close range. Believe it or not, I did the entire job with the barrel installed, and have a good tight "pressure fit". I will rivet the cap to the stock later when I remove the barrel for final finish and browning. I may use epoxy on this as well because this type of finished cap is more brass and less wood.




r

[Curt Larsen]

Thanks guys, you've given me new courage.  I think I may try Acer's method on one of my next guns.
Curt