cast parts

[Joe S.]

Was not thrilled with the nose piece,caps available for hawken full stock rifles.To oval vs. round on originals.I had already had the oval one inlet on my rifle when one of our forum members graciously sent a proper one to me.It was a cast one vs. the stamped one.After an inletting do over and some carefully file work to get the barrel seated in the new one I'm real happy with the cast one.Aside from looking better it just has a better feel about it if that makes any sense.Has me pondering changing out the thimbles for cast ones now.I know many here fabricate their own nose pieces,thimbles but wondered if you had preferred cast over the stamped offerings by the commercial suppliers.

[Clark Badgett]

From what I've gathered from those in the know on this forum over the years. Thimbles seemed to have normally been formed of sheet stock. In fact I am going to go out one a little shakey limb here and say that most steel parts were most likely not cast back then, but forged or soldered up.

[Joe S.]

I would agree,casting parts didnt come along till later.I was just throwing it out there not so much as being historically accurate but working with the material ect.

[Clark Badgett]

Yeah Joe, I do understand the whole workability aspect. If a cast part looks the part and is easier to work with then by all means use it. These rifles are already hard enough to build as it is. Maybe someday I may be talented enough to take scrap metal and turn it into a functioning work of art, but until then I'm using what I can figure out how to work with.