Gillespie barrel decoration ?

[54ball]

 If any of you have a copy of Mr. Glazeners book or if you have handled a Gillespie rifle, some have what appears to be stamped decoration around the makers mark, muzzle, and on each side of the rear sight.  On some it is found on the trigger guard.  It looks kind of like this < : ( P G ) : >
 I want to replicate these marks on my Percussion Gillespie project.  I have thought about grinding a punch down to use replicate these marks.  The > is not solid but more like this'''' in very small triangles and the border this ~~~~.
 Would the punch be a good idea?
 Were these marks simply decoration or did they help reduce glare being around the front and rear sights?

[Dennis Glazener]

Let me give you my experience with barrel stamps. My Mathew Gillespie and several other Gillespie rifles that I have handled has his initials enclosed in parenthesis like this ( M * G ) so I decided to have one made for rifles using my initials. I ordered it and the stamp looks great and works well on wood but when I stamp a barrel I have problems getting the stamped mark deep enough. Someone told me that the old timers heated the barrels before they stamped, not sure if that is right or not. Some said that the old wrought iron barrrels were much softer than today's. Not sure why but I have problems with my stamp showing up due to shallow marking.

Sam Everly had one of the Gillespie "fern" (or "pine tree") stamps made by someone. I am not sure how good this works for him. He is a member here so maybe he will chime in.

Dennis

[Sam Everly]

As Dennis said i had some made . I restored the Phillip Gillespie rifle that has all the stamps used on the barrel and patch box. The only problem is the new barrels are made from a tougher material than the old ones . I got them to work but it takes a very hard wack on the stamps . I checked and it did not hurt the bore but i guess if you did it wrong it would very easy. I think the stamps where around $70 each and i had 3 made that Phillip used, the pine tree, the double pine and the chicken track . There is a smaller pine tree they used on the end of the barrels and around the sights. I made that one myself . Phillip and Harvey used them the most . I have a original Gillespie rifle signed with the owners initals and a Harvey Gillespie barrel that has the stampings on them .         

[engravertom]

I hate using stamps, but some jobs require it. One technique i learned watching goldsmith's stamp inside ring shanks really has helped. The trick is to not try and get it all with one hard whack.

I set my punch down on the metal, right where i want it to go. I lean it ever so slightly towards me, and give it a good hit, but not too hard. Then, I keep striking the punch with my hammer, and rollit away from me, and then side to side, trying to make sure every part of the stamp gets covered. Yu can feel the stamp "index" in the first heavier marks that it has made, which gives you a way to avoid that ugly double stamp ghost effect.

I often get by with just a chasing hammer for this task. having the work well supported is absolutely necessary. The bigger the stamp, the harder this is to pull off. For larger complicated designs, maybe having two or three stamps would be easier, then you just have to line them up very well when you go to stamp each one.

Give it a try on some scrap barrel piece, and see if it works for you.

take care,

Tom

[Sam Everly]

Tom that is the way i use the stampes also . I set them in pretty hard then index them back in and give it another hard wack . You have to move them around to get them to set deep enough.   The double pine tree and the  chicken track are pretty big as far as stamps go, about 1/2" long . They are a bugger to stamp. I also use masking tape to line up by, i even have cut out where and how i want the stamp to go . I did this on a Hawkwn i made to match a original Hawken logo .       

[54ball]

 Thanks for the information. 
 Mr. Everly, where did you have the stamps made?  I may try to have some made also.  What is best to make the smaller stamps from?
 I know nothing of engraving but would any engraving tools be useful for this?
 I'm going to practice on a old Jukar for this and also to sharpen my skills on the fine stock shaping.