Breeching the Hawken squirrel

[mark brier]

Breeched the small bore Hawken this afternoon and cut the plate and started fitting it.
Mark Brier

[steven baker]

Hi Mark , what caliber is the tube out of interest? And if this is the start of a new build It looks like your in for some "good times" in your shop take care and enjoy Steven.

[mark brier]

It is 45 cal
Mark

[alacran]

Mark, I built a .45 Hawken with a 39 inch pipe about twenty years ago. It had a 1 inch atf Douglas barrel.   One of the most accurate rifles I've ever owned. My nephew has the !@*%&@ thing. Trying to figure how to get  it back from him.
Looks like your using a solid breech/tang, I really like the looks of it. Where did you get it? How wide is the barrel across the flats?

[mark brier]

It is a 15/16” solid breech that Pete Allen cast. Have had it for a long time and glad I didn’t sell or trade it. Obviously the barrel is 15/16” and is a green mountain that has been hanging around the shop. I quickly need to make a decision as to if I am going to leave it straight or taper it.
Mark Brier

[mark brier]

Filed up the guard and attached to the plate this morning.

[Goo]

It is a 15/16” solid breech that Pete Allen cast. Have had it for a long time and glad I didn’t sell or trade it. Obviously the barrel is 15/16” and is a green mountain that has been hanging around the shop. I quickly need to make a decision as to if I am going to leave it straight or taper it.
Mark Brier
[/

It is 45 cal
Mark

[mark brier]

Have been a lot busier than I care to be but finally got a day to return to the shop. I set up to do the barrel channel inlet for this small Hawken. I figured since I was going through the work of setting up to do one barrel channel I might as well do 2. The wood came through some trading with my friend Bob Woodfill and is very easily much older than I am. Anyway maybe tomorrow I can get back to it and get the tang inlet.
Mark Brier

[adam h]

Mark, thanks for showing this looking forward to following your build.
I have to fit my lock to the snail  and finish fitting my triggerguard
to the plate.

[mark brier]

Finally had a small chance today to return to this and get the rest of the barrel and tang inlet.
Mark Brier

[John Morris]

Mark, in your last image, the tang, it is fitting perfectly tight, the inlet looks as good as any inlay work I have seen, how did you get that tight of a fit? Did yous scribe the outline to the tang with a sharp knife first? Or?
Remember, I am completely new in this craft, the extent of my experience is typing text in a Longrifle forum.
Thanks for any explanation on this Marc.

PS, terminology, is inletting the same as inlay? Is inletting specific to gun building, while inlay is specific to woodworking!

[mark brier]

John,
I file plenty of draft on the sides of the piece and take an exacto knife and outline the edges that are touching and start removing that wood. As it starts going down it will start touching more down the length of the tang. Repeat. All the while I smoke the piece and carefully start to widen it out. When it’s getting close I use the edge of the chisel and scrape the smoked transferred areas. Exercise patience and it will go right in for you. As far as terminology I suppose that is kinda regional dependent, just like someone’s accent. I pretty much call everything an inlet, I suppose simply no matter this size or shape of the piece or pieces a part may have wood is being removed to accept that part.
Mark Brier

[John Morris]

All the while I smoke the piece and carefully start to widen it out. When it’s getting close I use the edge of the chisel and scrape the smoked transferred areas.

Bear with me please Mark, what is "smoke the piece"? Thanks sir

[John Morris]

All the while I smoke the piece and carefully start to widen it out. When it’s getting close I use the edge of the chisel and scrape the smoked transferred areas.

Bear with me please Mark, what is "smoke the piece"? Thanks sir

Never mind, I found the answer at the build page. https://www.americanlongrifles.org/WorkShop_frame.htm
From what I learned smoking a piece is building up soot on a metal piece before inletting, the soot will act as transfer marks for high spots on the wood, which then can be shaved down. I think I got it.

So I am slowly finding my way around, and I am finding that many of my questions have already been answered, I promise I'll search out answers before bugging ya'll! 

[sdilts]

Instead of candle soot you can use inletting black, available from muzzleloading suppliers, or, my favorite Prussian Blue, which you can find at NAPA auto supply stores.

[borderdogs]

I really like these light Hawken rifles I have one in .32 built by Brant Selb, I am enjoying watching the progress on your rifle Mark nice job. I for one can say that I absolutely hate breeching a rifle barrel. I spent the better part of a day using a file, dial calibers, Dykem Blue, a loop and got it done. I am glad its done but I am not sure I would want to do it again. Yours looks great Mark, I still have more filing the flats to get mine to approach the look that yours does.

Thanks for posting,
Rob