Another Baker Rifle

[smart dog]

Hi,
These seem to be popular right now.  Matox Forge posted his excellent version.  Here is mine just finished.  The owner wanted a rifle as historically correct as I could make.  I used a TRS kit complete with pre-carved stock and bayonet.  I have not finished the blade yet but will post it soon.  I was told the stock is black walnut but it sure looks and worked like English.  I stained it with alkanet root and a little orange toner in the finish.  It weighs just under 9 lbs, is 62 caliber with a 31" barrel.  I created a faint pattern in the barrel, which will actually grow more distinct as the browning wears.  The machine inletting was pretty good but had a few issues.  The patch box was off a little and I had to peen and stretch the front finial to fill the mortise.  The biggest problem was the position of the boss on the trigger guard did not line up with the boss on the bottom of the wrist plate.  So I drilled for the bolt at a considerable angle to the surface of the trigger guard and then counter bored the hole.  Then I made a screw with a thick tapered shoulder such that it slips into the hole as it is tightened down and fills the space.  Finally, I dressed off the top of the screw flush with the guard.  I am pretty happy with it and may shoot it today.

 































dave

[mikeyfirelock]

Had same issue with TG boss lineup…..used same solution.

[Jim Kibler]

Not my cup of tea, but beautifully constructed and finished none the less.  Great job!

Jim

[Daryl]

Looks GREAT!

[Scota4570]

Had same issue with TG boss lineup…..used same solution.

Yes, Beautiful.  Did you engrave the proof marks?  It is a nice touch. 

The thumb piece was in the wrong location on both of mine.  The trigger guard position is fixed by the front screw into the standing  breech and the existing inletting.  I filled the hole in the trigger guard with brass and drilled it at an angle to find the thumbpiece.  I also filled the hole in the thumb piece, which was at a un usable angle.  I then re-drilled both and re-tapped the thumbpiece.  I then made a piloted chamfer tool  to re-do the trigger guard.   It was a lot of unnecessary work over a long known flaw that could be easily fixed on the stock master. 

[Bob Gerard]

Could you have filed away the Thumb Piece  boss and soldered on a nut where the trigger guard screw contacted it?

[Mattox Forge]

Dave,

Looks really great. I had to fiddle around with the patch box inletting to get it to fill out as well. I also did exactly the same thing with the trigger guard and screw to get it to line up correctly. I didn’t use any of the supplied screws except for the swivels. 

Let me know how yours shoots. I shot the one I built today. It was shooting 9 inches low at 50 yards with 85 grains of 2f. Front sight filing is in order.

Mike

[smart dog]

Hi,
Thanks everyone for looking and the kind comments.  I finished the sword bayonet.







I've never made a sword before and it took me a bit to figure out how this one should be constructed with its locking catch.  The attachment system needed adjustment to get to work properly but it all came out OK.

We took the rifle out to shoot and make sure everything worked before the owner comes to pick it up.  Here is Maria loading and shooting the rifle at my range.  As expected, it shoots very low because the front sight is too high.  We will correct that once the owner gets here.







dave

[flatsguide]

Dave ,you live in a very lovely place. Interesting rifle, how is the bayonet lug attached, surely not part of the barrel. Is that a TRS lock too? If it is did you make the internal lock parts or use the TRS parts? The rifle turned out very nice.
Thanks Richard

[Mattox Forge]

Dave,

The sword looks great. I have some of those to build too that I haven't started. Did you temper the blade? I don't know if I am brave enough to try that. I'll probably just file them.

Mike

[Mattox Forge]

...
Interesting rifle, how is the bayonet lug attached, surely not part of the barrel.
...
Thanks Richard

Richard,

The barrel lug is brazed on to the side of the barrel. It was a design originally used by some German riflemakers in the mid 1700's. The British copied it for the Baker. The bayonet has a slot in the side that has a catch in it.


Mike

[smart dog]

Dave ,you live in a very lovely place. Interesting rifle, how is the bayonet lug attached, surely not part of the barrel. Is that a TRS lock too? If it is did you make the internal lock parts or use the TRS parts? The rifle turned out very nice.
Thanks Richard

Hi Richard,
I am sorry I did not answer your question about the lock.  I made it from TRS castings.  It was pretty easy but none of the witness marks were accurately located.  I had to plan out the internals without reference to them.  I also wiped out almost all the cast in markings and engraved them all back again including the crown over GR.  The original markings were stamped not engraved unlike earlier pattern British military guns.  It was a bit of a challenge making the engraving look like stamping.

dave

[flatsguide]

Mike, Dave thanks! I just read some of the history in a new to me book on British guns and rifles titled “English Guns f Rifles by George” not a lot of photos but very informative text. Worth the purchase.
Cheers Richard

[Mattox Forge]

Richard,

British Military Flintlock Rifles, 1740-1840 is a very good reference as well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1931464030/

 J.N. George's book is good, but a lot of new information has come out since that book was puished.

DeWitt Bailey's British Military Flintlock Rifles, 1740-1840 also has some vreat photos as well.

Mike

[flatsguide]

Hey thanks Mike!
Cheers Richard

[reddogge]

Beautiful rifle and piece of wood.  I really like the finish color on it.