Forming a One Piece Nosecap

[Acer Saccharum]

Forming a one-piece nosecap for your gun
Introduction by Rich Pierce, Photos by Tom Curran

Finely made nosecaps in different shapes and styles can be readily purchased in sizes that will fit most barrels, even swamped barrels with a little modification.  So why would you want to make a one-piece nosecap?

Several reasons to consider:

•       One-piece nosecaps were the norm on Revolutionary war period and earlier rifles, and most nosecaps available today have a soldered front plate. If you are a stickler for authenticity, this may convince you to give it a try.

•       Often, commercial nosecaps force the builder to shape the forestock to match the shape of the nosecap.  This is like the cart leading the horse.

•       One common problem with commercial nosecaps is that they may not match the dimension from the barrel to the ramrod groove.  This may leave the end of the ramrod hanging with a gap between the tip and the nosecap- something rarely seen on originals.

•       It’s always rewarding to develop the skills that apprentice gunsmiths needed to master.

Here’s a tutorial put together to show one method of forming a one-piece nosecap using common tools and materials found around the shop.  No special metal dies or forms are required to make a one-piece nosecap that will fit the contours of the forestock of your long gun.  There’s a lot of satisfaction in making your own components.

Remember to anneal often!  That's the real key to successfully forming brass.  One bend and it can be hard, so anneal several times when making difficult bends, especially the end of the cap.

Photographs and copy combined by Rich Pierce using Adobe Illustrator.









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[DTCoffin]

What is it you are burnishing with in the last picture?

[Acer Saccharum]

What is it you are burnishing with in the last picture?

Look at the picture with the array of tools, it's the wooden handled tool closest to the hammer. Called a burnisher, it can be any highly polished piece of hardened tool steel, mounted in a handle for ease of use.

Artist supply stored sell the burnishers for printmaking, repairing copper printing plates.
Acer

[jmforge]

What is it you are burnishing with in the last picture?

Look at the picture with the array of tools, it's the wooden handled tool closest to the hammer. Called a burnisher, it can be any highly polished piece of hardened tool steel, mounted in a handle for ease of use.

Artist supply stored sell the burnishers for printmaking, repairing copper printing plates.
Acer

Woodcraft sells burnishers.  But then again, everone should have a bit of drill rod lying around the shop.

[Chris Treichel]

For a round barrel you can use a piece of iron pipe as the thickness of the pipe is enough to allow for the web of wood between the brass and barrel.

Guess I could add this here instead of starting something new. Working on my scrap parts carbine where I am trying out a bunch of things I wouldn't try on an expensive kit of parts... So made a one piece nose cap using a hodge podge of ideas including the previous post and from the "The Gunsmith of Greenville County." Anyhow... turns out the exterior diameter of the barrel I am working on is 3/4 inch...today I was at the hardware store and noticed that 3/4 inch iron pipe is quite thick... lightbulb goes off.  Here are some pictures.

http://s1262.beta.photobucket.com/user/ctreichel/media/IMG_4119_zpsc260398f.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4#/user/ctreichel/media/IMG_4119_zpsc260398f.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4&_suid=13571685782570055203858612580314

http://s1262.beta.photobucket.com/user/ctreichel/media/IMG_4119_zpsc260398f.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4#/user/ctreichel/media/IMG_4122_zps636e90f5.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1&_suid=13571685782570055203858612580314

Well, maybe not so easy... looks like the fore stock does not look like another lower round its a bit oval so it will need to be modified a bit.  Well see if it works

[docone]

They last a long time,
http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Burnisher-Set/113033?pos=5
If you sharpen the tip, make sure you repolish it. The more  shiney you make it, the better the finished job.