Pouring a one piece nose cap/ramrod entry

[Roger B]

I'm thinking about building a rifle with a poured nose cap/ramrod entry ala many Ohio and New York half stocks.  I'm familiar with pouring Hawken nose caps but I've never tried one with a ramrod hole.  How do you handle the ramrod entry hole? 
Roger B.

[smylee grouch]

I have done about three of them and right or wrong I had a short piece or ramrod with a layer of brown paper around it . I had enough sticking out that I could get a good hold on it when the casting was set to twist it out. Like I said right or wrong but it worked out ok.

[smallpatch]

Roger,
Just like any other nose cap, with one exception, a short piece of ramrod wrapped with wax paper and aluminum foil, so it can be removed when you're done.
It's pretty easy, just make sure all the corners are sealed with wood scraps, clay, and good masking tape to prevent any leaks.
Preheat the barrel, so your metal doesn't cool too quickly.
If you were still,around here, I could help more.
Good luck.

[Dennis Glazener]

I built one like that and did it like Smallpatch says and it turned out great.
Dennis

[Dale Halterman]

Just make very sure that the stub of ramrod that you use is well sealed, you really don't want pewter leaking past it and filling up your ramrod hole.

Been there, done that.

Dale H

[Long Ears]

I have a future build that I would like to do that way. How about a picture or two.

[Hungry Horse]

 I use a small piece of ramrod as do the others, but I use an oversized rod sharpened in an old fashioned pencil sharpener, so it can be tapped in tight, to seal the ramrod hole. No paper or foil needed. I use food safe pewter ( usually from modern pewter mugs from the thrift store), or pure tin, and heavy card stock, wrapped with duct tape. Preheat the barrel, or the pewter will freeze the minute it contacts the cold barrel. I have a selection of discarded forearms in various channel sizes, that I use to cap the top of the barrel. I usually secure the cap to the forearm with a single wrap of binding wire, twisted just tight enough to stop the molten metal from escaping, and then cover it with duct tape. Good luck.

  Hungry Horse

[Scota4570]

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/hvac/hvac-r-tapes/foil-tape/foil-insulation-tape-2-inch-x-50-yards?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=CP_2ititnNACFZJafgodDWUKig

This stuff is very helpfull.

How do I tell a pewter mug from an aluminum mug when shopping?

[Hungry Horse]

Pewter is heavier, and pewter is almost always marked as such. It will almost always say "lead free pewter".

  Hungry Horse

[Turtle]

 I found that old fashioned auto muffler cement works well to seal the cracke so the pewter doesn't leak out.
                           Turtle

[Roger B]

Thanks guys.  Ill post the awful mess I make when I decide to do it.
Roger B.