#3 complete

[ltdann]

This rifle was a test platform for me.  I wanted something pre-rev that used a round faced English so that I could experiment on different things.  It's .54 c-weight rice, the stock came from Pecatonica via MBS as did most of the other parts.  All the silver is .999, soldered to the brass.  Minimal carving, mostly obscured by the finish which is tannic acid wash followed by ferric nitrate, blushed and scrubbed back.  The side plate is a new one that MBS recently added that's appropriate for a fowler, but I thought I'd give a try.

The build fought me the entire way, somethings worked, others didn't.  I'll do the silver again and the finish, but dump the experiment with a scratch stock.  That went south fast and  I wasn't sure I could recover from that. 

I think I'll actually shoot this one.

[Maineshops]

I would sure like some details on your stock treatment. Absolutely great. Dan

[ltdann]

Thank you, the stock is growing on me.   A little darker than I planned, but it sure highlights the curl.

I wiped kibler's tannic acid solution on the wood and let it dry over night, followed by ferric nitrate and then went over the whole thing with a heat gun.  I almost had a stroke because the stock turned pitch black.  Then I scrubbed back with a fine scotchbrite pad and mineral oil.  The curl slowly appeared and I was able to control it by the amount of scrubbing. 

After that, I wiped the stock with solvent mineral spirits/acetone to remove the oil and let it sit for a day or two to make sure the solvent was completely dry.  Next, I wiped LMF maple  stain to give it the red overtones, let dry and the final finish is maybe 5-6 coats of Permalyn gun stock finish, rubbed in with my finger tips.  Let dry between coats and rub lightly with a gray scotchbrite pad to take out defects.  It makes for a very clean, smooth finish that's fairly robust and really adds depth to the curl.

This is the first time I've used this finish schedule with the tannic acid and I kinda like it.  If I had to do it different, I'd try some polymerized Tung oil instead of the Permalyn.  The better quality tung oil is hard to find locally and I didn't want to wait for the shipping so I used what I had.

Thanks for looking

Dan

[leoparddog]

That finish turned out really awesome Dan!  I put a tannic acid wash + Kibler's AQF, blushed and scrubbed back on a piece of scrap maple and it didn't do that for me.    My scrap maple didn't have any figure though.

For quality tongue oil locally, check out the art supply stores in your area.  DickBlick has quite a few stores in S.Cal (https://www.dickblick.com/stores/) and you can also get good quality turpentine from them as well if the quarts at the big box stores aren't what you're looking for.  There may be other art supply shops in your area that would also carry decent tongue oil.

[stubshaft]

I like the finish too.  I was planning to utilize the same format on my next build.

[Dennis Glazener]

 

I almost had a stroke because the stock turned pitch black.  Then I scrubbed back with a fine scotchbrite pad and mineral oil.  The curl slowly appeared and I was able to control it by the amount of scrubbing. 

I think it has a lot to do with the wood you are using. I built one last fall for a guy that wanted it very dark, almost black. I applied tannic acid, then a strong ferric nitrate solution, let dry overnight then blushed with heat gun and it as not dark at all. I repeated the process again and finally got it fairly dark but with nothing like the black tinting that you have.
Dennis

[KC]

I agree with the other comments, I like the finish a lot. I was going to try that on my Kibler Colonial kit. When I went to buy the tannic acid powder, Jim's on-line store was out so I found some on Amazon, looks like the same powder but I'll try it on a test piece first just to make sure. I really like the depth it seems to add, almost makes the figure look 3D.
K.C.

[ltdann]

The stock was a very nice piece of wood.   MBS did a very good job on selecting it for me.  I remember being on the phone for about 45 minutes IRT to this project.  Ryan (?) walked his warehouse and reality checked the components I wanted to make sure it all worked together.

Maybe waiting over night on the heavy tannic acid wash was the ticket, not sure. 

That round faced English lock really is VERY reliable.   I almost never have a misfire, and that only when the flint's worn to a nub.

Still having trouble sighting in, though.   Taking longer than I hoped for and I'm trying some different patch thickness's this weekend.

I'm using .530 ball and .018 pillow ticking and it's a bear to load.  Conventional wisdom say's I should be using thicker patches but I don't know if I could get the ball started.

We'll see.

[oldtravler61]

Itdann I really like that finish an your rifle. Very nice looking rifle. Thanks for sharing. Oldtravler

[TommyG]

Dan, hard to really see where your "scratch stock" went south.  I',m assuming it was on your forestock.  If so, I think you did a great job in pulling it off.  Love the finish too.  I have Rice .54 C in a English Sporting kit I built a couple of years back.  It too was a bear to load until I did the "Daryl" method of softening the crown using some 320g emery.  Now I load a .535" ball using 10 oz. denim patch(around .021") over 80 gr. of 3F.  The gun seems to like this load pretty well.  Even with a .535" ball, if I go less than .020" on the patch, the groups will open up.

[ltdann]

Tommy, yep on the forestock.  I had to take so much wood off and widen the channel I was afraid of breaking through to the barrel channel.  To top that, the wood grain changed direction briefly just forward of RR entry pipe, resulting in a major chipout on both sides.  I was using a scalpel sharp Pfiel and just tooling along happy as can be and WHAM.

Fortunately, I was able to hid that under a black stripe.  Not the best solution, but at least the eye is immediately drawn to the error.  My story is that gives it "character"

Tell me more about Daryl's "softening the crown" method?

I love the Rice barrels, the other two I've used nary a problem.  This .54 C weight is just stubborn to start.

[ltdann]

Any issues using 3f instead of 2f?

I use 3f in my lancaster to good effect, but I always thought it was written in stone, above .45 use 2f.

Personally, my limited experience leads me to the conclusion that the 3f is a more consistent load.  It's certainly got a bit more juice.

[TommyG]

Dan, No issues using 3F in my .54.  Matter of fact I shot a few lbs. of 2F thru it before I even switched, just one day at the range I decided to give 3F a try, and it seemed to be much more consistent, seems a bit cleaner as well.  With the 2F I was using 95 gr. load, so I am now using less powder with a better result.  Here is the link to Daryl's method of polishing the crown.  Pretty straight forward, works really well.  I did it to all my guns.  When I am doing a build, I do this when I am installing the touch hole liner, while the breach plug is out.
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=45468.msg447286#msg447286

[ltdann]

Thanks, Tommy.

Hat's of to Daryl's soft crowning.  Worked like a champ!

So I tried 85 gr 2f, and .019 denim/cotton duck and it groups better.  Balls touching at 25, starts to widen a bit at 50 and all over the place at 100.  Tried 3f didn't seem to make a difference.

Probably need to go to .535 ball or a thicker patch.

Thanks