Muel Ear Over & Under

[greybeard]

Many years ago I had an over under muel ear gun made by Levi Coon of Ethica New York
I got the but plate, trigger guard, lock plate, and standing breech with tangs cast at a local foundery. I draw filed a 17 thou taper on both barrels. Then bore sighted them at night with the aid of a street light bout a block away and clamped them together and joined them with soft solder. Made 2 breech plugs sawed them into a hook breech and fitted them to the standing breech and applied a taper pin  through the bottom breech plug. The 2 hammers were  sawed and filed out of railroad spikes(what was I thinkin)..  I then  got the sear filed out and made the two springs and got all put together. The walnut stock is a piece of local wood.
The side pannel slides unser the nose cap at the front ans is then secured the rest of the way with 3 small bolts threaded into 3 brass lugs soldered between the barrels. A fun project and the good part is that when I shot it it will stay within 2 1/2 " at 50 yds.

[camerl2009]

never seen a gun like that before  do both barrels fire at the same time or what
hammers made from rail road spikes why not i make knives from them

[greybeard]

The barrels fire one at a time as in cock one & fire then cock the other & fire. I don't know about rr spikes for knife blades though. The tumbler ends of the hammers were case hardened.
 RR spikes are probably low carbon steel.
Thanks for asking/.  Cheers   Bob

[Acer Saccharum]

That is a really cool gun. It has a real NYS flavor to it. Neat. I find work like this very inspiring. Love to see more pictures. Thanks for posting that.

Tom

[Metalshaper]

Greybeard,

 depends on the Spike!  some, with a plain unmarked head are low carbon. If the head has a small H on it, it is a high carbon spike. These H marked ones, are favored by knife/Hawk makers.

Love the Muley!  I make muleys myself and have considered making a double myself.
Would appreciate a peak at the inside of the lock, if you would? always interested in seeing how someone else "Put it together" if nothing else, its an opportunity to learn more! I'm kinda leaning towards making a Billinghust pattern, double. The lock has a single hammer, with a switching striker.. just to make it more difficult

Thanks for sharing this with us

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

[Old Ford2]

H and HC nails will often be found at railway curves, and junctions.
Those H and HC nails ( spikes ) are of high carbon.
Elevator cable does make fine laminated knife blades, and hawk heads.
I would love to see more pictures of that fine looking over & under.
Best regards
Old Ford

[BrentD]

That is a beautiful rifle.  I bet it weighs a bunch but she is a beauty for sure. 

How close do those barrels shoot to the POI?  I wonder how they were regulated? 

Very very nice rifle for sure.

Brent

[mr. no gold]

Oh boy, that is one pretty rifle, (or is it two, being a double barrel?). The split paneling on the forearm is a bonus on its beauty. One side, metal only, the obverse is full stocked to the nose with inlays. Great composition with matching workmanship; very well done!
Dick

[greybeard]

Thanks to all for the responses. It was a fun project,. OK  to try to answer questions. I draw filed the mateing flats 17 thou each as bullets are prone to fly away from the dampened sides. I bore sighted them using a street light a block away then soft soldered them together.
As for pics the gun was made before digi cameras and \i never took pics till the build was fini.
 As to point of aim I have pics of the 2 targets that I shot upon completion and thats the only time I ever shot it. I traded it away some 5 years ago so have no other pics. Heres the targets from that day . The gun was no heavier than my Sharon hawken that was my shooter at the time.  Specs are  7/8 barrels  .45cal,  32 inches long. Almost no recoil with the 51 grains I was using that day. Thanks  Bob