Author Topic: Nashville Pistols -copies?  (Read 3850 times)

Offline WadePatton

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Nashville Pistols -copies?
« on: October 22, 2013, 06:39:01 PM »
In the museum here there is a boxed set of small, back-action cap-lock pistols, complete with belt hooks (and nickle plating-which i would "delete" as a "po-boy" option).

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=16097.0

Wondering if anyone has copied these pistols or similar?  I have a lot of walnut stumps that might produce some fancy pistol stocks, and these just look handy dandy.  Wondering what pitfalls or issues a fellow might run into trying to replicate 'em, beside the first problem--how to hang on to the work.

Thanks




found on web:







More good detail photos here: http://www.antiquegunroom.net/detail.php?f_qryitem=1032

Screw to the bbl in place of a wedge key appears to be the "big" diff between this and other small pistols of the time.  Just now learning of these, i'll settle down in a bit.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2013, 07:06:38 PM by WadePatton »
Hold to the Wind

Offline gunmaker

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Re: Nashville Pistols -copies?
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2013, 07:11:00 PM »
Made a few,  The hard part is finding a good little lock.  Yes they are hard to Rassle with.  Not fancy but here's one, mostly from scraps around the shop...Tom

.50 cal. rifle bbl. cut-off, CVA lock.

Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Nashville Pistols -copies?
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2013, 07:21:38 PM »
There is an awful lot going on in a very small space. It would help to have a few larger pistols in your resume before you tackle one of these. I'm going to start with a horse pistol, and work my way down.  :D
Tom Curran's web site : http://monstermachineshop.net
Ramrod scrapers are all sold out.

Offline T*O*F

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Re: Nashville Pistols -copies?
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2013, 07:55:21 PM »
You might also research Memphis pistols.  It seems there was a brisk market there because of the river traffic and a number of makers were located in Memphis.  Riverboats gamblers and businessmen liked to carry them.

Your biggest downside is the lock.  Back actions allow you to make a smaller gun, which is why that's what most of them were.  Many were small (gut pistols) enough to fit in the palm of your hand.  The ones you pictures are the larger ones.
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Offline B Shipman

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Re: Nashville Pistols -copies?
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2013, 06:53:47 AM »
I agree with Acer, the little ones are tough.I'm inclined to go flint and I'd probably use a "Becky", or reduce a small Siler .

Offline WadePatton

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Re: Nashville Pistols -copies?
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2013, 07:29:19 AM »
I have to actually dig and saw the stumps and get them drying, and finish a couple of rifles and such.  I'll probably be more interested in a bear pistol then...in what 10 years?

These just caught my eye and are from Middle Tennessee.  and well, i have these caps i'm never going to use if i don't have at least one capgun.  ;)
Hold to the Wind

tbarnes66

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Re: Nashville Pistols -copies?
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2013, 10:45:06 PM »
If you ever have the chance to visit Dixie Gun Works in Union City, TN, you could examine a lot of them.

Turner Kirkland, founder of DGW, travelled a lot in the western TN area and much of his collection is on display.

Offline bgf

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Re: Nashville Pistols -copies?
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2013, 02:45:41 AM »
It might be a little on the large side, I would guess, but the L&R back action lock would be an easy place to start for something like the boxed set, and you might be able to get away with trimming the plate a little to make it more like what you wanted.  It doesn't look to me that there is much impossibly difficult work on one of those (granting that the small scale of some of them would present a challenge, and even finding parts might be impossible), and it would be certainly different when you finished, not to mention you'd be paying homage to a period of gunbuilding that often seems neglected if not outright shunned.  There's not much wood to worry about and actually very little furniture either.  I'd go for it, as it should make a pleasant little project between rifles.

Offline Bob Roller

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Re: Nashville Pistols -copies?
« Reply #8 on: October 25, 2013, 03:40:13 AM »
A small enough back action lock would be like working on a ladies watch.
I have only seen two very high quality back action locks and the were on
my Holland&Holland double rifle in .303 British caliber. THEY were superb.

Bob Roller