Boutet pistol build

[eddillon]

I have the stock blanked out.  Who out there can/will do a barrel channel for me?  The barrel is a 10 inch swamped octagon Damascus.  Photo of lock added.


Bob Roller will recognize this one.

[David Rase]

Ed,
PM sent.
David

[E.vonAschwege]

Ed,
   David does outstanding inletting work, I highly recommend his services - however, you may want to try inletting the barrel yourself as well.  Pistol barrels are nice because they don't bend, nor does the stock, as you set them into place.  Draw the bottom edge of the barrel profile on your stock, then drill to that line.  Chisel out the groove to where the drill stopped and that is your bottom flat.  The rest is a matter of tracing the profile from above, then setting the barrel in with chisels, scrapers, and lots of lamp soot.  For sure David's method is easier, but a pistol barrel is something that should be within your scope.  I love that piece of wood on the bottom - want to get rid of it?   
-Eric

[Acer Saccharum]

Hey, hey, hey, Ed already put that piece of wood in his will...for ME!

[eddillon]

Ed,
   David does outstanding inletting work, I highly recommend his services - however, you may want to try inletting the barrel yourself as well.  Pistol barrels are nice because they don't bend, nor does the stock, as you set them into place.  Draw the bottom edge of the barrel profile on your stock, then drill to that line.  Chisel out the groove to where the drill stopped and that is your bottom flat.  The rest is a matter of tracing the profile from above, then setting the barrel in with chisels, scrapers, and lots of lamp soot.  For sure David's method is easier, but a pistol barrel is something that should be within your scope.  I love that piece of wood on the bottom - want to get rid of it?   
-Eric

Thanks for the tips, Eric.  I have done many pistol and rifle inlets.  Only one swamped.  The rest straight or tapered.  Just anxious to get this one going with that perfect piece of Circassian walnut.
Ed

Dave, no PM received.
ed

[Acer Saccharum]

Rase does the most perfect work. He does his best work in a grass skirt, but that won't bother you if you ship the work with good instructions.

He inlet one of my recent builds, and the rr hole was off, by .002". Dave said that if I needed it closer, he would do the RR hole first, THEN inlet the barrel, and he can get it perfect. 

[David Rase]

Rase does the most perfect work. He does his best work in a grass skirt, but that won't bother you if you ship the work with good instructions.

He inlet one of my recent builds, and the rr hole was off, by .002". Dave said that if I needed it closer, he would do the RR hole first, THEN inlet the barrel, and he can get it perfect.  

Ed,
PM resent.

Tom,
I found out that a good fitting coconut shell bra warn WITH a grass skirt will increase accuracy tremendously. 
David

[eddillon]

Dave,
I am doing a loose interpretation of these.  

[eddillon]

Eric and Tom, no need to fight over the wood.  There is more of it available.  Not inexpensive but, I do horse trade.

[Acer Saccharum]

I'll trade you Eric for a piece of that wood, and throw a Dave Rase into the bargain.

[Acer Saccharum]

Ed, are you making ONE pistol?

Single set trigger?

The anatomy of the Boutet pistols looks deadly for target shooting.

[eddillon]

Next build will be same but with Ed Rayl bronze barrel and a Bob Roller small Manton.  Would like to find a proper single set for both!  Waiting for Ed to finish the barrel.

[David Rase]

Ed,
I noticed this picture on one of my cabinet doors in my shop the other day.  Never paid much attention to it as the gun had way too much bling for my taste.  Anyway, I read the information box and saw that it was a Boutet and thought you might like to see a picture of it.  The photo is not the best as this was a page from an old NMLRA calendar that has been hanging for 10 plus years.  I thought you might like to see it.  My photograph is better than the download and I can send it to you if you would like.  It is clear enough to read the information in the box.
David

[Jim Kibler]

My unsolicited opinion is that these might be about the most over-appreciated style of flintlock ever!  I personally find the aesthetics to be appalling.  But this is just a personal view and obviously lots liked them in the period and enough do today as well.

[WadePatton]

Well i don't know much, but i do LIKE the shape of that pistol stock.  Reminds me of the "Bisley" sort of revolver grip and I've had much success with such.  I don't recall seeing that shape on sidelock pistols, but i've not studied them.  Thanks

Yes the "Bling of Royalty" isn't my flavor either.  But of course I can appreciate the workmanship. 

[Mark Elliott]

Jim,

That is called conspicuous consumption and is alive and well, even today.

[mr. no gold]

Just a footnote to the discussion; France, a number of years ago now, declared Boutet guns to be in the national patrimony and has forbidden their export from Fance. They were the first guns that I am aware of, that sold for a million dollars or more in the twentieth century. Sorry to say, some of them were counterfeited and now it becomes 'buyer beware!' They are a bit overdone for my taste, but then Napoleon was bizarre in many ways.
Dick

[eddillon]

The French brought us many strange designs.  The pair pictured above look like the pair built in the early 19703 to look like originals.  Very gaudy.  I'll post some pix that inspired me to do a Boutet style build.  Not over the top but to me very pleasing. I like the basic architecture.  Boutet was not called the Leonardo di Vinci of gun buiulders for nothing.  There are many beautiful examples of his work on the ionternet.

[David Rase]

Here is the information stated in the lower right hand box.
"An exquisite pair of French Flintlock Presentation Pistols by the Directeur Artiste a Versailles, Nicholas Noel Boutet, circa. 1795.  The pistols are of royal origin having been the property of Joachim Murat, the King of Naples and brother in law of Napoleon I.  They are magnificently engraved and decorated in neo-classical design, inlaid with solid gold and mounted in pure silver."
David   

[Mark Elliott]

Ed,

I don't know why it took me this long to notice it, but that is a beautiful lock you have made by Bob.  

[Bob Roller]

If it's the semi finished pistol posted recently,it is an antique lock in fine condition.
I am waiting to see the whole mechanism.
I made about 130 Bailes locks for a German ,Helmut Mohr of Mayen/Hausen Germany for a Boutet project.I recently reconditioned a frizzen on one of these and installed another as a precaution.The internal parts still looked and worked like new and this one has seen a lot of use since 1990.This particular "Bailes" lock is nearly identical to the current L&R version and the moulds were made in Tn.years before the L&R locks were ever offered.I traded TOW 4 complete locks for them in 1979 and used them for several years.I gave them to Les Barber several years ago who does a lot of assembly for R.E.Davis and Larry Zornes at the Mould&Gun Shop in Ohio. I told Les and Larry if they wanted to make locks using these moulds to go for it as I am done with that project.
As cast,the bolster on the lock plate if used as cast will create a tapered or flared out area in the lock section of the stock and all those I made were milled parallel to the rest of the plate.
If I were wanting another project,which I don't,that beautiful French lock that Ed Dillon has would be the one.

Bob Roller

[Acer Saccharum]

If you think those Boutets are fancy, you should see Napoleon III's apartments in the Louvre Museum in Paris. You'd think the gods walked the earth.

[smart dog]

Hi Jim,
I agree about the styling.  It does not appeal to me but the stocks do handle very well.  I've handled several of those style pistols, and the curves and dimensions relative to the trigger actually approximate those of modern revolvers.  They are actually quite good but look ungainly.

dave 

[Acer Saccharum]

They are not appealing to everyone; but you must admit the skills behind the work are just astounding. These were built to impress, and you must put them in context of their origins to appreciate the reason for the existence of such work.

Napoleon 3's grand salon:

[louieparker]

Back around 1970 Billy Johnson made a miniature of a very fancy Boutet pistol. Its pictured on the front of one of the miniature firearms books.. It's an outstanding piece of work.  He told me that the owner of the original ask him what he would charge to make a miniature of his pistol.. He gave him a price that he thought no one would pay. But the fellow said "Do it " So he did..  He told me of a few of his anxious moments during the build.  One was that he had the original apart, barrel removed.. Something come up and he put it in the safe, still dissembled.  A few days past. Then he tried to put it back together.  The barrel would not come close to going back in the sock. The very thin wood with all its inlay had curled inward and the barrel laid on top. You can imagine how he felt..Louie






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