Author Topic: Blunderbuss Project Nearly Complete (Read 13518 times)

Keithbatt · « **on:** March 06, 2015, 07:11:36 AM »

So the first flintlock weapon I ever fired was a friend's 4 bore blunderbuss. I was inspired. Having no experience building guns whatsoever, I assembled the components for this project: An Ed Rayl 4 bore steel barrel, a walnut pre carve by Michael Lea, L&R Bess lock, etc, and slowly got to work. It took me all of 7 years to get to this point, but here I am. Parts (okay a lot) of the work were done by a mentor, but in the end, I did a lot of it myself. I'm fairly happy with the results and am looking forward to the next project going faster.

Still to be completed: I have some Ferric Nitrate coming to stain the ramrod, and I'm sending out some parts for minimal engraving.

Questions, comments, critiques, and suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

Keith

Keb · « **Reply #1 on:** March 06, 2015, 02:51:19 PM »

Whoa... Slow down.

You did a nice job on it.

smart dog · « **Reply #2 on:** March 06, 2015, 03:14:03 PM »

Hi Keith,
Very nice. IMO it would look even better with the lock and barrel polished and left in the white. Perhaps just a slight tarnish on those parts.

dave

moleeyes36 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 06, 2015, 03:24:35 PM »

Beautiful job indeed. I think that Dave's suggestion of polishing the lock and barrel and then leaving them in the white is the way to go. That would be an marked improvement to an already very nice gun.

Mole Eyes

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #4 on:** March 06, 2015, 03:42:22 PM »

Looks good. I think the lock was built by Pedersoli.

James Rogers · « **Reply #5 on:** March 06, 2015, 04:44:28 PM »

Yep, I would polish the lock and varnish the stock.
I like the way you kept the beavertails behind the lock panels in close.
Nice job.

Keithbatt · « **Reply #6 on:** March 06, 2015, 05:06:41 PM »

Mike: Thanks, the lock is Pedersoli. My mistake in the original post.

Regarding the finish, I had it bright and thought it needed to have some age/patina so I browned the barrel and lock. It was just too brown all over. So I rubbed the barrel back with scotchbrite and naval jelly.

I left the lock brown and have been looking at it cross-eyed since. It doesn't make sense to me to have a browned lock and a barrel with a different finish. I think I'll rub the lock back with naval jelly also and have it at least match the barrel.

Keith

Dave B · « **Reply #7 on:** March 06, 2015, 08:14:39 PM »

Great project nicely executed. I built one also using a 4 bore from Rayl and Mike Lea's stock with Reves Gorhing castings. It was a great project. The bore is so big if you tilt the buss away from the touch hole with a charge less that 120 grains you risk not exposing any powder to the flash from the pan. We blasted a full milk jug with it as well as the surounding tree, fence posts..... you get the idea.

jerrywh · « **Reply #8 on:** March 06, 2015, 08:33:14 PM »

That's pretty good but it needs some engraving on it.

JCKelly · « **Reply #9 on:** March 06, 2015, 09:33:08 PM »

Fine gun for home defense, with 16 - 18 00buck

davec2 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 06, 2015, 09:42:32 PM »

Here is a link to the modifications made to Keith's Ed Rayl barrel...

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=6671.0

And, by the way, other than this barrel mod, Keith did 90% of all the rest of the work. The "mentor" only demonstrated some of the steps. Outstanding work all around, and for a first gun no less!! Wonderful to see it very nearly finished and ready to shoot.

As for the barrel finish / patina, I think Keith will put enough rounds through it in short order to take care of making it look "well used but well cared for".

James Rogers · « **Reply #11 on:** March 06, 2015, 09:49:31 PM »

To keep it with the martial look that I assume you are going for by the lock and hardware, I would not engrave it.

Long John · « **Reply #12 on:** March 06, 2015, 09:52:34 PM »

Now THAT is my kind of grouse gun!

Nice job.

Best Regards,

J. Cholin

Bill-52 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 06, 2015, 10:09:11 PM »

Quote from: Keithbatt on March 06, 2015, 05:06:41 PM

I think I'll rub the lock back with naval jelly....

Keith,

I would be careful with naval jelly on the lock. I seem to recall reading a post here some time ago that naval jelly can harm lock springs. Maybe others, more knowledgeable & experienced, can chime in here...

Bill

WKevinD · « **Reply #14 on:** March 07, 2015, 01:25:12 AM »

Now THAT is my kind of grouse gun!

I always figured squirrel gun. Stuff a red squirrel in the front and they go about fifty yard before coming apart !

Ed Wenger · « **Reply #15 on:** March 07, 2015, 03:59:34 AM »

Keith, nicely done! I like the "crispness" of the stock and panels. I also really like the barrel treatment, and would do to the lock what you did to the barrel. Nice piece, thanks for sharing!

Ed

Keithbatt · « **Reply #16 on:** March 07, 2015, 06:58:35 AM »

Thanks for the suggestions and kind words.

I'll post some more pictures once I finalize the finish which will include getting the brown off of the lock and at least adding some tung oil to the stock. It had some shine to it, but I rubbed it back through the finish and stain on the high points, and only just added a coat of tung oil afterwards. It is still quite dull. The pics capture the true look of the wood finish.

Keith

inlikeflint · « **Reply #17 on:** March 07, 2015, 08:03:40 AM »

I hope they never quit making that barrel. I am drooling worse than my big dog over your gun. I can't quite afford a kit right now but I am going to have a blunderbuss before I croak. Of all of the fine guns I have seen here that is what I want the most!. Your gun is gorgeous. john

B.Habermehl · « **Reply #18 on:** March 07, 2015, 03:34:04 PM »

Really nice work! The only thing that hurts my eye is the lock finish. It needs polished back to at least as "bright" as the barrel. Maybe a notch brighter than the barrel for some contrast. Keep up the nice work BJH

satwel · « **Reply #19 on:** March 08, 2015, 03:09:28 AM »

Very nice work! Especially for a first effort. You should be proud. Ditto the previous posters who suggested polishing the lock bright. Did you use a stain on the walnut? You achieved exactly the color I like for a musket stock. I'm working on a TOTW Long Land Pattern Bess and I can't decide if I'm going to stain the walnut before I apply the finish. If you did stain your stock, could you please share with us what you used?

Thanks

Keithbatt · « **Reply #20 on:** March 08, 2015, 06:23:59 AM »

Satwel,

The stock is stained with Minwax "English Chestnut" #233. I then rubbed with Tung oil, and Tung oil mixed with lampblack along the comb and around the lock panels. I then rubbed back the wood with scotchbrite (grey) and removed some of the stain on the high points, then re-applied tung oil.

Prior to going all in I tried some tests on scraps and decided on that color.

Keith

conquerordie · « **Reply #21 on:** March 09, 2015, 01:24:47 AM »

I like it a lot. You did a great job. Is that s Dutch side plate? Looks Dutch to me. I hope my current build is half this good when I'm done. Nice work!

Keithbatt · « **Reply #22 on:** March 09, 2015, 01:39:43 AM »

The sideplate is from The Rifle Shoppe and is the casting from their hand mortar. I liked it so I used it on this gun.

There is a hint for my current build.

Keith.

Keithbatt · « **Reply #23 on:** June 22, 2015, 04:57:21 AM »

So I finished the Blunderbuss.. This meant a bit more finish on the wood, staining the ramrod, and putting on a polished lock that was suggested after initially browning the lock. Today I realized that if I go shoot it, I will not be equipped to clean it so I made this jag. I also bought some over powder cards, wads, and over shot cards from Track of the Wolf.

Ready to try it out!

Keith

B Shipman · « **Reply #24 on:** June 22, 2015, 05:22:53 AM »

Now you've got it right. Very nice.

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Author Topic: Blunderbuss Project Nearly Complete (Read 13518 times)

inlikeflint