Author Topic: Finished my trade musket  (Read 9299 times)

Offline Clark Badgett

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Finished my trade musket
« on: February 02, 2016, 04:36:39 AM »
Well I finally got it finished after a couple of years of one again-off again work as my schedule permitted. It's a 20 bore and isn't none to pretty, in fact you can say I've already got a head start on it aging. This is the last precarve I plan on doing. I know it's not so great so go easy on me gentlemen. I need to get to the range and shoot it as soon as I can.



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Offline D. Taylor Sapergia

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2016, 04:50:49 AM »
I don't see anything that is a glaring 'faux pas'!  It looks from the images to be very neatly made.  I should give you years of great service.  thanks for posting it!!
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Offline smylee grouch

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2016, 05:18:12 AM »
Yes Clark, your being too hard on your self. It looks OK but I can relate to the precarve part. The precarve stocks now days would be a lot better if the locks wern't inlet IMHO.

Offline Curtis

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2016, 05:31:04 AM »
Lookin' pretty good, Clark.  Did you make any of the furniture yourself?  The only thing I spotted is you might want to reduce the width of the butt to match the butt plate, otherwise you may chip off some wood while loading.

Curtis
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2016, 05:51:57 AM »
Thanks guys.

Curtis, the wood is actually flush with the brass, That's a gap about 1/32" there that I could not seem to get to go away, and the brass just slightly bowed when I drove the nails to final depth. I was really beating myself up on that part until I noticed that a couple of originals had a little gap there too. Something I plan to avoid when I get around to making another trade musket, and I will at some point. Next time I plan on making my own butt plate as I plan on making one along the lines of the Benjamin Willets gun in "For Trade and Treaty". I'll also need to fabricate an entry pipe for that one. I will also do the front sight in the original manner on any future build.

Smylee, I agree they need to offer those precarves sans lock inlet. Pecatonica has stated to me that they are willing to inlet as little or as much as the buy wishes. Something future potential buyers might be happy to know.

Taylor, the lock could be a bit tighter inlet and the transitions could be smoother, but that I could fix along the way. And eventually the side plate will have to be corrected. I had it perfectly inlet and then when I tightened the lock bolts it kicked out on the bottom. maybe it's deeper where the bolts go.
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Offline frogwalking

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2016, 06:13:19 AM »
It looks good to me.  What kind of issues did you have with the pre-carved stock?  Years ago I had some doozies that required me to eventually send the stock back and wait on another from the company.  The replacement was and is very nice, but as is sometimes still the case, I did not cut enough off the fore end.  That was my own fault
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Offline Curtis

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2016, 06:17:21 AM »
Clark,

You may want to anneal the butt plate on the next one before you nail it on, that will make it soft enough that it conforms to the wood a whole lot easier.  it would also allow you to tap it down around the edges.  I think you will enjoy making those fittings mentioned on the next one, it can be fun!

Curtis
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2016, 06:33:06 AM »
It looks good to me.  What kind of issues did you have with the pre-carved stock?  Years ago I had some doozies that required me to eventually send the stock back and wait on another from the company.  The replacement was and is very nice, but as is sometimes still the case, I did not cut enough off the fore end.  That was my own fault

As with many precaved it gets tricky with lock placement. on this particular example, the barrel channel was virtually drop in, and had little inletted areas where the rings sit. I had to shim the back of the barrel forward with some walnut veneer pieces maybe 1/16th total, and had to finish inlet the lock as far back in the rough inlet as I could get away with without creating a huge gap to fill. I did this to get the touch hole where I wanted it to be. And the ramrod hole was a little on the tight side, so had to use the smallest 3/8 ramrod I have on hand, and had to sand it a little. I got a ramrod drill now so in the future that won't be a big deal. Nothing real major, just speed bumps along the way.

I actually enjoy the woodworking aspect of it all, so I don't really look at the big chuck of wood in a blank as something of dread. I work with metal for a living, it's the metal prep that I find tedious.
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Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #8 on: February 02, 2016, 06:34:20 AM »
Clark,

You may want to anneal the butt plate on the next one before you nail it on, that will make it soft enough that it conforms to the wood a whole lot easier.  it would also allow you to tap it down around the edges.  I think you will enjoy making those fittings mentioned on the next one, it can be fun!

Curtis

You know, I actually thought of that AFTER I had the plate nailed on.  ;D
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ddoyle

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #9 on: February 02, 2016, 08:18:36 AM »
I am no builder qualified to comment on much  of anything but to me it smacks of a nice crisp well put together musket.

The only contrast I see is the flawless lines you have created in the stock and radius in the plate at the tail of the lock which has lost a little bit of shape. 3 file strokes and it would blend again. (take this with a grain of salt cause you are much more accomplished then I)

For planning your next project have you had a chance to look at "Firearms of the Fur Trade" best money you can spend if you want 'options' and 'inspiration'. north of hundred bucks from Museum of the fur trade but page for page it is the best value in books out there.

took another look at your pics did you install a 'trigger stop' in lieu of a trigger plate for the shoe of the trigger to rest against? Kind of looks like it in the pic. If so could you give details.
 
thanks for sharing

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #10 on: February 02, 2016, 03:27:45 PM »
DDoyle, yes I did use a trigger stop instead of trigger plate as from the 4 books I've got trade guns it seems most didnt have plates. I'll have to look up again where I got the idea for that little brass stop. I know I read about it someplace.
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ddoyle

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #11 on: February 02, 2016, 09:00:53 PM »

Yeah Hanson Shows it on his drawing of a Barnett in the sketchbook. I guess I am wondering how it is installed? What holds it ?

If you enjoy trade guns you really gotta get the Museum of the Fur Trade book gives a guy a good solid 400 years of trade gun patterns to drool over.  Thing I like is that the 'North West' style of hunting arm has had a near continuous run of production and is as recognizable in the bush of africa, the mountains of asia as it was on the western shores of the Great Lakes. When something is well designed it persists.

Another good source of 'trade gun' info is on european gun auction sites. Small fraternity of collectors buy/sell alot of trade muskets. french seem keen on them. Our continent was a small market for a large trade.

If you want to PM a list of your references I could do the same maybe there are some photocopies that need exchanging. I have some rarer old Journal articles etc.

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2016, 01:00:42 AM »

Yeah Hanson Shows it on his drawing of a Barnett in the sketchbook. I guess I am wondering how it is installed? What holds it ?

If you enjoy trade guns you really gotta get the Museum of the Fur Trade book gives a guy a good solid 400 years of trade gun patterns to drool over.  Thing I like is that the 'North West' style of hunting arm has had a near continuous run of production and is as recognizable in the bush of africa, the mountains of asia as it was on the western shores of the Great Lakes. When something is well designed it persists.

Another good source of 'trade gun' info is on european gun auction sites. Small fraternity of collectors buy/sell alot of trade muskets. french seem keen on them. Our continent was a small market for a large trade.

If you want to PM a list of your references I could do the same maybe there are some photocopies that need exchanging. I have some rarer old Journal articles etc.

I simply found a piece of 1/8" × 3/8" × 3/8" in my scrap bin (an old tin cup) and filed it to a wedge shape. Drilled a 1/16" hole on each side of the trigger inlet and the removed what woo that could with my smallest chisel and tapped in in place. Simply friction fit.

I have long been pining for a copy of the MoTF book for quite some time. Need to get around to getting a copy ASAP. I'll check my books when I get home tonight and let you know the titles. My library is somewhat paltry compared to many here.
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ddoyle

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #13 on: February 03, 2016, 03:10:22 AM »
thanks for that explanation on the friction fit. That helps me.

The real thing i learned from that book is that a good printed photograph of a musket is worth a 100 screen pictures or print outs from the comp. you can see so much more. I also kind of clued into the fact that a large majority of trade muskets and rifles were high quality arms on parr with board of ordnance/Tower accepted arms. not cheap junk by any stretch . Only the AFT company and their domestic suppliers made less desirable arms.(not my opinion just what the book says/portrays)

The Authors have the book partly filled with photos of pristine examples of trade guns held in a European Armoury collection. neat stuff. know your competition was the watch word of the day.

If you want a real unique trade gun there is even a recipe in there for a .26 cal musket!

Offline tim crowe

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #14 on: February 04, 2016, 08:52:26 PM »
Nice job Clark.

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #15 on: February 05, 2016, 01:00:37 AM »
Thank you Tim.
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Offline oldtravler61

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #16 on: February 05, 2016, 06:55:05 AM »
Well done. What lock did you use? Or did I miss it. Thanks

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #17 on: February 05, 2016, 07:37:55 AM »
Well done. What lock did you use? Or did I miss it. Thanks

Thanks, and it's the RE Davis Tryon lock, slightly modified by removing the nipple on the tail of the plate.
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #18 on: February 12, 2016, 12:24:49 AM »
Nice Hawkins rifle.
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #19 on: February 12, 2016, 06:25:20 AM »
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #20 on: February 12, 2016, 03:10:44 PM »
Everything is  a Hawkins now. Nothing personal. This may help.....
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=38930.0
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #21 on: February 13, 2016, 03:11:15 AM »
Everything is  a Hawkins now. Nothing personal. This may help.....
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=38930.0

Glad you like my shottie smoothie rocklock northwest style Hawkins rifle ;D
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Finished my trade musket
« Reply #22 on: February 13, 2016, 03:02:16 PM »
Everything is  a Hawkins now. Nothing personal. This may help.....
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=38930.0

Glad you like my shottie smoothie rocklock northwest style Hawkins rifle ;D
It's a gem! I have only built one north west gun in all my time. I wouldn't mind building one for myself one day, they have an incredible history.
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?