Hand Forging the Muzzleloading Gun Lock

[ddoyle]

Oh happy days. The University of Alberta's S. James Gooding's Collection sent me on loan a copy of Hand Forging the Muzzle loading Gun Lock [ ILL 3584] By Pryor MT. Bill Newton. 1978.

As this is a title that does not appear on any vendor list I have seen and does not get much mention on the i-net so I thought I'd bring it to the attention of anyone with any interest in the construction of locks. Not all the techniques are 100% HC but the soul of the work would be recognizable to an 18th century blacksmith.

A fabulous resource, if nothing else it makes the construction of a lock seem 'doable'.  To give a hint of flavor, Bill says if you do not have a model A to scavenge from a Model T will do in a pinch

As far as I can tell there are two copies available for loan in North America so be gentle! Worth the bother of requesting an inter library loan.

Cannot imagine why it has not been reprinted.

[oldtravler61]

Neither can I. That would be an interesting read. Thanks for the post. Oldtravler

[JCKelly]

Just in case this book doesn't say -

Whenever you forge anything of steel, the high heat makes the grains grow very large. This makes the thing tend to break with a nice, shiny crystalline appearance.

You can avoid this. After you are done forging, reheat the thing to red heat then bury it in ashes to cool.
For the most part just laying it on the ground to cool would be OK, if it is a plain carbon steel (no nickel or chromium)
Then finish filing the thing and heat treat it however you were planning to.

Makes a bid difference in how your forged part stays in one piece.

[ddoyle]

 Bill finishes most paragraphs with " Bring it to a heat and anneal"

Not sure how this compares to Vol.1 of The Historic Arms Making Journal but it is the only non Lauber/ Non German/French language reference I have found so far that teaches the basics of lock building.

As an aside, If anyone has a copy collecting dust  that they want to convert to cash I'd probably be the highest bidder.

[James]

I have Hand Forging the MuzzleLoading Gun Lock as well as his other book, Selected Muzzle Loading Gun Lock Patterns.  Very informative books.

[ddoyle]

Your very lucky to have Selected Muzzle Loading Gun Lock Patterns. there is only one copy in a library in all of north america and they wont let it out the door.

If you get tired of owning them please let me know.

[Clark Badgett]

I wonder if someone with the know how could contact Mr. Newton's family to ask if it would be ok to have these rare books of his put into PDF form, or maybe even run a short printing of them.

[wormey]

 ;DI have copies of both as well!!!!  No, you can`t have them.  Wormey

[elk killer]

I have a copy of both, plus his Antique Flintlock & Percussion pistol patterns,
with full size drawings

Also have his Trade Muskets or Northwest Guns,
with full size patterns

Did not mean to high jack the thread

[James]

He also did one on triggers

[Hungry Horse]

 I also have a couple of copies of the trade gun book Bill wrote and illustrated. The reason they are not reprinted is he got into a legal battle with his co-author/ex-wife and at least some of the books were deemed her property in the settlement. The trade gun book is the only one I was ever able to find for sale.

  Hungry Horse

[ddoyle]

Hungry Thanks for the explanation,  I suspected there was something up. aint the legal system wonderful.  Buckets of knowledge and it will all rot forgotten for the sake of spite and lawyers......

I tried real hard to get copies of the TWO trade gun books he did. One of them is available for in library use in Montana but the other one is no where.

Clark, sign me up for that run of reprints.  His son and two daughters are still find-able. Maybe a significant  donation to something Mr Newton would approve of would grease the wheels, who knows- per Hungry's insight, there may well be boxes of these titles tucked away.  

Interestingly one of Mr Newton's trade guns recently sold at auction march 16( I missed it) described as an "Indian Trade gun" 21 inch barrel. Here is the kicker went for well under 4 bills including auction fees

EDIT:

Just had a thought. If these books were reprinted, it is VERY important that they are not made cheap/free. The few copies that remain, remain because the guys who bought them and stored them Valued them. If new cheap reprints come along than not only are their investments toast but the value of Bill's work is dis respected. I say 100 bucks minimum for quality reprints/copies of 4 titles minimum. NO PDFS/NO PDFS.

[Hungry Horse]

 I got Bill's book because I wanted a trade gun, and couldn't afford one of Curly's, even in a kit. I had no idea how gun parts were formed at that time, so seeing the projects in this book were a revelation. A friend, and I, both built trade guns out of some parts be got on sale at Dixie Gun Works, and  a bunch of home grown parts, and Bill's book. I built a chiefs grade with a thirty inch barrel, and he built a Whately standard grade with a thirty inch barrel. I had right at a hundred dollars invested in mine, and he had seventy five in his. They shot like a dream, and are still in use by new owners.
 Ours had real shotgun barrels, some of Bill's had high pressure gas pipe in the early years. We learned how to cold forge, anneal and form brass, and make our own dragon sideplates.

    Hungry Horse

[ddoyle]

real shotgun barrels

I am doing one like that now, AMAZING how slender and thin and graceful a modern steel barrel can be compared to a leaded steel tube eh.

[James]

TOTW simply sends a reprint/photocopy when the triggers book is ordered. Somewhat disappointing.

[rogerpjr]

I got all of Bill's books (and Kit Ravenshar's too) in the late 80s early 90s. Never would have thought they would become collectors items though. Funny how things come back around though.  I recently saw a post somewhere where someone was trying to find McCroyry's three books.  I didn't think much of them way back then when I got them, but we all learn something over time. Glad I got all of the above books now and wouldn't part with them for the knowledge they contain.