Mountain squirrel rifle build along

[Nick Bachtel]

This will be my first rifle build. My plan is build a nice slim and simple .32 caliber (or smaller) squirrel rifle. I have a great interest in the Appalachian rifles that were built flint and took the transition and became a percussion rifle. Also I tend to find most beauty in simpler objects so hopefully this build will be somewhat straightforward.

I am on the hunt for a barrel. Something 3/4" across the flats. .25, .30 or .32 caliber.

It will sit in a nice piece of walnut with browned iron buttplate, forged trigger guard, and double set triggers. I also plan on making a primitive, somewhat crude peep sight, a copper acorn side plate, and a not a patchbox but a greasehole. Probably no engraving or inlays, but I saw a little bit of wire inlay and may attempt putting my initials somewhere on the rifle.

Like I said I am on the hunt for barrel and also a piece of wood. Feel free to pay forward whatever you may have to offer whether that is knowledge, a book, some wood, an old worn out tool. Anything. I am a young guy (19) and am trying to get other young folks into this craft.

In particularly, I am looking for a copy of (title escapes me) The book on constructing a gunlock.

Using plans I purchased at The Log cabin shop in Lodi, I gave a buttplate and the triggerguard an honest attempt. The buttplate was made from 16 gauge steel brazed together. The triggergaurd was forged and brazed. I want to remake the buttplate from 1/8" steel and weld it together, and make the triggerguard in the square-made on the back of the anvil-style, and weld it instead of braze.


Thank you for taking a look.
Nick

[Acer Saccharum]

Nice!

I do notice the extension on the buttplate is lumpy, but I read that you will be remaking it. Love the triggers.

[Mike Brooks]

Since we're just in the planing stage.................Go get a swamped southern style barrel from Rice. Nix the wire inlay, it will stick out like  a sore thumb. With a little filing that buttplate will be fine and the trigger guard is fine too. In fact, 1/8" is way too thick for BP on a TN gun, the 16 ga steel is good for the job. Nix building your own lock this time. Just stocking a gun right is going to be enough of a challenge for your first time.
 I started building guns when I was 23 and I was making $4.50/hr. Nobody gave me nothin' and I didn't ask.

[Nick Bachtel]

Mike, you must have missed my last thread. Go give it a read.

It's the hammer forging/making thread.

Nick

[Mike Brooks]

Mike, you must have missed my last thread. Go give it a read.

It's the hammer forging/making thread.

Nick

Ok, got it. Good luck with your project, it's way over my head and capabilities.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

That is looking good.  I like the triggers and the trigger guard.  Can't wait to watch your progress.

Cory Joe Stewart

[Curtis]

Looks like a fun and interesting project!  It will be fun to watch your progress!

Curtis

[Nick Bachtel]

Over the last two days I made some indirect progress on the rifle. I built a Forge! I built the frame from 1" square steel tubing welded around a brake drum and fed by 1 1/2" of iron pipe and my Mom's hair drier, burnin' Kentucky coal. It burns hot but there is not much volume so it makes bigger parts hard to heat evenly. Should be fine for rifle work though.







Nick

[B Shipman]

I love ambition. Go for it.

[n stephenson]

Nice start on the build . You mentioned welding the buttplate . I wouldn't , because you used the correct method of brazing the pieces together . Someone like Dennis or one of these guys with more knowledge than I may correct me if I`m wrong but most if not all the originals I`ve seen were brazed. I`ll be the last to throw cold water on anybodies plans but, I agree with Mike lose the wire. The people that have come to me for help building guns all get the same thing told to them .STUDY OLD GUNS IN PERSON> Practice shaping wood . You can make all the parts of a gun and that's fine but if the shaping is poor the whole thing will look like $#@*. My late friend Ron Ehlert  Always told me . "sometimes the difference between a good gun and a great gun is only 1\16th inch of wood.  Most beginners and some old timers have a tendency to leave too much wood on the stocks and end up with a fat feeling gun. I picked blackberries and worked in tobacco fields and trapped as a 13 year old to buy my first parts set for 300 dollars in 1984. If you want something bad enough you`ll do what it takes . Just my thoughts . I will be glad to help any way I can , you are the future of this sport  . PS any body got any parts sets for 300 LOL

[Nick Bachtel]

The wire inlay was a just an idea. I just way my initials on the gun somewhere. I didn't think they brazed the parts back then but if they were I'd be a lot happier period correct. I figured they were forge welded.




Nick

[WadePatton]

The wire inlay was a just an idea. I just way my initials on the gun somewhere. I didn't think they brazed the parts back then but if they were I'd be a lot happier period correct. I figured they were forge welded.




Nick

Carve your 'nitials on the top flat.  That's were folks expect to find makers name or initials. Brazed, brazed and pinned is what I've seen the most of. I am of the opinion that a two-piece butt plate may have been a bit easier to fit, then assemble and final fit.  This is nothing but "notion" on my part.  Carry on.

[Mike Brooks]

All the old two piece iron buttplates I have seen were either copper or brass brazed, depending on where and when the gun was built. Same with trigger guards on occasion, but you'll often see them forge welded. When I went through my " Hand forged iron mounted" phase a couple decades ago I usually pinned and brass brazed because I'm a crappy forge welder.....

[54ball]

I am of the opinion that a two-piece butt plate may have been a bit easier to fit, then assemble and final fit.  This is nothing but "notion" on my part.

 Wade,
 Having just assembled and fit a coal forged two piece buttplate it would be very very difficult to fit the separate components to the stock. There is so much filing, fit and finish required in joining the two pieces that it is not ready to fit until the plate is complete. After assembly it's inlet into/onto the stock.

 A true one piece forged plate is usually an earlier or simpler folded design much like the Old Holston Rifle.

[Dennis Glazener]

I

didn't think they brazed the parts back then but if they were I'd be a lot happier period correct. I figured they were forge welded.

Most all of the Gillespie NC rifle buttplates (the iron ones) were made in two pieces and brazed together. I have seen remnants of an iron rivet in one or two. I put a rivet in mine then turn upside down in forge and flux with borax then drop some brass filings in the joint. Takes maybe 30 seconds if the forge is hot. Often I hold BP over two Propane torches and braze the BP with those rather than fire up the coal forge.
Dennis

[Nick Bachtel]

Just a bit of an update;

After building my forge I began dabbling in bladesmithing. Making some custom cutlery for some friends, I've earned a couple bucks and the build will continue here soon.

This blade was forged from 5160 steel with walnut handles. I'm very pleased with it, as its my first knife start to finish.



I also forged two butt plate pieces to be brazed and a new trigger guard that's a little bit long but should be just fine after some shaping. The three pieces were pinned and welded with my MIG welder. Trying to figure out the forge welding with thin metal.




I believe I am going to build this around a Charles Burton 13/16" .30 cal barrel, 44'' inches long, but any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks for taking a look,

Nick Bachtel

[oldtravler61]

  Nick you can't go wrong with one of Charlie's barrels. They are extremely accurate.  Oldtravler

[n stephenson]

Nick , That`s a VERY GOOD looking knife for a first attempt. Heck! that would look good for a 50th attempt. NICE !! job.  As far as the trigger guard it looks good too, but why not just braze it? That`s how most old ones I`ve seen were done, not that it means others weren't welded . I don`t know. Good job!! Nathan

[WadePatton]

I also chose a .30 cal FCI, but mine is a swamped 46". AND I've a lovely piece of Walnut to drop it into...right after I get the channel gouged out.  (and a BR lock).

Methinks it'll soon become a fave. 

But too much work!  We normally get more time off this time of year, and this time of year is BEST for working indoors.  But not yet.
 

[Nick Bachtel]

Finally found the time and inspiration to get back to work on this here little gun.

After speaking briefly with Ben Quearry about the book he wrote on Southern Mountain rifle triggers and guards, and where to find it. Happy to say I bought the last copy at the Log Cabin Shop. This book helped A LOT. Takes a lot of the guesswork of making these guards and triggers.

This guard is a shape I liked, its certainly not of my own thinking though. It closely fits a Lawing's guard and trigger.  I started by forging all the pieces and parts from 1/2" Mild steel round bar. I pinned and brazed/sweated with copper wire in the forge. (have yet to get forge welding under my belt)
 
Pieces pre-braze



The guard pinned together


All brazed and bent to shape


The buttplate was forged from some 1/8" mild steel, also pinned and brazed in the forged like the guard. 1/8" seems to be a little heavy. I may thin it out and make another one. Are the buttplates usually of this thickness? I heard 1/16" is about right.

This is where I am


The trigger plate was forged from some 3/8" square stock. A couple hours with the dremel/tungsten die grinder bit and precision files left me with the slots cut out for the two triggers.  I managed to get everything squared up really nicely and I'm VERY happy with what I have so far. Also, I have some specifications for the build. For every hole I drill and thread I will make the screw to fit said hole.  So all the screws you see I made myself. I am quite happy with the 4-40 trigger adjustment screw measuring about 1/4" tall. I have never made anything that small that serves a purpose. The trigger itself I peened the edge over and forged to shape. I really like the ring rear trigger shape. Hopefully I don't have to mess with it too much. Its made from some 1/8" 1084 knife steel I had laying around.

I will bring my progress to the Log Cabin gathering on the 4th.

Any input would be greatly appreciated, positive and negative alike.

I have forged countless guards that have gone to the scrapbin. I have very happy with that I have here.

Nick Bachtel