Author Topic: Blunderbuss #4, ...DONE !!! (Read 45070 times)

davec2 · « **on:** December 04, 2016, 12:11:45 AM »

A while back, a fellow asked me to modify a steel, 4 gage, Ed Rayl blunderbuss barrel with cannon muzzle rings and some engraving. This is an old post about the barrel work:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=37545.0

At any rate, having watched the progress on the other blunderbuss I am finishing now, Andrei sent me all of the parts he had collected, and a great piece of walnut for the stock, and asked me to assemble yet another one of these shoulder fired artillery pieces. I don't mean to bore you guys with "more of the same", but each of these builds is a little different and the eventual owners can keep track of my progress (and other's comments) by watching here.

Well, here is what I am starting with.....the barrel as previously described, a Chambers English lock, an outstanding piece of walnut, and miscellaneous cast butt plate, trigger guard, ram rod pipes, trigger assembly, etc. Andrei wants this one carved and engraved, so it will be more on the fancy side of things rather than just a "working" style coach gun.

I got as far as bandsawing the stock shape out and pulling the breech plug on the barrel in preparation for sending both up to Dave Rase to have him inlet the barrel for me. (He doesn't like doing these blunderbuss barrels but has been kind enough to do them for me anyway.) While waiting for the inletting to be completed, I will start on polishing all of the metal parts......one of my least favorite parts of any build. But, as my Mother used to say, "worst things first !" .....It always makes the rest of the job go easier.

wattlebuster · « **Reply #1 on:** December 04, 2016, 12:44:09 AM »

I enjoy seeing threads like this when they go start to finish.

Daryl · « **Reply #2 on:** December 04, 2016, 01:25:29 AM »

STRIKING job on that barrel, Dave. Absolutely something to be proud of.

What a fun gun to shoot, too.

pushboater · « **Reply #3 on:** December 04, 2016, 04:15:42 AM »

Always wanted a Blunderbus but really don't have a need for one of them rascals, so it'll go on my wish list of future projects. Outstanding job on the Barrel Dave! Beautiful work!

Capt. David

SingleMalt · « **Reply #4 on:** December 04, 2016, 06:11:09 PM »

You should change your user name to "Blunderbuses-R-Us!"

davec2 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 21, 2017, 08:52:40 PM »

Finally had a little time to get back to this project.......Dave Rase inletted the barrel for me a little while back.

I shaped and bent the breech plug tang to contour and got that inlet into the stock:

Soldered on the barrel lugs....the front one is heavier as it will also support the front sling swivel.......

Polished the lock parts in preparation for engraving:

Of all the parts of building any gun, the two things I find the most tedious are installing the butt plate and installing the rear ram rod pipe. So I started with the bigger of the two tedious tasks......rough shaping of the butt end of the stock:

Beginning the inlet......

Finished......

SingleMalt · « **Reply #6 on:** March 21, 2017, 08:58:16 PM »

Nice work, Dave. One day, you'll have to explain your lock polishing method.

Daryl · « **Reply #7 on:** March 21, 2017, 11:07:12 PM »

Beautiful work - I'd like to play with one of those, some day. Be a blast using silhouette targets at various ranges.

davec2 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 21, 2017, 04:05:44 AM »

It's been a long time since I had a free moment to work on this commission. However, today I had enough time to inlet the lock plate. Hopefully, before the next aerospace contract starts in earnest, I will have time to get a few more things done on this 4 gage.

Scota4570 · « **Reply #9 on:** September 21, 2017, 04:51:42 AM »

Beautiful!

A blunderbuss is a bucket list project for me. Did you keep track of a shopping list for the various bought parts? How about a plans drawing?

davec2 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 21, 2017, 05:48:42 AM »

Scota,

Here is a link to a finished blunderbuss I made for another guy:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=38909.75

I have built four of these now and I can give you a list of various parts I have used. No plans but plenty of pictures on the rest of the above link and on a few others I can give you.

acorn20 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 21, 2017, 06:11:25 AM »

Dave, your metal to wood fit is phenomenal!!! Makes me sick to look at anything that precise. Thanks for posting the pics and looking forward to your progress.

Dan

Bigmon · « **Reply #12 on:** September 21, 2017, 07:44:01 PM »

That is some fine work.
Just wondering how ya get that tenon dead center on the round barrel?
I have a fully round barrel that I am having a rough time getting a front sight perfectly centered?

davec2 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 21, 2017, 08:28:41 PM »

Bigmon,

On this barrel, finding center on the round portion is easy because the breech end is octagonal. I put the corresponding (bottom) barrel flat on a very flat surface (like a marble counter top, surface plate, or table saw) and then very lightly drag a file under the round part where I want the sight or tenon. This will leave a light, straight line on the barrel centered with the barrel flat. For a completely round barrel, you will need some reference point. I would make sure the breech plug is installed in its final position. With the breech plug installed, you can use its top flat surface to do the same thing I described with the octagon flat. You might have to use something with truly parallel surfaces to rest the flat of the breech plug on, but just make sure that surface on the breech plug is flat with the table surface. Then the file mark at the far end will also be right on center and referenced to the flat of the breech plug.

Hope this helps.

Scota4570 · « **Reply #14 on:** September 21, 2017, 08:39:27 PM »

Quote from: davec2 on September 21, 2017, 05:48:42 AM

Scota,

Here is a link to a finished blunderbuss I made for another guy:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=38909.75

I have built four of these now and I can give you a list of various parts I have used. No plans but plenty of pictures on the rest of the above link and on a few others I can give you.

Sounds great. PM me, if you like, when you can, with the list.

I imagine most of it would be Bess parts, and Bess details. I recently saw an original British Navy one in an antique shop. It was rough but all there and would have been a good subject to copy.

Thanks,

Scot

davec2 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 21, 2017, 09:36:02 PM »

Scota,

This BB and the finished one are using parts that are not from a Bess. The first BB I made used a fair number of Bess parts.....lock, trigger guard, butt plate....here are a few photos of that BB. I will make up a list of parts that I have used including some options.....

Bigmon · « **Reply #16 on:** September 22, 2017, 04:00:56 PM »

Thanks DAveC2,
I'll try that, just not real sure how true the top of the tang is with the rest of the gun.
This had been my first build back into the hobby in maybe 30 years.
So there are a few issues with the gun.
It's all nice enough and hard for a novice to see, but even though I have trouble getting back in form, I still know what is a problem.
But I am gonna try that.
Might even have to re-do the top of the gun in that area to true it up?
But I think I can.
Thanks so much

Scota4570 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 06, 2018, 07:05:18 PM »

I have a GAU8 30mm barrel coming. It is about 3' of the muzzle end. I guess I am obligated make a rifled blunderbuss now!

davec2 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 06, 2018, 08:06:17 PM »

Scota,

Wow....a 30 mm rifled blunderbuss would go great with the 20mm rifled Dragoons Rolf built !

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=43830.msg453336#msg453336

Bob Roller · « **Reply #19 on:** March 06, 2018, 08:21:46 PM »

Quote from: Bigmon on September 22, 2017, 04:00:56 PM

Thanks DAveC2,
I'll try that, just not real sure how true the top of the tang is with the rest of the gun.
This had been my first build back into the hobby in maybe 30 years.
So there are a few issues with the gun.
It's all nice enough and hard for a novice to see, but even though I have trouble getting back in form, I still know what is a problem.
But I am gonna try that.
Might even have to re-do the top of the gun in that area to true it up?
But I think I can.
Thanks so much

The tang should be level so a long range Whitworth type folding sight cane be mounted.

Bob Roller

rich pierce · « **Reply #20 on:** March 06, 2018, 08:42:59 PM »

It’s really a misnomer when you build one of these, Dave. No blunder in your bus!

Brian Jordan · « **Reply #21 on:** March 07, 2018, 12:55:25 PM »

Beautiful work as always!!

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #22 on:** March 07, 2018, 02:48:56 PM »

yes, Beautiful , clean work as always. Question; do people actually shoot them?

Tim

davec2 · « **Reply #23 on:** March 07, 2018, 06:24:00 PM »

Bob, Rich, and Melsdad.....thanks

Tim,

I don't know about others but I shoot mine whenever I get a chance. I shoot it with a "handful" of powder, a wad of paper towel, a "handful" of shot (any size will do), and another paper towel over-shot wad. I also shoot what I call an AP round (Armor Piercing...not really, but it does have a $#*! of a lot of mass in the projectile). It is a 1 inch diameter zinc round ball, patched, and with about 200 grains of Fg behind it. Packs a wallop....on both ends....and it also helps to bite down on a piece of leather belt to keep from jarring any teeth loose or leaving a lot of teeth and eyeballs behind because of the recoil. You can load a 4 gage up or down as you see fit. I enjoy shooting mine with 200 grain loads.

The gun is a "blast" to shoot, if you will pardon the pun.

Dave C

Scota4570 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 07, 2018, 07:31:52 PM »

I made a 1-inch smoothbore a while back. It weighs about 20#. I cast 0.990" lead balls for it. I found the granulation of the powder makes a big difference in recoil. 350 gr of 3F will really pound you. 350 grains of 1f is a manageable push. I am planning to get some cannon grade to try out. The slower acceleration makes a big difference.

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Author Topic: Blunderbuss #4, ...DONE !!! (Read 45070 times)

pushboater