Swivel Breech Pistol, #4 in a series

[Tonyhd98]

Hello All,

I just finished my 4th Swivel Breech muzzle loader and first pistol.

[somehippy]

That's too cool, I've kinda been thinking the swivel breech design seems better suited to pistol applications (just my opinion). Pretty wood, and I like the concaved bit along the tang above the lock panels.  Curious as to what that thing might weigh?

[Tonyhd98]

Hello SomeHippy,

Thank you, the action was machined from the book by Dave Waters, Building a Swivel Breech and lends to a longer pistol butt however, it's easy to hold steady with one hand. I've got a crude weight scale in the shop so I weighed myself without the pistol and then again with the pistol. I got a round figure of 5 pounds. The swivel breech rifles I make weigh in at 11.2 pounds so 5 pounds is about right.

If I were to make another swivel breech pistol I'd probably lower the angle of the swivel and lock plates which would give me a shorter butt and maybe an easier shooter.

Cheers,
Tony

[Daryl]

That's pretty cool, although I'd likely not have put a brass rear sight on it - each to his own.  Thanks for posting it.

[Kingsburyarms]

Very cool - Well done!!! -

[Bob Roller]

Hello SomeHippy,

Thank you, the action was machined from the book by Dave Waters, Building a Swivel Breech and lends to a longer pistol butt however, it's easy to hold steady with one hand. I've got a crude weight scale in the shop so I weighed myself without the pistol and then again with the pistol. I got a round figure of 5 pounds. The swivel breech rifles I make weigh in at 11.2 pounds so 5 pounds is about right.

If I were to make another swivel breech pistol I'd probably lower the angle of the swivel and lock plates which would give me a shorter butt and maybe an easier shooter.

Cheers,
Tony

Another marvelous project for us to admire. The extreme angle of the grip makes my right wrist hurt
and I wonder if a saw handle would be feasible.

Bob Roller

[alyce-james]

Tonyhd98; Sir, I like this pistol. Very well done pistol. One completed in the style (Saw-handled) by T. Moxham, 1813-1820, London I would be interested. Again "well" done. Thanks for sharing. Have a great week end. AJ.

[Ky-Flinter]

Very nice piece Tony.  Your building has come far.  Keep it up.

-Ron

[pushboater]

Great looking pistol Tony! Did you follow Dave's book to the letter or did you make any internal modifications?

Capt. David

[Tonyhd98]

alyce-james, thank you. I'm not privy to anything but scarce information on T. Moxham in fact I've never seen an example of his work. My compliments to your diligent research.

Pushboater, thank you. Yes, I've made 10+ swivel breech actions and to the best of my abilities, my version of the Dave Waters actions are dimensionally correct give or take .003" on dimensioned parts. I make the tumbler link a bit differently than Dave suggests and I find adjustment is necessary on the main spring clevis block in order to achieve a 10 pond pull (on the cock) but that variance could be due to the L&R QC on their springs. The L&R main springs vary greatly and I question why I continue to buy their products.

I recently built a single barrel rifle inspired by John Armstrong (.45 cal) and bought the gun builders lock from Jim Chambers and it was flawless in assembly and function out of the box. Jim sells a brass Queen Ann lock and I've discussed adapting that lock to the swivel breech with Dave Waters.

Lots of irons in the fire here, I machine aircraft parts in my shop and that keeps me very busy with first article inspections, monumental paper work, metal certifications, certificates of compliance and so on. I'm a little short on time now.

Cheers,
Tony

[Rolf]

Great looking pistol!! What barrels did you use?

Best regards
Rolf

[P.W.Berkuta]

Tony you sound like a busy fellow and it's hard to imagin you have any time to build such a fine looking gun - 

[Bob Roller]

alyce-james, thank you. I'm not privy to anything but scarce information on T. Moxham in fact I've never seen an example of his work. My compliments to your diligent research.

Pushboater, thank you. Yes, I've made 10+ swivel breech actions and to the best of my abilities, my version of the Dave Waters actions are dimensionally correct give or take .003" on dimensioned parts. I make the tumbler link a bit differently than Dave suggests and I find adjustment is necessary on the main spring clevis block in order to achieve a 10 pond pull (on the cock) but that variance could be due to the L&R QC on their springs. The L&R main springs vary greatly and I question why I continue to buy their products.

I recently built a single barrel rifle inspired by John Armstrong (.45 cal) and bought the gun builders lock from Jim Chambers and it was flawless in assembly and function out of the box. Jim sells a brass Queen Ann lock and I've discussed adapting that lock to the swivel breech with Dave Waters.

Lots of irons in the fire here, I machine aircraft parts in my shop and that keeps me very busy with first article inspections, monumental paper work, metal certifications, certificates of compliance and so on. I'm a little short on time now.

Cheers,
Tony

The L&R brand almost vanished because of lack of QC at the foundries they used and I was
told by a foundry manager or maybe the owner that the level of QC that I was looking for
would bankrupt a government. Under the owners now they have made some effort to improve
but they are also looking at a market that mainly focuses on price and nothing else.
I have used their external parts on the Manton-Egg and Ashmore locks with no reported
trouble so far.I made "new and improved"mechanisms for these three locks but am now done
with that line of work.

Bob Roller

[Tonyhd98]

Hello Rolf, I bought a 44" pistol barrel blank in .45 cal from a friend and I'm told it was a Rice blank and that gave me enough room to get 4 pistol barrels @ 10.5" long. As a 1.25 diameter blank I had to mill the swamped profile but it was far less expensive even with the milling than buying swamped barrels.

Bob, where do I begin? I struck up a friendship with Dave Waters and he explained the L&R dilemma. While at friendship in 2015 I approached Bill and offered to machine some tumblers in an effort to eliminate the lack of concentricity which burns up a days time oversizing and bushing the bridal, squaring up the bridal mating face to the lock plate and so on. As time went on, it was easier to fix their parts than ask for better quality.

This is what we do I guess, always reaching for a more precise outcome but it sure burns up the time! I'm far more satisfied with the Chambers line but lack the time to prototype his wares into mine. I hope that you get back into your passion and build some more great stuff!

Cheers,
Tony

[pushboater]

Tony, I sent you a PM.

David

[B Shipman]

 Abetter man than I.

[Bob Roller]

Hello Rolf, I bought a 44" pistol barrel blank in .45 cal from a friend and I'm told it was a Rice blank and that gave me enough room to get 4 pistol barrels @ 10.5" long. As a 1.25 diameter blank I had to mill the swamped profile but it was far less expensive even with the milling than buying swamped barrels.

Bob, where do I begin? I struck up a friendship with Dave Waters and he explained the L&R dilemma. While at friendship in 2015 I approached Bill and offered to machine some tumblers in an effort to eliminate the lack of concentricity which burns up a days time oversizing and bushing the bridal, squaring up the bridal mating face to the lock plate and so on. As time went on, it was easier to fix their parts than ask for better quality.

This is what we do I guess, always reaching for a more precise outcome but it sure burns up the time! I'm far more satisfied with the Chambers line but lack the time to prototype his wares into mine. I hope that you get back into your passion and build some more great stuff.



Cheers,
Tony

Tony,
Many thanks for the fine comments on my work. I guess I have some to that time in my
life when I have passed the peak of what skill sets I have and realize it. At this time I am
trying to finish 4 English caplocks,two Rigby,two Alex Henry types.I'll be glad to be rid of
that order.I will be 81 on the 27th of this month and no longer have a strong desire to go
to my shop and do anything and even small jobs hold no real appeal now.
I would think if there were any real need or desire for a quality gun lock that there would
be others who like me simply disregard the market that lets $5 stop the project get into
making something better.

Bob Roller

[Tonyhd98]

Bob,

You've got more on your plate than I've done in my life! I understand the little slump in your enthusiasm, we all get a little out of sync from time to time but that fades away and you'll get that burst of creativity again.

Happy Birthday you ole codger!

[Kingsburyarms]

Bob, We share the same birthday! - So first, Happy Birthday, and second - thank you for doing what you do, us "new guys" will do our best to pick up the torch and move ahead, and we need that knowledge and tradition to follow - Jon

[kaikkaik]

Is Tony still around and making swivel barrels? He appears as guest and I can't find contact info.

[tfornicola]

Photos are gone on my end, anybody else--Tom

[Tim Crosby]

Photos are gone on my end, anybody else--Tom

  I got them back, sort of, I think that's the best we can do.

     Tim C.