Nicks and Dings

[Icemanxxxv]

I have been lurking in this form for quite some time. I like tinkering with guns and hope to get up enough courage to build a high end Plains rifle one day.  I'm starting slowly learning to crawl before I run so to say. My current project isn't much but it is a start. I got this CVA Hawken for basically free. The stock was cracked and the barrel well abused beyond resurrection. I sourced a replacement stock and 54 caliber barrel from Deer Creek.  With a few projects ahead of it I stashed away for over a year and got it out last night. I took the barrel out of the box and noticed a few healthy dings and nicks on the flat edges, of course they are on the top three flats right on the corners and extending into the flats. I'm afraid if I draw file these out there will be noticeable deflections in the barrel contour . This isn't a showpiece or by any exception a heirloom, just a beat around shooter. My thoughts are distressing the barrel and do an antique worn brown. Can draw filling the barrel remove the dings without noticeable change to the profile of the barrel?

[Craig Wilcox]

iceman, I am not the most experienced builder of longrifles, but have built many shorter firearms.

Provided you keep the flats equal, at least on those top three, there will be little, if any, difference in appearance.  Keep the flats flat, and the angles crisp.  Won't take much time at all to draw file with a sharp file.  You will have those mountainous dings reduced to flat plains in no time at all.

Quit lurking!  I KNEW someone was looking over my shoulder! LOL!!

Craig

[Acer Saccharum]

look at those dings in a slanting light. if you see metal raised up around the divot, you can carefully punch metal toward the ding, often closing it up, or lessening it. If you draw file first, you lose that extra metal to tap back into place.

Use a flat nosed punch with a high polish, face of the punch should be slightly rounded so you don't dig the corners of the punch in.

[Jason C]

You might try a hardened steel rod like some folks use to defarb new cap & ball revolvers; it pushes metal into the stamped writing and fills it in.

[jerrywh]

 Acer is exactly right on his answer. Engravers do this often to fix mistakes in castings. Acer is an engraver so he knows this stuff.  Another thing is to put in an iron inlay. Putting in an iron inlay  may be over your head but it is not as difficult as welding. The iron inlay does not have to be on the corner of the flat. It can be close and the extra metal can be pushed over to the corner as Acer said. He could teach this on his next engraving class. Plain soft iron wire works well. I probably put in one at leats once a week. Some big some as small as a piece of dandruff.  None ot them will show after brorwning or bluing.

[Mike Brooks]

I have been lurking in this form for quite some time. I like tinkering with guns and hope to get up enough courage to build a high end Plains rifle one day.  I'm starting slowly learning to crawl before I run so to say. My current project isn't much but it is a start. I got this CVA Hawken for basically free. The stock was cracked and the barrel well abused beyond resurrection. I sourced a replacement stock and 54 caliber barrel from Deer Creek.  With a few projects ahead of it I stashed away for over a year and got it out last night. I took the barrel out of the box and noticed a few healthy dings and nicks on the flat edges, of course they are on the top three flats right on the corners and extending into the flats. I'm afraid if I draw file these out there will be noticeable deflections in the barrel contour . This isn't a showpiece or by any exception a heirloom, just a beat around shooter. My thoughts are distressing the barrel and do an antique worn brown. Can draw filling the barrel remove the dings without noticeable change to the profile of the barrel?

Interesting story, reminds me of one of mine.
  I have George Washington's axe. The handle has been replaced 4 times and the head twice!

 Back to the issue at hand, those dings won't be a problem after you draw file the barrel, no one will ever notice.

[Icemanxxxv]

Bought a 12 inch Nicholson Single Cut Mill file, Sidewalk Chalk, and a Punch. Going to polish the large one for moving the ridges of the scratches back into the gouges. Picked up a few chisels and some lip stick to inlet the stock as needed. Got a strange look at Dollar General. Got a strange look from the lady working the register when I put the Chalk and lip stick on the counter.  First I need to tidy up the work area before the fun begins.

[BOB HILL]

It sometimes it helps to shop with a granddaughter.
Bob