Author Topic: Allegany - Western PA squirrel rifle (Read 14031 times)

Daryl · « **Reply #25 on:** April 09, 2020, 08:29:15 PM »

One can only hope, Marc, one can only hope.

Justin Urbantas · « **Reply #26 on:** April 09, 2020, 08:35:13 PM »

What's the load for this mouse gun? 8-15 gr ffg?

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #27 on:** April 09, 2020, 08:47:27 PM »

Justin: if I expecgt to hit some of those 75 yard squirrels at Heffley, I'll need a little more than 8 gr. of powder.

The rifle as it is, with the forend still square, weighs 8.8 pounds. So I expect the finished rifle to come in under 9 pounds. It sure holds steady. the Chambers' lock in spite of its exaggerated throw, doesn't seem to jar it much.

Going to make and install four barrel tenons and pins today...thinking of using copper, just for fun.

Justin Urbantas · « **Reply #28 on:** April 09, 2020, 09:51:35 PM »

You do like a lot of powder in that .40 of yours.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #29 on:** April 10, 2020, 01:44:47 AM »

I simply listen to what the rifle tells me and do that. I have no idea or pre-conceived notions about what this little .25 Cal will like. Anyone with .25 cal experience?

ed lundquist · « **Reply #30 on:** April 10, 2020, 03:07:26 AM »

I'd love to shoot that! Beautiful job.

flintlock hunter · « **Reply #31 on:** April 10, 2020, 03:39:32 PM »

I have a 25 cal. that I'm building now, western Pa. also. It's still in the white but I have been shooting it quite a bit lately. It seems to like 30 : grs 3f with a Hornady .240 ball. Doesn't bark as loud as a 22 long rifle, loads of fun.

Jim Spray · « **Reply #32 on:** April 10, 2020, 05:18:14 PM »

Can't wait to see this one done Taylor! I have an original 25 that I have been shooting for about 50 years. It also likes 30 grains of 3f with #4 buck . Many squirrels have gone to the big nut in the sky with the little 25.

Jim

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #33 on:** April 10, 2020, 07:34:43 PM »

I made and installed the four barrel tenons and front sight yesterday. I made the tenons from a flattened piece of 2" id copper pipe, turned out to be .065" thick. I figured dressed down I'd end up with about .060" thick dovetailed bottom. That's a very thick dovetail and almost twice as much as I usually do, but this barrel has lots of steel in it, and I wasn't sure how tough the copper would be. They made very serviceable tenons, and making and installing four of them was a significant amount of work. This is an example of how one can make $80 worth of parts that I could buy for $20. the front sight base is .050" thick copper and the blade is 3/32" thick pure silver, pinned and silver soldered. I used two inch finishing nails for the pins for the barrel requiring a #43 drill bit. Each of the pairs of pins will get a football shaped silver escutcheon. So now I can shape up the forestock, next on this agenda.

Daryl · « **Reply #34 on:** April 10, 2020, 07:42:48 PM »

It's coming along nicely, COOL!

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #35 on:** April 12, 2020, 08:11:46 PM »

Over the past two days, I made a four piece set of ramrod pipes and inlet them into the stock. The rod hole is 1/4" and so the pipes match. They are 2 1/4" long and of .052" brass sheet. The skirt on the entry pipe is silver soldered to the pipe. I've also planed down the forestock to it's final shape.
Now, the side plate(s).

Marcruger · « **Reply #36 on:** April 13, 2020, 04:26:22 PM »

That gun's a charmer.

Justin Urbantas · « **Reply #37 on:** April 13, 2020, 06:06:44 PM »

Why 4 pipes instead of 3? Was that common on these rifles?

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #38 on:** April 13, 2020, 06:31:16 PM »

Thomas Allison, whose rifles this one emulates, used four pipes and four barrel pins of slides. It's overkill, for sure, the pipes being 2 1/4" long and the rod only 1/4" dia.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #39 on:** April 13, 2020, 06:40:45 PM »

Yesterday, I filed out a rear sight from a piece of 5/8" hot rolled square stock, and dovetailed it into the barrel. I also made and inlet the toe plate, and got about 3/4 finished the nose piece. Now I'm off to the shop to finish the nose piece and rivet it to the wood.

Daryl · « **Reply #40 on:** April 13, 2020, 06:45:43 PM »

That barrel has some meat in it. I see narrow grooves, wide lands. Might not matter in a bore that small.
My .32 was still easy loading bore sized balls and thick patches.

Bob Roller · « **Reply #41 on:** April 13, 2020, 06:48:08 PM »

The butt plate isn't too deeply curved so the recoil should be manageable
even from a rest

.
Actually,it's a beautiful job of making a rodent rouster and it shouldn't be
a threat to the supply of powder and lead.
Bob Roller

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #42 on:** April 13, 2020, 06:50:05 PM »

I tried loading both a .240" and a .250" ball with .015" denim (dry) and both were easy to load with the 1/4" hickory rod.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #43 on:** April 13, 2020, 06:51:47 PM »

Bob, currently the rifle weighs 8.8 pounds. I think it's going to be fun to shoot.

hudson · « **Reply #44 on:** April 13, 2020, 08:17:37 PM »

Nice clean build love the walnut.

smylee grouch · « **Reply #45 on:** April 13, 2020, 09:05:23 PM »

Super neat job on those dovetails. A friend brought me some mid weight " T " iron a couple weeks ago and I plan on using it to fabricate some underlugs but that copper looks sturdy enough too.

borderdogs · « **Reply #46 on:** April 14, 2020, 03:57:08 AM »

Hi Taylor,
I really like this rifle a lot you are doing a great job on it! I am interested in the tenons you made out of copper I might try some of those on the rifle I am building.
Rob

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #47 on:** April 14, 2020, 07:31:58 AM »

I use this system a lot to make barrel tenons. Cut sheet stock of any thickness you like...I use .032" to .0625", clean it with abrasive cloth, fold it double, hold about 1/8" in the vise, and bang the wings out flat. Flux and silver solder so they're one piece, place 'em upsidedown in the vise and cut the 60 degree for the dovetails, and set them into the barrel. I now have used steel, brass and copper. For this heavy rifle in such a small calibre, there will be no strain on the lugs, so copper will suffice, and it's easy to work.

rsherman · « **Reply #48 on:** April 15, 2020, 02:37:01 AM »

Am enjoying your build. Very nice work.
I'm also a bit envious of the miserly possibilities of a . 25 cal.
Load.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #49 on:** April 15, 2020, 07:18:31 AM »

Have the toe plate, lock bolt escutcheons, nose piece, and wrist inlay made and inlet. Next is the cheek piece oval and then finally, the patchbox.

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Author Topic: Allegany - Western PA squirrel rifle (Read 14031 times)