Author Topic: Black Snake Gun (Read 7630 times)

Robert Hill · « **Reply #25 on:** March 31, 2022, 06:34:56 AM »

This is a great feeling gun too, I had the pleasure of holding it and getting a good up close look at it while I was in Ohio at the class.
-Robert

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #26 on:** March 31, 2022, 02:51:32 PM »

What can I say but nifty?

Tony N · « **Reply #27 on:** April 01, 2022, 07:15:27 PM »

Very cool looking piece! Was this one at your table in Lawrenceburg?

Tony

Ian Pratt · « **Reply #28 on:** April 02, 2022, 03:09:12 PM »

Thanks everybody! Tony yes it's that same gun but I hadn't completed the finish work or made the pouch at that time. The gun' s owner is one of the " repeat offenders" at our longrifle building class and he picked it up in February.

Levy · « **Reply #29 on:** April 02, 2022, 05:56:32 PM »

Ian, I have a side plate that was recovered from the bottom of the St. Marks River (south of Tallahassee) that looks just like that. I always thought it would look good on a project. Great job! James Levy

Ian Pratt · « **Reply #30 on:** April 05, 2022, 04:01:13 PM »

Thank you James! Any chance you might share a photo of that side plate? It's always interesting to see different versions and variations in the engraving.

Levy · « **Reply #31 on:** April 05, 2022, 05:38:37 PM »

Ian, yes, I'll get a picture taken. James Levy

jrb · « **Reply #32 on:** April 05, 2022, 06:04:45 PM »

Ian , I love that gun!!!
Speaking of unusual sideplates, i guess? this is part of a sideplate. From near St. Ignace Michigan.

Ian Pratt · « **Reply #33 on:** April 06, 2022, 03:33:13 PM »

A couple of side plate photos courtesy of James Levy - the one on the bottom is the recovered side plate he mentioned, the top two were cast from originals. Good stuff, thank you James !

Ken G · « **Reply #34 on:** April 06, 2022, 03:38:01 PM »

Thanks for sharing the pics.

Ken

Robert Wolfe · « **Reply #35 on:** April 06, 2022, 04:27:06 PM »

James Levy or Ian - do you know if the top two are being produced commercially? Or, were they one off castings?

LynnC · « **Reply #36 on:** April 06, 2022, 04:38:53 PM »

I too would be interested in the top two serpents.

Ian Pratt · « **Reply #37 on:** April 06, 2022, 05:41:54 PM »

James we may have opened a can of serpents with those photos....

Levy · « **Reply #38 on:** April 06, 2022, 06:49:42 PM »

Guys, I wish I had a definitive answer for your questions, but it was a long time ago. I'm pretty sure that I purchased the two top serpents from Jim White's basement store in Shoshone, WY in the 80's. I went by his place two or three times when I was hunting out there. As I remember, he had a full body mount of a buffalo in his house and a nice store/trading post in his basement and a fort in his yard. I doubt the castings were one-offs and were probably available back then. I don't know what his source was. I bought them for a number of reasons, but mainly because they were obviously molded from originals. James Levy

LynnC · « **Reply #39 on:** April 06, 2022, 07:08:00 PM »

Ah. Too good to be true but I was hoping. Thanks, Mr Levy

“ we may have opened a can of serpents “ 😁

Ian Pratt · « **Reply #40 on:** April 06, 2022, 08:45:22 PM »

Here's a similar one I made for another gun and the same style of trade gun pipes also used on the black snake gun. If I can find the pictures later I'll post the tool I made to create those ribbed brass pipes, kind of a quick way to do it but it works well

rich pierce · « **Reply #41 on:** April 06, 2022, 08:58:11 PM »

Ian, I’d love to see how you made the thimbles.

Robert Wolfe · « **Reply #42 on:** April 07, 2022, 01:55:45 AM »

Thanks James/Ian for getting my hopes up!

Cool stuff, thanks for posting.

Ian Pratt · « **Reply #43 on:** April 07, 2022, 02:16:10 AM »

I made these punches thinking they'd save time over making something more along the lines of a top and bottom swage. If I thought I'd be making a lot of these trade gun pipes I'd have gone the extra mile, but really this works quite well.

I cleaned off the end of a a square bar of mild steel, layed out a pattern and chiseled / filed in the ridges and furrows.

From there I struck the punch with a hammer into a chunk of lead to create an impression, then set annealed pieces of sheet brass over the impression and drove the punch into the brass.

To save time making tools and get back to more exciting gun work, the punch was made half the length of the pipes. To make the full length pattern I reverse it and hammer again.

Here's one quickly rolled around an unsuspecting drill bit and pinched in the vise to create the tab.

I have made a couple others with different patterns.

rich pierce · « **Reply #44 on:** April 07, 2022, 02:35:27 AM »

You make lots of things look easy. Thanks! I will give it a try. I was thinking I needed a top and bottom steel swage. This is a better use of time for occasional use.

Ian Pratt · « **Reply #45 on:** April 07, 2022, 02:47:34 AM »

A couple pictures of making the sideplate - I usually design a sideplate by drawing it right on the gun after the lock bolts are in and the panel is shaped. When I come up with something that makes me happy I trace it and glue the paper to whatever stock I'm using.

Ian Pratt · « **Reply #46 on:** April 07, 2022, 02:54:44 AM »

Quote from: rich pierce on April 07, 2022, 02:35:27 AM

You make lots of things look easy. Thanks! I will give it a try.

You're welcome Rich! Remember, if it seems difficult, grab a bigger hammer. Works every time.

BOB HILL · « **Reply #47 on:** April 07, 2022, 09:23:21 AM »

Thanks fellows for sharing this great information.
Bob

bobw · « **Reply #48 on:** April 07, 2022, 06:04:06 PM »

Ian,
I ave a Bridgeport mill, lathe, surface grinder, shaper plus much more in my shop and the forming tool you made could be made using the shaper. But…I find many times it is easier to make things by hand, exactly like you did, it’s just plain faster. Interest seeing how you did it….Nice tutorial of the process.
Thanks,
Bob

B.Barker · « **Reply #49 on:** April 08, 2022, 03:37:39 AM »

Ian, where did you get your graver bit from?

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Author Topic: Black Snake Gun (Read 7630 times)