Tiny .410 fowler project

[Justin Urbantas]

So, this is something I've been planning for a while, and I think I'll start after I finish my sporting gun.  I wanted to build a flintlock to get the kids started in the old guns. I picked up a Savage .410 barrel for like $40, then chopped it off and threaded it for a breech plug.
The barrel is 21 1/2" and weighs about a pound and a half.
I think I can get the whole gun under 4 lbs.
With an 11 1/2" lop, the whole gun will be about 34" long.
The furniture is a mix of some pistol parts, and some small castings I got in an auction.  I did a bit of work on the buttplate and triggerguard a while back.
 I picked up the walnut board for like $20 from the wood shop where my dad works.
I'm still trying to decide between the John Bailes and small Chamber's locks, and the two sideplates. I'll make a thread when I get this thing started in the next month or two.
Should be pretty fun.

[smart dog]

Hi Justin,
With that acorn trigger guard, a flat lock is more appropriate although the Chambers is a better made lock. Another option is to modify a small Siler.
 




dave

[Hungry Horse]

 I made a 410 tradegun for my son when he was about six, he’s 35 now. That little 410 changed everything I thought I knew about smoothbores. The barrel was made from an old 410 modern shotgun that I shortened, turned wedding rings on, and filed an octagon breech on.
 My biggest mistake were, not making it a little larger (kids grow so fast he only used it a couple of years). I also learned that you can make a pinned in trigger scary light, and it is hard to fix.
 That little gun will outshoot all the unmolested cylinder bored larger smoothbores when shooting shot. It shoots like a full choked smoothbore, but due to it bore size tends to string the shot pattern. Good luck.

 Hungry Horse

[Justin Urbantas]

Thanks Dave. I think I'll go with the little Bailes lock, and save the round face for something else. What lock did you end up using Hungry Horse? I figured I'll build them each another gun in a few years. Also I thought I could get kids at rendezvous shooting and maybe use it years from now if I'm lucky enough to get grandkids.

[Hungry Horse]

The lock on mine was a cheap kit gun pistol lock that didn’t even have a bridle. I found a bridle that fit. Reshape the lock. Then retempered the springs. All because it was the right size, and the frizzen sparked well, never again.
 By the way, it was all worth it the first my little guy walked down traders row with that little trade gun under his arm.

Hungry Horse