Author Topic: Original Blunderbuss - Making the proof marks (Read 6474 times)

Bigmon · « **Reply #25 on:** September 10, 2024, 08:17:06 PM »

I would like to find or build one like #3, if I could find a barrel?

WKevinD · « **Reply #26 on:** September 10, 2024, 10:01:54 PM »

This is one I built years ago in Kit Ravenshires garage shop with him suggesting and critiquing all the while as he worked on his own projects. Getz barrel (.75 caliber at the breech) TRS Iron 1st model lock and hardware.
Miss those days.

Kevin

Hudnut · « **Reply #27 on:** September 10, 2024, 11:01:12 PM »

I've had these locks for years. About 6", appropriate for a blunderbuss. Should get a piece of brass and fire up the lathe.

Hudnut · « **Reply #28 on:** September 12, 2024, 04:18:28 PM »

What type of brass is suitable for making a barrel? There are all sorts of alloys.

Hungry Horse · « **Reply #29 on:** September 12, 2024, 06:32:14 PM »

The only one I ever made was made from a bronze propellor shaft out of an old boat. It wasn’t a lot easier to bore than iron, or mild steel, would be.

Hungry Horse

Levy · « **Reply #30 on:** September 12, 2024, 11:33:23 PM »

Bigmon,
I think your blunderbuss was sold by Navy Arms Co. years ago with the Lott lock, if my old memory serves me right. I think the lock was available by itself too. James Levy

davec2 · « **Reply #31 on:** September 13, 2024, 07:04:05 AM »

Hudnut,

485 leaded Naval brass looks to be a suitable alloy. Relatively easy to machine. Good mechanical properties .

Hudnut · « **Reply #32 on:** September 13, 2024, 03:00:19 PM »

Thank you!

Bigmon · « **Reply #33 on:** September 13, 2024, 04:28:58 PM »

Levy, and all.
Thanks for the input.
Regarding a BB barrel. Do you think it would be possible to heat and slightly flare a heavy shotgun barrel to get the muzzle effect. I am meaning just a slight flare as sometimes seen on the longer barrelled ones?
Perhaps this should be a seperate post?
Regards to all.

Hudnut · « **Reply #34 on:** September 13, 2024, 07:54:52 PM »

I see that onlinemetals.com lists 485 Naval brass in appropriate diameters.

davec2 · « **Reply #35 on:** September 15, 2024, 03:04:37 AM »

OK.....I have the go ahead, so I will start to round up brass bar stock and parts for this little blunderbuss project. When I start in ernest (shortly) I will start the build up as a new thread. Thanks for all the comments and interest....

Daryl · « **Reply #36 on:** September 15, 2024, 03:34:23 AM »

Looking forward to it, Dave.

Xenophon · « **Reply #37 on:** September 21, 2024, 03:23:35 AM »

The side plate in those photos is absolutely wonderful!

davec2 · « **Reply #38 on:** September 22, 2024, 07:44:50 PM »

I have begun gathering parts including the brass round stock for the barrel. I was going to start another thread for the replication of this little blunderbuss but decided that it might be better to just keep this one going so that I don't have to repost all the photos of the original. I will change the title of this thread as the work progresses. I will post some photos later today of the start of the barrel work.

davec2 · « **Reply #39 on:** September 23, 2024, 06:54:53 AM »

Gathering parts that are close to the original. Here is the original lock compared to one of Chamber's English fowler locks.....

Some options for the trigger guard.......

The guard with the acorn finial is a little too big in the bow and the bow is too narrow. I will go with the trigger guard with the fancier finial just for the size and shape of the bow.

This butt plate can be easily modified to almost exactly match the original....

This side plate is very close to the original but I may just duplicate the original by making a silicone mold and then doing a centrifugal casting in brass....

Rounded up the brass bar stock for the barrel. Got it set up in the lathe and started the pilot hole through. The bore will be about a 7 gage when finished.....

Seth Isaacson · « **Reply #40 on:** September 23, 2024, 06:55:10 PM »

Everyone loves to make the big bore blunderbusses it seems and understandably so, but a lot of them in the latter half of the 18th century and into the early 19th century were actually fairly small bore once you get to the straighter section of the bore. I've measured a lot of them from 28 to 10 bore, and it seems like right around 16 bore was pretty common. The earlier ones tend to be bigger bore, but that isn't always the case. I really like seeing how different so many of them are in terms of bore size, flare design, opening at the muzzle, etc.

davec2 · « **Reply #41 on:** September 23, 2024, 08:36:08 PM »

Seth,

Thanks so much for the comments about bore size. The original that I have in my hands now is the only original flintlock (of any type) that I have ever seen. When I measured it, the bore in this one is ~0.9" I was surprised by that just because of the overall size of the gun. I just assumed that, being as small as it is, it would have a smaller bore. I had originally guessed that it might be as large as a 12 bore so I slid a 3/4" diameter hardwood dowel into the bore expecting that it would stop at the end of the flared muzzle section.....but it fit very loosely all the way to the breach plug. I wrapped the dowel with tape until I got a slightly tight fit in the cylindrical section of the bore and the taped diameter was 0.9". The plan right now is to make the bore of the replica smaller than that (~0.843) but I may go down to a 12 gage (0.725) based on your information.

Thanks again...

Seth Isaacson · « **Reply #42 on:** September 23, 2024, 10:21:03 PM »

Quote from: davec2 on September 23, 2024, 08:36:08 PM

Seth,

Thanks so much for the comments about bore size. The original that I have in my hands now is the only original flintlock (of any type) that I have ever seen. When I measured it, the bore in this one is ~0.9" I was surprised by that just because of the overall size of the gun. I just assumed that, being as small as it is, it would have a smaller bore. I had originally guessed that it might be as large as a 12 bore so I slid a 3/4" diameter hardwood dowel into the bore expecting that it would stop at the end of the flared muzzle section.....but it fit very loosely all the way to the breach plug. I wrapped the dowel with tape until I got a slightly tight fit in the cylindrical section of the bore and the taped diameter was 0.9". The plan right now is to make the bore of the replica smaller than that (~0.843) but I may go down to a 12 gage (0.725) based on your information.

Thanks again...

You're welcome. There are/were definitely plenty that big made too as your example clearly shows. I've definitely measured others that had the main bore size right around 1 inch.

I look forward to seeing your completed project.

Bigmon · « **Reply #43 on:** September 23, 2024, 10:39:38 PM »

Have you looked at the L$R Queen Anne lock? While I would prefer the Chambers lock, the L&R looks a little more like the original. At least to me?

davec2 · « **Reply #44 on:** September 23, 2024, 11:06:44 PM »

Bigmon,

Yes....I looked at the L&R lock as well. Both the L&R and the Chambers locks are very close to the original but I do like the quality of the Chambers locks. The original has a wider lock plate and a slightly larger cock and, of course, doesn't have the raised moulding on the Chambers lock. The tail of the Chambers lock is also a little "pointy-er" but both the lock tail and moulding can be reshaped. The width of the original lock plate and the shape behind the cock are ther most significant difference to my eye.

The original lock is actually right between a Brown Bess lock and the Chambers in size and heft. But since the fellow I am doing this for is not hard over on an exact replica of the original, I didn't want to take on the additional work of remaking a Bess lock. I may do some welding and reshaping of the Chambers lock plate as things progress.

Thanks for the suggestion though....I appreciate any help I can get

davec2 · « **Reply #45 on:** September 26, 2024, 04:24:12 AM »

A little more work on the barrel today. Finished drilling the pilot through with a long 1/2" drill. Then bored the breach for a 1 1/8-12 breach plug and tapped it. Waiting now for a long bore size drill to finish the bore.

Rolf · « **Reply #46 on:** September 26, 2024, 11:05:52 AM »

Any problems with the pilot wandering? I always have to drill from both ends to reduce wandering.

Best regards
Rolf

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #47 on:** September 26, 2024, 07:16:31 PM »

Apparently, Rolf and I having similar thoughts. Was wondering if it had to be drilled similar to ramrod hole, little bit at a time.

Really admiring the extent of research you are doing to keep this project as original as possible. Next you will need to make a waterwheel, and overhead shafts with leather belts.

Bigmon · « **Reply #48 on:** September 26, 2024, 07:41:01 PM »

I believe Chambers offers that same lock without the molding on the plate? I think they call it the Colonial?? Simple enough to remove though.
Good luck with the project, looking great.

davec2 · « **Reply #49 on:** September 26, 2024, 08:00:02 PM »

Rolf & Craig - In an effort to keep the drill from wandering, I did as you mentioned and drilled from both ends with a shorter, stiffer drill as deep as I could....and I did that by "peck" drilling in small increments to constantly clear chips. That left about an inch and a half in the center un-drilled. I used the long drill in the photos to finish the center section. The bore drill will be 0.843 in diameter and is long enough to reach past center. I will run a reamer through after drilling, so it should all be OK.

Bigmon - Yes they do offer the same lock without the borders, but this one was in stock and the Colonial was not....and I will leave it up to the owner whether he wants me to leave the border on or remove it.

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Author Topic: Original Blunderbuss - Making the proof marks (Read 6474 times)