Back to Building

[Eric Krewson]

Well, the inner masochist came out in me for the last few days, I decide to resume work on a Haines flintlock rifle project. It was a kit gun I bought second hand and found it had so many flaws in the stock I didn't think I could complete it. One by one I am fixing the flaws, I think I can conceal my fixes with stain and finish where they will be invisible in the finished gun. Today it was inlet the barrel tang and fill the gaps with glued in shims. I created the small gap in the back, the stock profiler created the huge one at the front when the kit was made. My fixes will be stronger than the initial stock wood.

[Parnell]

Hmm, so just a touch of wood glue and then sand clean?

[Eric Krewson]

I used unibond but was surprised it didn't stick worth a hoot. I cut new wedges and glued them in with superglue gel which kept them rock solid. Next I used a file and dremel with a sanding drum to feather the lower part of the wedge into the side of the inlet, the gaps were only at the top.  I cut off the excess wood and drawfiled the tang and the patch to get a perfect fit.

Here is a similar fix after finishing a rifle, there were wedges inserted on both sides of the tang.

[Eric Krewson]

After going in the gizmo business for St Jude and finishing dropping a bows poundage so my aging body can accommodate shooting it comfortably I am out of projects.

I decided to resume work on my Haines rifle, the lock inlet repair in a past thread took the wind out of my sails and killed my enthusiasm.

Todays work was simple but after a layoff I found I need to relearn patience. I inletted the trigger plate slightly. When I get the plate in I will add the internals and head the trigger bars toward the sear on the lock. This is the most stunning piece of wood I have ever had in my shop, it is also splintery beyond belief and very difficult to cut cleanly.

First things first;

[Eric Krewson]

The trigger plate is in, it took a while because the extra curly wood is so splintery.

I made a little gadget with a refrigerator magnet to hold my parts over the lamp to black them, it sure saves the fingers.

[johnfolchetti]

That gadget looks great for holding parts like that.....not only saves the fingers but looks like it guarantees full lamp black across the part. Seems like I smudge part of it off every time I try to insert the part back into the inlet after blacking it. Great idea. Thanks for sharing that.

[Eric Krewson]

I started with a magnetic auto part retrieval tool, it worked but grabbed the part much tighter and was a bit cumbersome.

[Eric Krewson]

When the mushrooms and the garden comes in I seem to drop everything for food preservation.

[chamookman]

Yum - Nice diversion  ! Bob

[Eric Krewson]

I got my trigger in, it didn't work. I measured twice and cut once but found it is 1/8" to far back. I inletted a little more and moved it up, it fires the lock set but not unset. I think it needs to go a little deeper. I found prussian blue is a much better inletting marker than lamp soot or inletting black.

The first one I put in a TN rifle worked perfectly the first time I tried it. I am going to look at its sear/trigger bar orientation today and see what is different between the two.

I have a # 7 optivisor lens with a 4" focal length, I like it for detail work but it strains my neck if I use it too much.

I decided to order a new lens with longer focal length but found each lens is $32, almost what I paid for the whole rig. I noticed the chinese knock offs on ebay for $19 shipped, they come with 4 lenses of different power, I took a chance and ordered one, mainly for the lenses. When it came in I was surprised by the quality, it is almost as good as an optivisor and the lens are just the same and will fit an optivisor.

[Hawkdancer]

Handsome at work under visor !  Nice build along! 
Hawkdancer

[Deerhunter21]

I might build a muzzleloader once i get a job, but i dont know if i hace the right tools so ill just watch you for now`

[Eric Krewson]

I fixed the trigger by adding a piece of metal to the trigger bar to give it more leverage. The piece looks huge but works just fine. I may make it a little shorter if I have trouble cocking my lock, the trigger is right up against the sear now.

[Hawkdancer]

Deer hunter,
Bows are easier!  You just start accumulating tools one at a time, but buy the best you can afford.  Avoid cheap tools, but watch garage and estate sales.  Eric and the other gun makers can give you plenty of advise on what you need to start with.  Some of the tools cross over to both skill sets.  Learning those basic skills are also very important, as is developing patience.  Digging a hole is the only place tou can start at the top!
Hawkdancer

[Eric Krewson]

Tang bolt time; This always is a pain to get the hole centered on the tang, no matter how much I measure, punch and drill a pilot hole I usually get the hole off just a smidge. I did on this one as well but I am likely to be the only one that notices it.

For those who haven't done it; one drills a hole in the tang, down through the wrist and into the front of the trigger plate. Next you turn things upside down and drill with your tap drill back through the trigger plate. Then you pull the trigger plate and drill a clearance hole through the tang and wrist followed by a tap to thread the trigger plate for the tang bolt.





I counter sink the tang hole and always make a chattered mess of it but it doesn't show. my barrel shifted as I countersunk the hole and I was a little off on the angle. When I tightened the tang bolt the barrel moved up a little. One has to countersink at the same angle as the tang hole is drilled or this will happen. I redid my countersinking and corrected this barrel moving problem.