"New" old Colonial kit

[Old and grumpy]

"New" old Colonial kit

Found a kit for $75. Would be about $200 now. Missing one small screw. Last one took 30 years.

 kit colonial 001.JPG (493.95 kB, 1200x900 - viewed 35 times.)

 kit colonial 005.JPG (443 kB, 1200x900 - viewed 40 times.)


The goal is to have it look better than the Kentucky I built. So far so good. I strapped down
the barrel and went to the range. It goes BANG! Now to make it look good. I soaked it with
ugly dark stain before I started sanding hoping to have dark highlights when it is done. I left
the flats plain. After the whole thing is stained with "Gun Stock" they should contrast nicely. The Kentucky had the same two stain treatment Just not a pre-sanding soaking.

I don't like the way the front looks. I ordered a nose cap that I think I can mod and fit. Will thin  and contour the wood to make it look sleeker. Also thinking about a brass butt cap.

The Tenon pin is just a ugly iron pin that adds nothing.That is the reason for the string. Am looking for other ideas.

This is her with the other girls. All black.

 Go ahead and laugh at the tiny one. Everyone does until she barks.

 

[RonRC]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

"Go ahead and laugh at the tiny one. Everyone does until she barks."

I learned that you never laugh at a fellow with a gun in hand, regardless of the size of the gun!

Ron

 

[exMember]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

good little pistols! I had one years and years ago and enjoyed it a lot. I like the shorter barreled pistols rather than todays 8" - 10" long barrels. Just seems better to have that shorter, easier to handle barrel.

Looking forward to the progress!

 

[lighthorseman]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

I built both..."many years ago". The first one I built for my dad and found a student engraver who did some floral engraving on the nose cap and side plate. The little one I built and ended up selling. It was my one and only attempt at checkering....and I actually did pretty well. I agree the forend needs thinning, but I'd personally do a pewter nose cap, now that I know how easy it is.

The small cap and ball is screaming for a cartridge conversion! :cheers:

 

[Old and grumpy]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

The small cap and ball is screaming for a cartridge conversion!

This converts it from .22 cap&ball magnum to .22 LR cartridge.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/615667539

The Black Powder Minis are fun. Should probably have it's own topic.  They load 4gr of 4F under a 30gr bullet. Barks loud. Very short range gun. Not a toy. Roughly based on the Rem 1858.

https://northamericanarms.com/product-category/firearms/cap-ball/
Can order them straight from NAA no FFL.

I want one that is color case hardened like this.

 

[lighthorseman]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

A good grouse gun to carry in one's pocket!

 

[hawkthrower]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

Just dress it up and the pin seems to disappear!

 

[Old and grumpy]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

It's coming along nicely.

A question about the trigger. On the Kentucky the trigger is not in contact with the lock until I pull it. It flops around and just does not feel right. I am thinking of using a hair pin spring something like this scribble to give it just a little lift and stop the rattling . The loop would go over the axle then bend the ends to hook the trigger and base.

Any better ideas?

 

[hawkthrower]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

O&G,
The whisker spring works!
I've seen newer CVA and some Traditions  sidelocks use a whisker spring to take up the slack/gap between the trigger and the sear arm. The other way to reduce the gap, and the associated trigger slop, is to inlet the trigger more deeply into the stock. Be careful doing this - too much depth and the trigger will contact the sear arm and may cause possible misfires.

 

[Old and grumpy]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

Thanks. I thought I was on the right track. Time to shop for springs. Will post pics to show how I retrofit the old style.

For the tenon pin I am going to leave it long and look for some small brass fittings that I can drill to fit over the pin and inlay over it latter on.

 

[Old and grumpy]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

This is what it looks like now. I took 1/4" off the inside curve of the grip (might take more) and thinned the grip side to side where my fingers lay.. Have not decided on what to do with the nose but am thinking about a brass Hawken nose cap like Hawkthrower posted. I am thinning the front end of the stock and have tapered the top edge down back to front 1/8" to fool the eye and make it not look so boxy.

Also picked up a flash cup for it and the Kentucky along with a butt cap. I was surprised how heavy and thick the cap is. It will turn it into a war club!

Have you fitted a butt cap? (the grand kids think this is funny) Any Tricks or tips? Also need to make a retainer spring for the rod.

The tenon pin was easier to fit than I thought.




Attached Thumbnails

 

 

 

 

[Old and grumpy]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

I've started to clean up the butt cap. It's very rough. The only instruction I could find on fitting was from TOW. They say to file finish the inside edge first. I assume that making the edge thinner is what they mean. Should I make it knife edge thin? Could not find much on YouTube. Will go slow when I start working the wood.

Was very happy with the flash cup. On the Kentucky there was no crud at all around the rear of the gun. Much faster to clean.

 

[Eichholz]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

What kind of rifling does it have?
In Ancient Times a friend bought a percussion pistol looked like this, except longer barrel. Had shallow multigroove rifling. He took it to Old Westmoreland matches, circa 1969. Everyone else had custom made thingys with the lock upside down & backwards, whatever. Friend's gun wouldn't hit worth a @#$%, with proper soft lead balls. Friend normally competed with a 1911, handloaded. So he ran some balls using the hard lead as in his 1911. Gun shot. Outshot everyone else on the line. 
Secret is, yeah you gotta use soft lead with these things, unless they are too shallow of groove to grip the rifling. Then might maybe sin & throw in som antimony, maybe along with tin.

 

[hawkthrower]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

You will want the edges where they meet the inlet on the stock to be regular and crisp so that the wood can be filed true to the brass. By squaring and evening the edges you should be able to get them to an evenly balanced shape and squared or slightly tapered in toward the wood. when inletting for the cap remember that as the cap settles up on the butt of the pistol the strap will rise and the inlet will need to be adjusted as you go. Take it slowly and fit the cap leaving extra wood if you can so you will have wood to remove to match the brass when you are satisfied with the fit. Post how it goes!

 

[Old and grumpy]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

Butt Cap Update---

Thanks for the tips. They help.

This would have been better if I fitted the cap before sanding down and thinning the grip. Would leave more room for error.  The cap was a after thought. Note for the next one-- go butt first!

It is still going to work out fine.  I still need to set it deeper to get the wood to match the brass.
these pics are not done. I am thinking of attaching the cap with a iron lanyard ring. Sort of a cavalry pistol. Don't mind if it's not authentic.

 Colonial Butt Cap 003.JPG (356 kB, 1200x900 - viewed 0 times.)

 Colonial Butt Cap 004.JPG (366.31 kB, 1200x900 - viewed 0 times.)

 

[exMember]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

Wow! That's a hell of a job in letting that butt cap!

 

[Old and grumpy]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

Nerve wracking!  Never done anything like it. One shot deal. Have to get it right first time or I'm screwed. I'm falling back on stuff my dad showed me. Wish I had listened more.On lots of stuff.
-------
About your Shoot Out. From what I read it would not be a every day lube. You said know when to stop. On a tight patched rod would it work for smokeless?   I also make lubed fiber over powder wads for Cap&Ball. Would they be too wet with shoot out? If left loaded would it kill the powder? 

I have a box full of old product.Might need more. Still working with 50 year old <a href='/tags/9' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #9'>#9</a>. A good vintage! Good smell.

 

[Old and grumpy]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

Looking for the Brown truck of happiness. Parts order from TOW coming! Nose cap, tools ,screws and stuff. This thing may look too pimped out when I'm done.

 

[Eichholz]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

O & G - on April 21 you said ". . . tight patched rod would it work for smokeless?"

Out of context, surely. I just get uneasy when the S word is used on a muzzle loading forum

 

[Old and grumpy]

Re: "New" old Colonial kit

O & G - on April 21 you said ". . . tight patched rod would it work for smokeless?"

Out of context, surely. I just get uneasy when the S word is used on a muzzle loading forum

Should have been clear. Just wondered If the product would work in a old S*^%&^* bore. The bore in question does go back and overlap the end of the BP cartridge days. Looks like it fired quite a few. Needs help.

Forgive me O Gods of Carbon and Sulphor! I have sinned.