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View Full Version : Building the Traditions St. Louis Hawken kit



FrontierMuzzleloading
12-27-2017, 12:09 AM
Dec 26th 2017

Now to make pappy happy, is get to work on his kit rifle. I got a good start so far, just going slow and doing a lot of extra fine detail. Tomorrow I will inlet the trigger guard and then look at bedding the stock.

Traditions St.Louis Hawken
.50cal
28 Barrel - 1:48 Twist
https://s5.postimg.org/arhtlst5j/100_0089.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

First thing I started with was the de burring process. I use both sand paper ( 100 - 150 - 220 grit ) and a sharp wood carving tool. I have both flat and half round carving tools which makes fine detailed wood removal easier. Wood scrapers also are a huge help.
https://s5.postimg.org/l1k8l1ygn/100_0102.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://s5.postimg.org/u9ch1qxt3/100_0103.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

After using multiple scrapers & sand paper, the stock channel, lock and tang are smooth and ready to be bedded later on in the build.
https://s5.postimg.org/8mxgkqu3r/100_0104.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

With the stock channel ready, I moved onto the lock and was very surprised to see that this rifle, only needed sand paper and a little rubbing in order for the lock to drop right into place. I did open up the inletting a little towards the front. Once I wet sand, stain, apply finish, the wood will swell and cause a tight fit, which then causes you to have to go back with a scraper and remove a little finish. I prefer to avoid removing finish whenever possible.
https://s5.postimg.org/t72aj8253/100_0110.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://s5.postimg.org/o8es4oqmf/100_0108.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

Moving on to the nose cap, I did both, file down the wood and de-burr the inside of the nose cap. We can see here in the wood that if we tried to simply put the nose cap over the wood, we would be in trouble as the burrs or castings, is course and interfering with the wood to metal fit. Two things can actually be done. #1 is to remove the burrs with a small dremmel tool which is very easy. #2 you can actually measure how much slag there is in the nose cap. Say it it is 1/8" long, simply remove 1/8" or slightly more from the wood of the stock. I used the dremmel way and removed the brass slag that was left over from casting.
https://s5.postimg.org/h63iw99zb/100_0117.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

Also, the nose cap had to be widened just a bit in order for the barrel to slip down in between the nose cap.
https://s5.postimg.org/6w13x0rtj/100_0118.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

krallstar
12-27-2017, 08:43 AM
looking good. I plan on building 1 in the future. I remember a place called service merchandise sold these kits for $79.00 wish i had bought a bunch back then.

izzyjoe
12-27-2017, 10:57 AM
Looks good, I've built a few of those, but mine were cva's I remember they leave a lot of wood on those stocks, that requires lots of thining and sanding to make em' feel right. I tossed the sights that they come with, used a marbles buckhorn rear, and bead front.

Eddie2002
12-27-2017, 05:49 PM
I built an Investa Arms from Cabella's a while back and still remember that it was a good 1/4 inch proud around the butt cap. Had to take a belt sander to it to remove all the extra wood.
Nice looking kit and you are doing it up right. More pictures as you go please. :)

GoexBlackhorn
12-27-2017, 10:19 PM
You've done so many of these kits, you can probably do one matchgrade blindfolded Jon!

NC_JEFF
12-27-2017, 10:26 PM
I worked my way thru a Traditions 50 Cal Long Rifle kit about 20 years ago. It looks great and I still take it out to shoot about one session a year. Your looks like it will turn out great with the attention to detail you've shown so far.

oldracer
12-27-2017, 11:32 PM
Looking great so far! A couple of things that might help are: Use some super glue to glue the breech plug to the tang after you make sure they fit together as near perfect as possible. I use some of an old tube of my wife's bright red lipstick as a marker. The other is to fit it all together and make sure some caps fire then take it to the range for a few shows before all the fine finish work you plan to do. That makes sure the breech seats in the stock well. Nice wood work on the kit so far!
John

FrontierMuzzleloading
12-28-2017, 12:39 AM
Sounds like a plan!

Got the lock, trigger and tang screw installed tonight. I almost had a fit and the lock kept getting TIGHT to the point I had to wank back hard in order for the fly to drop. After taking my other 2 rifles apart and swapping parts and testing, I decided to put the original lock in with some grease. I found a rub spot made by the tumbler that sticks out slightly past the bridle. I used some hot glue in the lock inletting and then dropped the lock flush to the wood and waited for it the cool. Screwed the lock into place and she was perfect! I will use a much better material to shim the lock, and remove a little extra wood as added insurance. WHEW! My face finally has some feeling after that stress.

missionary5155
12-28-2017, 08:23 AM
Good morning
Your dad will be right proud to carry that caliber 50 about !
Mike in Peru

Texas by God
12-28-2017, 11:53 AM
I built a CVA Squirrel rifle, a deringer, A Kentucky rifle, and a Plains Pistol. I loved every minute of it except the sanding! I still have and use the Lyman .54 pistol. Thanks for sharing and the end result is anxiously awaited!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

oldracer
12-28-2017, 04:05 PM
Sanding, sanding.......three of my 45 caliber slug guns have a clear lacquer finish, somewhere around 25 coats with most sanded off! I did that to match the rifle I got from Roger Johnson.
John

FrontierMuzzleloading
01-02-2018, 11:28 PM
Not a whole lot to update on, Just a lot of wood removal and a little shaping in the wrist for a little more aggressive look to the wrist. Pulled the barrel off today after bedding it a few days ago and she looks good. Will bed the tang and trigger later tonight and then its all wood and brass work for there. Maybe have the old man get involved tomorrow and get a file with some 150 grit sand paper and prep the barrel for browning.

FrontierMuzzleloading
02-08-2018, 07:07 PM
https://s5.postimg.org/g0hmpf3t3/100_0787.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://s5.postimg.org/50wfdu893/100_0789.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
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https://s5.postimg.org/5dntk0b3b/100_0791.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
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