Suggestions Please.

[StrawHat]

Okay, I am posting this on another forum also so forgive me if you've seen it before.

I am refinishing a frankenrifle I built.

The stock will be stained chestnut and finished with Danish Oil.

The metal is where I need help.

I can make sound arguments for bright metal, brown or blue.

What are your thoughts?

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc194/StrawHat/IMGP0959.jpg

Thanks for the input.

[DLCTEX]

To me, it calls for brown. DALE

[timkelley]

Brown :)

[jameslovesjammie]

Brown, but I also think French Gray would look kinda neat.

http://www.shilohrifle.com/images/cust_features/french_gray.jpg

[jjamna]

It is your gun-you built it It doesn't matter what color I think it should be. It is your creation, so it should be the color you want it to be.

[13Echo]

Well, it is your rifle and you can finish it like you like and it will look fine. The barrelled action is an 1866 Trapdoor Springfield. Fresh from the arsenal the block was blackened, lock and hammer case hardened and the barrel and trigger guard were "armory bright" which is bare steel with a very finely finished but not mirror polished surface. The stocks were finished with Linseed oil. After a hundred years of use and neglect the steel patinas to a brown to grey brown and the stocks become reddish-brown. The color case hardening usual fades unless the rifle was stored in the dark.

You've put together a rather handsome looking Frankentrap. Since it is still military in appearance I would try finish it as such, and, perhaps, try to recreate the patina colors. I guess I'd blue the block a very dark, almost black blue but hand polish to keep the edges sharp and not polish too fine. The barrel and action I'd brown or blue as I haven't ever had much luck recreating the rather attractive armory bright finish, and I'd brown or blue the furniture. An oil stock finish is in order and I'd try to recreate the Armory red color of the original Springfield stocks. The CMP website even has an article on doing this.

Please show us the finished product.

Jerry Liles

[StrawHat]

13Echo is correct.

My Frankentrapper started as an 1866 rifle. At some point it was purchased by the Bannermanns and shortened. Not sure where it went after that but eventually it got to me. Nothing but the barreled action, no stock, lock, sights, nothing but the barrel.

Later I found an Italian 1841 Mississippi Rifle with a bad barrel so was able to get it cheap. I then married the two and while not 100% authentic, it is not too bad.

I will stain the wood shortly and post photos at that time.

I have considered replaceing the brass with iron parts but will probably stay with brass unless I fall into the iron parts cheaply.

Thank you for the ideas and comments. I appreciate them and enjoy hearing from you.

[StrawHat]

Not quite done, and not a rook rifle, but here it is with the chestnut stain and Danish Oil. Barrel and action have been left as is for now.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc194/StrawHat/IMGP1117.jpg

I may clean the barrel and let it age naturally but for now it stays as is.

[Frank46]

Strawhat, looks nice. Reminds me of the old tv westerns where the good guys were
shooting flinklocks but you could see the trapdoor hammer. Kinda retro. Frank

[timkelley]

Super!:-D

[StrawHat]

Strawhat, looks nice. Reminds me of the old tv westerns where the good guys were
shooting flinklocks but you could see the trapdoor hammer. Kinda retro. Frank


I had forgotten about those movies.

I got the barreled action and was hoping to rebuild it with original 2nd Allin parts, when I saw how expensive that was going to be I thought about using an 1861 musket. None of those came my way in condition that warranted conversion.

Finally about 10 years after I got the action, I was in a gunshop and spied the 1841. The price was right because the barrel was a mess so it came home.

I inletted for the horseshoe spring and notched the lock for the action cam.

The barrel channel was huge (italians have bigger barrels) so I glass bedded the barrel, tang and rear of the action.

A hammer extension so it hits the firing pin and the "conversion" was complete.

Now, I will see if the old patina grows on me or if it needs a new rusting.