Sporting an old Beaumont

[Ajohns]

I decided to try my hand a little custom work on an old Beaumont. I had sold a 45/70 some years ago and thought maybe this could be a good replacement. The bore slugged .458 so I tried it out as a full length rifle first, and it shot good. Cases looked good, so I thought I'd pursue it. In the Gunsmithing section I had asked about removing the old rear sight, and I got it off. Just not sure about the spot where it sat if there's actually silver left or not. We'll see. I had to make one a stock for my purpose out of two. One was cracked bad on the left side of the action, the other cut short in the fore end. I wanted a 22" barrel full stock, so this is what I came up with. I have a fore end cap from an old Win Highwall for the tip. I added a trigger guard from an old muzzle loader for a little pistol grip too. Then I removed the little screw on the rear of the bolt with a snap ring pliers and am making a peep for it. Soon I will glue the stock together and sand it up, stain it. Get a front sight on and try finish the rest up. Hopefully I can have it for deer season in November. Hope you guys like it. Something different I guess.

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[Dan Cash]

I doubt you will find anyone else in the woods with one of those. Interesting project.

[Texas by God]

Excellent work- keep us posted on this, please.

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[Ajohns]

Ya I doubt anyone I'd run into out hunting would have a spare round in their pocket. I will keep posting as I move along, hopefully more soon. Thanks guys.

[meistermash]

I have two bowmonts. Yeah I can't spell it.
Both in original configuration.
Following this thread.
I've shot both.
Had to make an ejector for one of them.

[skeettx]

Yes, I also have two Beaumonts, I really like the mainspring in the bolt handle
Mike

[Ajohns]

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Glued the stock together last weekend. I'll work on fitting the High Wall tip on soon, then sand this down and stain it. Waiting for the 7/32 - 40 tap I ordered to finish the bolt peep. Basically after that I have a few odds to do and I should be able to test fire for some groups. Debating on trying to blue this thing or leave it in the white, but I think I'll try some cold blue first. My guy that did hot bluing quit, so I'm kinda outa luck there unless I send it away.

[Texas by God]

Ajohns- Brown it; easy to do and looks proper.

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[Ajohns]

Suppose I could, haven't tried that yet on anything. I have cold blue though, we'll see what plays out.

[Ajohns]

Been dragging my feet a little, but am moving along bit by bit. Found out my machining skills are maybe a little better than my wood skills, but it'll be ok. Finished the bolt peep and started sanding on the stock. There's not much left to do there but the finish sanding and fit the forend tip. Fall is here at home, I'm getting ready.

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[Der Gebirgsjager]

Great project. Looking good. Saw a fellow with one of these (unaltered) years ago at a range. He was eating up the 10 ring with it at 100 yds. He had made the cartridges from something else (I forget the exact details) and used rubber "O" rings around the top of the rims to assure head space.

[TheGrimReaper]

I'm really liking it!

[Ajohns]

Well the weekend was a success. Though I know cold bluing isn't the best for durability, the metal took to it very well. I was really happy how it turned out. Finish sanded the stock and gave it four coats of truoil before it quit soaking in, the final time of rubbing it down with 0000 steel wool is ready. The next set of pictures should be when it's ready to fire.

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[Der Gebirgsjager]

Looking good! Waiting to see how it shoots.

[Guy La Pourqe]

Well isn’t that just the finest build you could ask for!!! Sorry for being dense... but what is the caliber? I’d love to see more pics and a range report too...

[Ajohns]

It's the original what they call the 43 Beaumont round. 11.2x52R I think? It slugs to .458 though so maybe they were going by bore diameter. It has power equivalent basically of a Trapdoor Springfield 45/70 thereabouts. I will have some finished pictures soon, then load up some more rounds and try the target.

[Texas by God]

Pegging the cool meter.

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[KCSO]

The paper patch slugs were small as we do things today and they were meant to slug up in the bore. Just about like my 43 Mauser that runs 450 in the grooves and 440 on the lands. A 446 paper patch rides right in the forcing cone and slugs up just fine.

That will be a dandy deer rifle!

[KCSO]

The paper patch slugs were small as we do things today and they were meant to slug up in the bore. Just about like my 43 Mauser that runs 450 in the grooves and 440 on the lands. A 446 paper patch rides right in the forcing cone and slugs up just fine.

That will be a dandy deer rifle!

[Ajohns]

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I couldnt wait. I just had to see what this is gonna look like. I need to blue the small parts and then, then its time to try it out.

[Guy La Pourqe]

Perfect!

The magazine isn’t in it in that pic, right? What are they like? How many rounds? Can extras still be found?

[Ajohns]

In the previous pictures except where the guns in the window, the gun is being held in my vise by the magazine. I think they hold four rounds, you can find them on gb or ebay if youd need one.

[Ajohns]

The one thing I'm seeing now more than ever is what I forgot about how steady I can hold a full length stock rifle. I really need to weigh this when done, it balances very nice. Blue the butt plate, barrel band and screws when I get a few hours and this one is feeling the need for a round through the barrel.

[fiberoptik]

Fine looking weapon!


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[Ajohns]

Well, it's done. But six inches of rain Friday kinda made it tough to shoot. We'll get to that soon.

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[Ajohns]

Had to try a different/ bigger trigger guard. The one pictured in the above post made me put my pinky behind it. Didn't like that. Then walked up the shots to center at 75 yds. have to shoot more, but this rain is the pits.

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[Dan Cash]

I like.

[fiberoptik]

Weird looking clip.


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[NBraun]

Good looking project! Would you mind sharing your load? A friend of mine has one of these and was curious about getting it shooting.

[Ajohns]

NBraun, yes. I went through this thing to make sure there were no cracks and such, the action itself was pretty decent for lockup and headspace. So, keep that in mind. Right now until I get some cast, I've been using 350gr Berrys plated with IMR 4198. I started at 32grs and have worked to 33.5 right now. I've been taking my sweet time but, they shoot pretty well considering me, the trigger, and my trigger finger. I'm going to shoot this through the chrony and see where they're at. If I'm at or around the 1300-1400 fps mark, that's enough for me.

[NBraun]

Thanks! I was under the impression that all Beaumonts were black powder? Is that the case, and your smokeless load is just low enough pressure it doesn't cause an issue?

[Ajohns]

It's info from this site, years ago. I'm sure all were black, but these I believe (and other loads I've saw) are in the range of trapdoor springfield pressures.

[NBraun]

Gotcha, that makes sense.