.36 cal. Flint Pistol

[waksupi]

I'm going to start collecting parts to build a new pistol. I'm figuring on one of Jim Chamber's Queen Anne flintlocks, and will be looking for a good barrel. Anyone got one for sale?
I would like to go with the .36, as I can then buy buckshot for ball. I don't remember though, what size shot is used? #00, or #000?
I'll most likely make the trigger, trigger guard, belt hook, and the other hardware needed. I still have some good walnut that is over 150 years old for the stock.
Once I get the project done, I'll have a Pedersoli .45 flint pistol for sale if anyone would be interested. It will be availabe in late September at the latest, as that is our last competition of the season that demands pistol. Good shooter, it's just against my grain to shoot a production ML of any sort.

[Cliff]

Triple ought 000 buck shot is supposed to be .360 diameter but might want to check some out to be certain. It may vary with source. Good Luck sounds like an interesting project. ATB

[shooter575]

waksupi, Take some pics as you go.We [I] would like to watch. I don't own a flinter.Think I need to build one.Got a nice 1816 stock and some extra orgional parts to start one though.

[KCSO]

I've got a 32 1-48 cut off 11" long that you can have. Don't let the slow twist hold you up a in 32 you get about the same velocity from the pistol as the rifle. The last one I built shot #1 place in the State games. I've done a lot of 32's lately that's why you get one free if yo want it.

[waksupi]

KCSO, I'd be happy to have it. I wasn't locked in on a caliber yet. I'm pretty sure that one is 00 buck. A friend from Canada shoots a .32, and it is very accurate.

Shooter, I can do pictures as I go along, but it won't be a fast project. The barrel will sure help things along, though! I was just out in the shop, looking at my wood supply, and started the trigger guard.

In the picture, you will see the first rough forging. I used a piece of old wrought iron, probably a hundred years old, from an old piece of farm equipment.

The next picture is with the drawn out pattern glued to the surface. Last picture is of the rough shaped guard. I'll next be draw filing it, and doing final shaping. The wrought iron is hard to work with to get a nice surface on, but it can be done. I'll draught the sides of the front and rear where it inlets into the stock, and will make a convex surface on the wide part of the guard. Once I have the shaping done, I will then weld on the pin tabs. I'll leave the long piece of metal on the end until the shaping is done, to make handling easier. Once the tabs are on, I will do the layout and engraving.

[waksupi]

The page isn't letting my attachment through. I'll try again later.

[waksupi]

I finally got it down small enough to load. Magnifying glass not included.

[waksupi]

Well, I had some time today to start this project. The boss told me yesterday I was too far ahead of where I should be, so gave me a day off.
I've pretty much got all the parts together now. A great big thanks to KCSO, as he supplied the .32 cal. barrel. I was going to send him some "stuff" in thanks, but he is a hard man to pin down. By the way Jim, what the dickens does that pistol magazine fit? I don't see where to put the powder and ball in it!
Anyway, I'll see if I can post some pictures. First off, I had breeched the barrel. I would have taken pictures, but the camera batterys were dead. Jim had already did the drilling, so this was a breeze to do.
Next, I measured from the muzzle to the breech face, and marked the depth on the outside of the barrel. I then located where the vent liner had to be, to seat just in front of the breech face.

[waksupi]

I then drilled and tapped for the vent liner. After seating it, I started draw filing the surfaces to a flat match. Still have some of this to finish, but it goes pretty fast.

[waksupi]

Next was the layout on th stock blank, to take the forward surface down to one half the dimension of the barrel. To do this, I clamp the blank between two pieces of steel, to give a working guide to control depth and level. I used a horseshoe rasp for the major part of this, and finish out the rear portion with a wood chisel and chasing mallet.

[waksupi]

And here is the top surface, taken down to near the desired measurement.
I should be getting some more done this weekend, and will keep posting as I go.

[Magnum Mike]

Excellent project!

I have always wanted a BP pistol for some reason. Lately i been lookin at blanks from Green Mountain ( http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/catalog...rPistolBarrels ) and 32 was the caliber that i have in mind! I note the GM uses 1-16 twist for their barrels and am curious your thoughts regarding a patched round ball being stabilized from the 1-48 in that short of a barrel?

Thanks in advance!

[Magnum Mike]

Have you had the opportunity to make any headway on this project?

BTW, Where are you getting all the parts from? You mention "breeching" the barrel, a "vent liner" and you will also need the lock (or whatever you call it) and other misc stuff, where do you find those parts?

As i mention above, i wouldnt mind building a bp pistol meself BUT i have NO IDEA where i would begin to find all those pieces. Doing an google search on "black powder pistol" wasnt much help....

[floodgate]

Have you had the opportunity to make any headway on this project?

BTW, Where are you getting all the parts from? You mention "breeching" the barrel, a "vent liner" and you will also need the lock (or whatever you call it) and other misc stuff, where do you find those parts?

As i mention above, i wouldnt mind building a bp pistol meself BUT i have NO IDEA where i would begin to find all those pieces. Doing an google search on "black powder pistol" wasnt much help....

Mike: For M/L pistol parts, get the catalogs from Dixie Gun Works <www.dixiegunworks.com>, Track of the Wolf <www.trackofthewolf.com>, and Log Cabin Shop @ (330) 948-1082. They have all kinds of parts and kits, and a good selection of books, plans, instructions, etc. on the subject. floodgate

[KCSO]

Twist in a pistol barrel...

Ideal twist and less than Ideal twist and practical accuracy...

Using the greenhill formula a 36 caliber pistol shooting a round ball would be best served with an ideal twist in the range of 1-16, however most of the replica revolvers use the same 1-48 twist as the rifles. Some of the better replicas will go with a twist that runs 1-20 or 22 for the 36 and 44 revolvers. To test the practical effects of these twists I took a 36 remingotn with a 1-48 twist and one wityh a 1-22 twist and shot them side by side and then relined the 1-48 to 1-16 and shot that twist. The results were the 1-48 thrwe an average 5 shot group at 25 yards of 3 1/2" c-c 4 5 shot groups averaged. The 1-22 would go 2 1/4" average and the 1-16 ran just under 2" average with one group showing 4 shots in 1 1/4" and the 5 th opening the group to 2 1/2". This was with 18 grs of FFFg and a grease wad under the ball, filler to bring the ball to the face of the cylinder. All these groups were fired from a pistol rest on the bench. Now, offhand with any of the three revolvers I can hold all my shots at 25 in the black of a standard pistol target or 6". When charges were boosted to a full service charge the difference in group size was almost nil. If I were a better offhand shot I might want to spend the extra $125 to reline my revolver, if I intended to shoot only a target load. Since my guns are used with full charges for finishing off deer and popping small game I don't feel that the difference is woth while.

The other factor is the velocity you drive the ball. I have a 32 that has a 1-48 twist and I shoot it with 16 grs of FFFg. The ball shoots at just 50 fps less than it does from my rifle that also has a 1-48 twist. Since the ball is getting the same velocity or there abouts the 1-48 is perfectly adaquate for target shooting to 50 yards. I know, because a friend of mine used the gun to win the State Championships. Personally, I would be more concerned with muzzle crown, trigger pull and the fit of the gun to the hand than the twist.

I have built 14 pistols for club members in the last 15 years. I always let the customer choose the twist in the gun and I see the results at the matches. A good shot will wipe the floor with you whatever twist the gun has and only the best shot will be able to tell the difference in twist shooting offhand. Our club champion regularly wins with an old Navy Arms brass framed 36, he shot one point higher score with my 1-22 44 caliber Le Page copy.

All the above is with a good smooth barrel. If you have a JUKAR with a bore that looks like it was cut by whipping an angry beaver through the barrel you WILL NOT get good results no matter what the twist might be. Look down the bore and if you can see chatter marks and marks from the boring the gun probably will not shoot, it has little to do with the twist.

[waksupi]

Well, between work andf play, I have got a bit more done, and will try to get some pictures posted this week. I have forgot to take pictures at some points, so it won't be right down the line, with what I am doing. Any gun builders, please jump in if you do something in a different way, I'll be happy to learn.

Just got back from a weekend shoot. Didn't do all that well, as the score keeper didn't give me a few points I hit. I was shooting a light caliber rifle, and she couldn't hear the hits on some of the targets, athough the other shooters were hearing it. No big deal, all in all, as I did miserably with knife and tomahawk, reasonably well withthe pistol, and archery parts of the shoot. I was still mired well down in the standings, however.
I did do some trading. One fellow wanted one of my scrimshawed powder horns, and I ended up with four Indian flutes he had made. I have no idea how to play them, but won't let that stop me, as I will either learn how, or more likely sell them. I traded another powder horn for a NIB Italian Colt Walker pistol. So, I have new toys to play with.