Rifle Building Parts We Can Make Ourselves

[Ohio Joe]

In the past I've talked about the muzzle loading parts we can actually make ourselves and save a little money. The more you can make for your build the less "money" you have invested, and it's really a trade off in time -vs- expense. However, it's a great learning experience making some of your own parts for your build. Sure, you still have to buy the raw materials for cutting / filing / fitting, but normally you'll have enough on hand for several rifles if you choose to go the "semi-self build" route which is quite rewarding.

There's always metal available somewhere / either at the dump, setting in a corner of a friends garage that he's happy to get rid of, or at a hardware store, or hobby store,,, but the latter two will cost you money. Perhaps you got some metals lay around wondering what to do with it?

Here's a list of what I normally will make myself for a build, unless I've decided otherwise;

Stock
Trigger plate
trigger
Front Sight
Rear Sight
Toe Plate
Underlug for Pins
Pins
Underlug for Wedge Key
Wedge Keys
Sideplates
Ramrod
Flashguard for caplocks
Flash Hole Liner (vent) for flintlock

Things I feel I could make but haven't as yet, are;

Butt Plate
Trigger Guard
Ramrod Pipes

So,,, if you can stand the expense of the; Lock, Barrel, Breach Plug, Drum & Nipple, nose cap if you want one (depending on your build) - you could make a passable traditional muzzle loading firearm if you want to trade off time in the workshop over spending the dollars ordering the parts you could actually make.

[rollingb]

In the past I've talked about the muzzle loading parts we can actually make ourselves and save a little money. The more you can make for your build the less "money" you have invested, and it's really a trade off in time -vs- expense. However, it's a great learning experience making some of your own parts for your build. Sure, you still have to buy the raw materials for cutting / filing / fitting, but normally you'll have enough on hand for several rifles if you choose to go the "semi-self build" route which is quite rewarding.

There's always metal available somewhere / either at the dump, setting in a corner of a friends garage that he's happy to get rid of, or at a hardware store, or hobby store,,, but the latter two will cost you money. Perhaps you got some metals lay around wondering what to do with it?

Here's a list of what I normally will make myself for a build, unless I've decided otherwise;

Stock
Trigger plate
trigger
Front Sight
Rear Sight
Toe Plate
Underlug for Pins
Pins
Underlug for Wedge Key
Wedge Keys
Sideplates
Ramrod
Flashguard for caplocks
Flash Hole Liner (vent) for flintlock

Things I feel I could make but haven't as yet, are;

Butt Plate
Trigger Guard
Ramrod Pipes

So,,, if you can stand the expense of the; Lock, Barrel, Breach Plug, Drum & Nipple, nose cap if you want one (depending on your build) - you could make a passable traditional muzzle loading firearm if you want to trade off time in the workshop over spending the dollars ordering the parts you could actually make.

Nose caps can be made of poured pewter, and directions for making them out of sheet brass can also be found on the ennernet. 

[Lonewolfe20]

Love the way Hershel house pours his nose caps.
I would like to just experiment with his procedures and try a few.

[Ohio Joe]

Love the way Hershel house pours his nose caps.
I would like to just experiment with his procedures and try a few.

Same here... 

Like Rondo pointed out, a feller could make one out of brass, and I've thought about that in the past as well but just never attempted it. The one thing I've always told myself is; if that they could do it 200+ years ago, there's no reason we can't do it today. All we have to do is teach ourselves and learn by trial and error. 

[BEAVERMAN]

I agree Joe, save some $ anyway you can, a few years ago I mad a nose cap for an old  TC Hawken I was piecing together from buffler horn, turned out pretty sweet!

[Ohio Joe]

I like that idea, Jim! I'm going to keep that horn idea in mind just in case I might want to give that a try someday. It would certainly be a unique conversation piece for sure! 

[Uncle Russ]

FWIW; While living in El Paso, TX, back in the 1970s,  it was not uncommon to have our Mexican neighbors bring their muzzleloaders across the border at the Bridge of The Americas and shoot in our matches, especially those held at the Franklin Mountain Gun Club, and the Membres Gun Club near Deming New Mexico.
There was this particular Caplock, in .50 cal, that I tried very hard, and very generously, to talk a Juarez Shooter out of.

It had been done very nicely with Cow Horn.
The nose cap, front sight, butt plate, side plate (glued onto metal) and even the ramrod pipes, were all done from a White and Grey-streaked Cows Horn.

This gun was pure eye candy.
Not that it was exceedingly accurate in any way, although I never shot it, or saw him shoot it more than just passingly well.
But it was certainly a killer for looks, and I really wanted that gun....I still recall that part quite well, and this thread brought that memory back. I would have "somehow" made that gun shoot, I just know it!
At one time I had a bunch of pictures that were made with an old fashioned Polaroid Camera, but before I could get them copied or digitalized, they had faded to the point of being unrecognizable.

Our old friend Captchee did some nice work in the "Custom Department" both with horn and the frets from a Guitar,
He re-dressed an old CVA for one of his friends that I remember quite well...It could be that I just like bling and a few shiny objects when inlet, with nice relief, into a stock.....especially when everything is hand-made by the builder. 

Russ...

 

[Hank in WV]

When did Polaroid Camers get old fashioned?

[Uncle Russ]

When did Polaroid Camers get old fashioned?

  When Noah was trying to herd Cats onto the Ark....give or take a few days.

 

Russ...

[ridjrunr]

Great and interesting topic. Awhile back I picked up a nos TC Hawken stock at a flea market. ( I may have mentioned it then) anyways, its turning out to be a flintenstien of sorts. Two of the pcs I didnt have for this construct was the barrel key escutcheons. Having screwed up a buffalo horn months ago, I got to thinking that may be a good material to try and it worked out well. I cut out acouple of pcs., flattened them after heating in oil, let cool and then cut and shaped to fit the factory escutcheon mortise.
As the build continued, I discovered the level of rr entry hole into the nose cap was quite abit different on the TC stock when using the cva barrel and under rib.so again I wondered around the the shop and thinking. i had recently been gifted two perfect pcs of osage, 3/8 x 3/8 with zero grain runout(possible rr candidates) and so I laid that on the barrel flat and there it was, a near perfect height for a new under rib! So that is in construction now. I have it drilled , counterbored and screwed down to the underside of the barrel.
Now Im trying to decide whether to use the original cva rr thimbles or make two out of steel sheet stock. Probably going with the latter, as that too will be new ground for me.

[garrettep3]

You can add patch box to your list, although the available kits are so cheap it is easier than making your own.

[Ohio Joe]

That's a fact! 

[Ohio Joe]

As most of you know, I've been building my retirement rifle and I thought it might be interesting to list the parts I made for this build -vs- purchased... Granted, everything used was at one time purchased, upwards of 20 years ago (less or more). I expect there are some things I forgot to list in their proper place, but it's a rough idea.

Made

1. Maple Stock (from curly maple I've had drying for close to 20 years in my workshop)
2. Trigger
3. Trigger Plate
4. Front Sight
5. Rear Sight
6. Barrel Tenons (3)
7. Toe Plate
8. Vent (Flash hole liner)

Purchased

1. Barrel (12 - 15 years ago)
2. Breech Plug (12 to 15 years ago)
3. Butt Plate (current)
4. Trigger Guard (Current)
5. Nose Cap (current & which I altered)

Had on hand

1. Screws
2. Pins (for barrel & ramrod thimbles)
3. Stain
4. Sand Paper
5. Steel Wool
6. Silver Soldier & assorted adhesives
7. Assorted metals and brass
8. Ramrod
9. Bluing

Repurposed

1. Rear Entry Thimble (for ramrod)
2. Forward Thimbles (for ramrod)
3. L&R Flint Lock