Wayne Miller
Levergunner 2.0

 

USA
257 Posts

Posted - 02/07/2006 :  10:03:27 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Topic  Reply with Quote  View user's IP address  Delete Topic
Well, after being beat about the head and shoulders yesterday for not posting pictures of my Remington Rolling Block action rebuild, I went home last night and snapped a few pictures. The action itself isn't on hand at the moment due to a stubborn screw that is being removed by a machinist.

The first photo is of the hammer and the breech block and shows the general condition of the parts. When I got the action, it wasn't this dark. I gave it a bath in some naval jelly to get as much rust out of the pits as possible, and it darkened the steel. When I got it, it was pretty much in the white. You can see on the breech tab where I was starting to work on it a bit. Strangely enough, the breech tab had no checkering on it at all....first one I have seen like that. My intent is to give it some 20 lpi checkering in a diagonal pattern.


Here are the parts I currently have on hand, some of which (the screws and pins) are hand polished and ready for nitre bluing. No buffing wheels were injured (or used) in this operation!

Here is the firing pin and spring. That rusty coil on the right is what is left of the original 130 year old spring. I replaced it with a shortened piece of 1911 FP spring. It seems to work pretty well.

And finally, here is the breech block in the beginning stages of polishing. As you can see, there is still a lot of work to do here.

I have written Dave Higginbotham of Lone Star Rifles, and he has quoted me a very reasonable price and lightening-fast turn around on barrel chambering, installation and some other machine work. The problem is, I am not far enough along to send it to him. This whole project may go quicker than I had anticipated!

Now, I have a question for the masses....what kind of wood should I use? I can get plain Walnut for a very reasonable price, but that is boring. I can also get fancy Walnut or fancy Maple, which I will stain dark with Aqua Fortis. Personally, being a muzzle loader and flintlock shooter, I am leaning towards the Maple. What say ye?


Wayne Miller