A Flintlock Target Pistol I Made

[savarin]

Pure artistry from a master craftsman. Thanks for sharing.
Do you still have it?

 

[JimDawson]

Beautiful George!

 

[FOMOGO]

Very nice work George. Kinda makes me want to go stare at some women's ankle just so I could get to handle one those. Mike

 

[Bamban]

Wish I were half the craftsman you are, George.

 

[Steve Shannon]

Stunning!


Steve Shannon

 

[Firestopper]

Incredible talent sir.

 

[T Bredehoft]

Gunrunner you need to order a set of these for the Z axis hand crank. Bill did you just spit coffee on your monitor? :rofl:

View attachment 253356

 

[george wilson]

They made the original screw and other parts from wrought iron,which has many layers of silica in it. The parts were then case hardened. This seems to "consolidate" the metal. But,try to CUT the threads into the SOFT,unhardened metal, and pieces of the threads will fall off. The threads will have to be CRUSHED into form by screw plates. These have progressively smaller holes in them with the same thread. You start with the largest hole,which presses a bit of thread onto your rod-to-be-threaded. Then you go to the next and the next.

I made a screw plate for the gunsmith's shop in Williamsburg,being the tool maker.

The taps were sold as SQUARE taps with the corners threaded. They work great,and I have made them for myself,also triangular,when I need a quick tap to fit an antique mechanism I am making missing parts for. I have a bunch of oddball LEFT hand taps that were only ever used once,as threads were not standardized yet.

The thread form I used on the jaw screw of this pistol was turned on a lathe,but I was careful to use an authentic thread form. More like a "tall light bulb thread" than anything I can describe. A tall "knuckle" thread,in other words. Very rounded roots and crests. And,not 60º threads,either.

 

[george wilson]

You can see the hand filed miniature molding at the breech end of the barrel in the closeups,especially the one with the lock taken out. It is right at the front of this molding that the barrel is joined to the breech tang. Well fitted,it can't be seen to be a joint. There is a special type of breech hook that draws the barrel up tight just as the barrel goes down into the stock.

AHEAD of the touch hole,there is a seam. But,that is where the breech with the special ante chamber screws onto the barrel.

 

[TommyD]

Dang, you do some mighty nice work.