Gunsmithing class

[Silvana Siddali]

Not sure whether this is the right place to post this information? If not, please feel free to move wherever -- thank you.

The Boone Village in Defiance, MO, will be hosting a gunsmithing class this Spring. Please see the attached flyer.

[Gary of CA]

Re: Gunsmithing class

I looked at the schedule and there's no much class room time. To complete a working gun would either require a kit that needed basic assembly (very little fitting) and finishing or a lot of homework where the student does a lot of unsupervised work at home. It takes about 120 hours to build a rifle. Fitting a buttplate onto a blank takes about a couple of hours minimum (unless its a jaeger buttplate which is about the toughest one can fit). Inletting a lock from a blank takes about four hours. How about inletting a barrel (from a plank)? A round barrel took me over a day to do (then you've got to fit the tang afterwards).

Still, it's good that the class is being offered and I wish the students and the instructor a lot of success and fun. Anyone remotely interested in shooting Civil War period guns should take the class. They could learn a lot and become the unit armorer.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Gunsmithing class

Hallo!

Spring 2008

Announcing a special Daniel Boone Campus Adult Education course:
Introduction to Gunsmithing

Working with master gunsmith James Duncan, students will build a complete, functional muzzle loading firearm from parts they order. The student may select a firearm as fancy or practical as they wish depending on their interest and personal budget. Students are recommended to purchase their firearms parts from a reputable dealer recommended by the instructor. These can range from $450 and up. Students will meet for orientation and to order parts on Jan 22, 2008 on the main Lindenwood campus from 6 pm to 9 pm. The remainder of the classes will be conducted at the Daniel Boone Historic site in Defiance Missouri.

Agreed, a nice thought. It appears there is insufficient "bench time" (approx: 30 hours) to accomplish the tasks.
Those "parts" may should best be from a 85-95% finished kit.

Not to rain on a nice parade....just thinking of a three day "bow making" class I attended once starting with a locust log and some broken glass...

Curt
Former Gunbuilder

[Todd Watts]

Re: Gunsmithing class

With pre-made parts and a semi-inltted stock, all you would need is about 16-24 hrs of hands-on time at the outset to assemble and finish one if you are really working and not yapping about it. If you had to make some parts you'd have to increase the time accordingly, but this task would not be an "intro to gunsmithing" class. Most of these kits are pretty close to ready to assemble as it is and one of us that is familiar with smithery can sling them together in a matter of a few hours. The longest portion of time is the wood sanding and oil drying time, and the barrel's bluing or browning time.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Gunsmithing class

Hallo!

More of a "Introduction to Kit Building 101..."
;) :)

Curt

[benjaminmcgee]

Re: Gunsmithing class

Hello,

Just a quick question. I've built several muskets using a combination of original/repro parts. Is there an easier way to fit barrel bands to a 95% inletted stock (dunlap)? This is the most time consuming part of stocking a musket in my experience. Thanks.

Benjamin McGee

[Todd Watts]

Re: Gunsmithing class

A belt sander is great for rapidly removing wood. But you can remove too much, or gouge the wood if unlucky or careless. Use "prussian blue" on the inside of the band as you gently slide it down. Once it stops, pull it off again and you will see a blue mark where the band touched the wood where it stopped. Rasp or sand that spot and repeat the process. The prussian blue is a paste that does not permanently stain the wood so when finished, it is easily removed in the final sanding steps. Brownells sell it in a tube. Use a small paint brush to apply it because it will stain fingers, and carpet, and wallpaper and your bench. It never seems to dry so I keep the brush in a plastic bag so it never accidentally touches that which I do not want blue. (Learn from my experience so you don't have to explain to the wife why her carpet or wallpaper is permanently blue.)

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Gunsmithing class

Hallo!

Not that I used... ;)

IMHO, to prevent uneven gapping between forestock and underside of the band, or a "wavy" forestock- trial-and-error, progressively slipping-and-sliding each band until it stops; then sanding away the wood to allow it slid a little farther, etc, etc., until it is place.

IMHO, power tools and "Sure Form" rasps are wonderful time savers. But they can be unforgiving.
I had a builder friend who loved power and the time it saved. But he was nicknamed "Root Beer Candy" for all of the brown stained Brownell's "Accru-glas" epoxy repairs that plagued his guns where in a split second or two "power" jumped, skipped, pierced, drilled through and out, or removed too much wood.

Curt

[Todd Watts]

Re: Gunsmithing class

Can't argue with your there, Curt. Also, a crate full of Band-Aids by the bench are wonderful time savers to repair sanded fingers.:o:D

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Gunsmithing class

Hallo!

"It's not a Project until you've bled on it." -Curt Schmidt, 1991

:)

Curt

[Gary of CA]

Re: Gunsmithing class

I'd be very careful with power tools. You can remove too much and ruin the stock. Use a #49 Nicholson for hogging off wood if there's some shaping to be done. Then go to #50 when it's finer. Then scrape it.

BTW, when we start with a plank, we bandsaw a lot off, hack away with chisels to get the stock into a rough shape. Then we have at it with the #49 Nicholson (or some other wood removing tool that hogs away unwanted wood fast).

Hopefully the class starts with a kit that requires light assembly and fitting. BTW, to fit parts, I've gone from inletting black to felt markers. Much quicker to apply and less messy.