demonwolf444 Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Bought this in a pretty bad way. Locks pretty darn rusty. Everything had been coated in black paint. Even area's of the wood. Barrels had been painted black. Looking rather sorry and unloved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted May 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Spent the best part of a day trying to move the barrel key... Rusty rust rust under the wood line.. Looks a lot worst than it is. Sympathetic approach to this one - trying to conserve as much originality and history of the gun as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted May 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Gave the stock a light going over with some steel wool to remove the worst of the grime; fed the wood with my own mixture, hand rubbed oil finish. The locks got some attention, revealed some beautifull engraving all over, locks marked WW inside and are crisp as the day they were made, cocking the hammers puts a smile on my face. Outside the locks are marked "calderwood" and the rib is engraved "Dublin". Makes a very smooth well balanced gun. Gorgeous engraving along the top tang, nice and deep - all the paint had done a good job of protecting it. As i mentioned the barrels were painted black....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted May 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Stripped the down inside and out, they are in good condition, probably shootable if put on ticket. Removed the layers of gunk, paint, and rust, and got back to metal, which is a nice lean Damascus twist. Taught myself how to brown the barrels and gave it a go. Fairly pleased with the outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essex Keeper Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Very smart nice job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted May 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 The iron plates just in-front of the trigger guard is an original repair, its crude but its how things were done back then, its secure enough and pretty un intrusive. Wanted to retain as much of the originality of the gun as possible; if it were in a really bad way i would have given it a full over haul, as it is, a thorough but light renovation was all that was needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Well done, that is a lovely looking thing. Will you try a light black powder Load or is it too fragile? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 wow amazing what was under all that crud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriBsa Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Amazing transformation. Nice to see a sympathetic restoration that hasn't destroyed it's character. How many hours at a guess did it take? Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted May 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Well done, that is a lovely looking thing. Will you try a light black powder Load or is it too fragile? Even after over 150 years, it still feels like quality. When i proof tested my other muzzle loader we triple charged it and fired it off remotely, and measured for any changes in the barrels; i still have that one on ticket and still shoot it. Before proof testing this one i would have to put it on ticket, the bores are obviously pitted like all guns this age, honing them would only weaken them, but i would take an educated guess and say there is plenty enough integrity left in the barrels for this one to be shot. There is obviously a great responsibility involved when you proof test these guns, yes in all likely hood it will be just fine, but if they blow up, you are not only put in a dangerous situation; but you have also destroyed over 150 years of history. As i already have one i shoot i don't feel the need to shoot this one, that's not because i don't think its capable, but because i enjoy the process of restoring these old guns, and appreciate them from a historical point of view i don't always feel the need to shoot them. Its quite nice that they can be on the wall ( i still lock them to the wall mounts ) and can be enjoyed for what they are, the craftsmanship can be seen and appreciated. If it were on ticket, i always find it a great shame that it should have to be locked away ( although its obvious why they should be! ). No plans to shoot this yet, It may go on ticket at some point if i need to scratch that itch but for now i am happy with it as is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Very nice job there. Will you shoot it wearing the "clothes" shown in the photo with the top-tang? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted May 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Amazing transformation. Nice to see a sympathetic restoration that hasn't destroyed it's character. How many hours at a guess did it take? Tom re finishing the stock was a probably a half hour a day over a two weeks, as you say got to reveal the beauty and craftsmanship without destroying the history and character. Learning how to brown barrels was a steep learning curve but its a rather hands off process, probably another half hour a day over the same time period. Getting back to metal took many hours with wet and dry, as did cleaning up the locks as everything was fitted to such close tolerances and with such precision i gave up on disassembling them. The tumbler on the lock internals still has the original bluing. And i spent many hours trying to budge screws and seized parts. I doubt it has been taken apart in at least 50 years, more likely 100. I suppose it came to the gun shop in "as found" condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RED BEARD Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 You've made a grand job of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted May 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Very nice job there. Will you shoot it wearing the "clothes" shown in the photo with the top-tang? Knew that would come up... a very ripped and battered pair of pajamas..now a very fashionable pair of shorts ( no shame ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Looks fantastic, I love the Damascus barrels!! Great job... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Nice work I looked at it in Bristol not do long ago I'm not convinced the barrels would pass proofing. Glad it went to a good home you've done a nice job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainBeaky Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Very impressive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted May 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Nice work I looked at it in Bristol not do long ago I'm not convinced the barrels would pass proofing. Glad it went to a good home you've done a nice job. Common practice amongst the people i know who shoot originals is not to have them reproofed at a proof house, just enter on your cert as "antique" then it can be taken off at a later date should you wish to not shoot it any longer. They can then be bought and sold as antiques and then it is at the individuals discretion as to weather or not they shoot it if you put it on ticket. Any articles you read will recommend you to get a "competent gunsmith" to check a gun over before shooting it. But for liability reasons noone is going to tell you a gun over 150 years old, belonged to x number of careless owners, will still survive shooting at the pressures it was designed to when it was first made. Visually inside they are similar to the gun i shoot at the moment in much better condition outside, no deep pits on the barrel surface; as you will know the main issue with these old Damascus twist barrels is they can look visually fine but you do not know how the welds that hold the twisted iron together have held up, these guns have often been shot sometime in the past and not cleaned before being put away, the corrosive nature of black powder fouling might have done damage that can not easily be seen. Proof testing them yourself, or at a proof house is no guarantee that it can't or won't blow up at a later stage. I may live to regret it but its a choice you have to make. Last time i filmed it; i thought if i was going to blow up 150 years of history i want to have it on film so i can watch it and hate myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Top job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Common practice amongst the people i know who shoot originals is not to have them reproofed at a proof house, just enter on your cert as "antique" then it can be taken off at a later date should you wish to not shoot it any longer. They can then be bought and sold as antiques and then it is at the individuals discretion as to weather or not they shoot it if you put it on ticket. Any articles you read will recommend you to get a "competent gunsmith" to check a gun over before shooting it. But for liability reasons noone is going to tell you a gun over 150 years old, belonged to x number of careless owners, will still survive shooting at the pressures it was designed to when it was first made. Visually inside they are similar to the gun i shoot at the moment in much better condition outside, no deep pits on the barrel surface; as you will know the main issue with these old Damascus twist barrels is they can look visually fine but you do not know how the welds that hold the twisted iron together have held up, these guns have often been shot sometime in the past and not cleaned before being put away, the corrosive nature of black powder fouling might have done damage that can not easily be seen. Proof testing them yourself, or at a proof house is no guarantee that it can't or won't blow up at a later stage. I may live to regret it but its a choice you have to make. Last time i filmed it; i thought if i was going to blow up 150 years of history i want to have it on film so i can watch it and hate myself! I know nothing about these things but is it at least possible to sleeve the barrels inside - even reduce the bore a bit to a 16 g so that it is safe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Very nice. A good job well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Nice job, well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-UK Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Fantastic job sir, would look nice on my wall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted May 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 I know nothing about these things but is it at least possible to sleeve the barrels inside - even reduce the bore a bit to a 16 g so that it is safe? Nigel Teague, who does all the custom choke work, at one point offered such a service; i believe he was the only one in the country to do so. However this service has been removed from his website, and when i contacted him about it because of another gun i had at the time which had paper thin barrels ( they had rusted right through as it happens. ) I was told he no longer carried out such work. The idea was they could be un - intrusively lined without ruining the Damascus, however there was obviously flaws or uncertainties, or lack of economies in the process as such work is no longer carried out to my knowledge. As i say its a risk you bear in mind when you shoot these old guns; if that risk is too much you can keep the old one's on the wall and shoot the modern reproductions which are very good; there is no risk of you ruining history and a much reduced risk of blowing yourself up. http://www.guntrader.co.uk/Guns-For-Sale/Navy-Arms_Shotgun-Black-Powder_For-Sale_140502183958508 http://www.guntrader.co.uk/Guns-For-Sale/Navy-Arms_Shotgun-Black-Powder_For-Sale_140412120553001 Both tidy and reasonably priced. Fantastic job sir, would look nice on my wall Haven't forgotten about your wood - just chasing some people up for money at the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted May 23, 2014 Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 Haven't forgotten about your wood - Erm what you to get up to in your personal life's is up to you but please don't flaunt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.