NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 05/12/11 07:12 PM |
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Something Rusty! My Great Grandfathers ML shotgun
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My Great-Grandfather's (or could be G-G-Grandfather's) muzzle loading shotgun.
Not in great condition, more of a wall hanger today.
Calibre is about 0.650" to 0.658". Around about a 17 or 16 gauge. 16 gauge sounds about right,
| FATBOY404 |
| (.400 member) |
| 05/12/11 07:27 PM |
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Re: Something Rusty! My Great Grandfathers ML shotgun
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Maybe a bead blast,panel beat and a rust blue ?.
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NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 06/12/11 01:49 AM |
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Re: Something Rusty! My Great Grandfathers ML shotgun
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A friend thinks it can be restored. Had one gunsmith look at it a few years ago and he didn't think so. Worth another look.
Unfortunately I have been unable to find any name on it so far. Don't expect it to be by anyone famous, unless they sold them cheap!
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 06/12/11 03:34 AM |
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Re: Something Rusty! My Great Grandfathers ML shotgun
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1st thing is to find out if it is still loaded. Many were stored loaded, ready for use, then not used again - thus still loaded. Use the rod inside then compare outside the tubes. Be aware it has breech plugs with hollowed noses, so the rod should reach back to within about 1/2" of the nipples. Appears to be a hooked breech gun.
The muzzles are nasty and the bores probably are as well by the looks of the muzzles - hard to say.
Once you know it isn't loaded, lift the hammers off whatever is left of the nipples and if there is a hole in the ends of the nipples, plug with tooth pics.
Then carefully fill the bores with varsol or some thin solvent and let sit, breech down, off the stock. Look for leaks. If damascus and probably are, rod can run that is virtualy invisible. the solvent will find it's way out if it can. Any leaks of course, means it's a wall hanger.
That's a start. Judging by the looks of it, refurbishing will cost a LOT. Cleanup is something you can do, John for a display piece.
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NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 23/02/19 02:26 PM |
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Re: Something Rusty! My Great Grandfathers ML shotgun
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Time to have a go at restoring this old shooting piece. As a wall hanger.
Have to do a double check on Daryl's very good advice, ie check to see if the bores are still charged or not.
Then will be looking for good advice as to how I can get it looking a little better, as a wall hanger, where I can do the work myself, and not cost me a lot.
It should be hanging on a wall, my Grandpa's gun and Great-grandpa's gun. Some family history. And would look good on the wall with the assegais, hiude shields, knobkerries, swords, battleaxes and also hunting trophies.
| Heelerau |
| (.300 member) |
| 23/02/19 11:18 PM |
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Re: Something Rusty! My Great Grandfathers ML shotgun
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The old girl might still be a shooter. All depends on how badly pitted it is in the chamber area. After checking to see if its loaded you could soak the breech end in a 50/50 mix of acetone and auto trans fluid for a few weeks that with a little heat you could remove the old cones carefully. Have a chat to Alan Vaisham, if you don't know him, pm me and I can give you his telephone number. He at the very least can put you in touch with someone who will be able to help you. Oil and steel wool on the locks and barrels. You can run a hone down them. I would not remove the breech plugs as it would be ver easy to spring the ribs. Stock may come up ver nice with O' Cedar furniture oil, or my other favourite pale boiled linseed 2/3 by volume with gum turpentine and well hand rubbed. Do the locks still hold on half and full bent? As Daryl says fill both bores up with solvent, the acetone and trans oil will still do this and leave it for a good while and check for leaks other than out the old cones.
Cheers
Gordon
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 24/02/19 03:39 AM |
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Re: Something Rusty! My Great Grandfathers ML shotgun
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Acetone and auto transmission oil, 50:50 makes the very best penetrating oil there is. It is 100% better than Kroil.
That is why Gordon suggested this as the solvent.
| lancaster |
| (.470 member) |
| 25/02/19 05:33 AM |
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Re: Something Rusty! My Great Grandfathers ML shotgun
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imho, restorable to the point it can be shoot again
I have seen worse
| 93x64mm |
| (.416 member) |
| 25/02/19 08:35 AM |
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Re: Something Rusty! My Great Grandfathers ML shotgun
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Worth a try John.
Depends on how far you want to go but 'browning' would definitely be the way to go if you decide to do a full restoration.
Bouldersmith has a great Browning recipe
http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showflat....true#Post325129
| Longknife |
| (.333 member) |
| 26/02/19 03:43 PM |
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Re: Something Rusty! My Great Grandfathers ML shotgun
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John, The muzzles look pretty bad and they are usually in better condition than the breeches. I would be really Leary of shooting this one. Do you want a pipe bomb going off in you hands? Just say/n!!!!!! Hate to see you get hurt!,,,,,Ed
| Longknife |
| (.333 member) |
| 26/02/19 03:46 PM |
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Re: Something Rusty! My Great Grandfathers ML shotgun
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Pull the barrels, might be some proof marks on the underside,,,,Ed