Nice job on the pistol. Looks like mostly CVA parts. Would like to see the rifle. Those big round balls are very effective for close range hunting.

I made a .45 pistol similar to your .50 by cutting down a butchered up rifle barrel. I used to catch a lot of armadillos in a wooden box trap and used the pistol to dispatch them. Used 18 gr of 3F behind a round ball. This load was just right for killing the armadillo w/o tearing up the trap.

BTW, firing one of these w/ just wadding down into a yellowjacket nest is a good way to get rid of the yellowjackets.

 

I can do that!!! Just won't be real soon!!!

Not me!!! I would think that would be a really good way to give then a serious attitude problem!!! However I did manage to eliminate a yellow jacket nest with a small shop vacuum!!! Set the vacuums hose right in the entrance to the nest... then started poking it with a long wire rod. Not a single one excaped!!! A good shot of RAID down the hose and in a few minutes all was quite. I did, however, wait until the next day to empty it!!!
God Bless, Frank.

 

Well I broke...

Well I broke the pistol down completely and I am getting ready to do a proper finish on the metal and wood. The section of rifle barrel that I used for this pistol was originally blued but I like a nice deep dark PLUM BROWN finish as I think it is more original, and even if it isn't that is what I like!!!
Had a bit of rust in the threads of the drum and breech plug so I plan to use a bit of anti-seize when I put those parts back in the barrel.
I'll be adding in some pictures as things progress along. I'll warn you now... I take my time with projects, so don't expect this to finish quickly!!!
God Bless, Frank.

 

Nice work!

Now for a silly thought that popped into my head.. third cup of coffee. Could that second barrel be sleeved for a .22 breech loader with a side lock firing pin?

Would be nice to have a 'matched' pair.

Bob

 

Could that...

Nice work!

Now for a silly thought that popped into my head.. third cup of coffee. Could that second barrel be sleeved for a .22 breech loader with a side lock firing pin?

Would be nice to have a 'matched' pair.

Bob

Could that second barrel be sleeved for a .22 breech loader... I'm certain it can be, but I am not the least bit interested in doing such a project. Besides I was thinking of a second 50 cal piston with a custom hand carved stock. One that won't try to bruise my middle finger when I shoot it with a 60 grain load of Triple-7. It does shoot nice though!!! I think I ought to be able to take a deer with it, what do you think???
God Bless, Frank.

 

Don't know how fast burning T-7 is for that 11 inch barrel, but the ball should have lots of energy for a white tail.

What are you thinking for a way to move the push off of your finger and into your palm/wrist?

Not much opportunity to delay or spread the recoil with the breech so close to the hand.

Bob

 

I was thinking of...

Don't know how fast burning T-7 is for that 11 inch barrel, but the ball should have lots of energy for a white tail.

What are you thinking for a way to move the push off of your finger and into your palm/wrist?
Not much opportunity to delay or spread the recoil with the breech so close to the hand.

Bob

I was thinking of carving an extra stock with a different hand grip area, but then that would probably make me want to just complete a second pistol!!! Well that is what I've been thinking!!! But for this season... just go with it as is!!!
God Bless, Frank.

 

Well I made a little...

Well I made a little progress, but I am disappointed in the quality of the browning on the barrel.

Seems like no matter what I did, I couldn't get rid of the blotchiness and streaking in the finish.
"A" shows the barrel polished and ready for browning.
"B" show the barrel, breech plug and thimble just after the browning solution has been applied and I am waiting for the 10 minutes of "working time" to finish.
"C" shows the barrel after at least 6 applications of the "Plum Brown" solution. Both the old and new solutions were used with no difference in the results. This takes me back to the CVA 50 caliber "Mountain Rifle" that I built from a kit back it the late 70's where I couldn't get the barrel to brown uniformly either.
So if anyone here has an idea as to why I can't get the metal a nice dark uniform brown... I would love to hear from you.
So I guess I'll start working on the stock and such.
God Bless, Frank.

 

What is the temp and humidity in your shop?

I had to put my barrel in a box with a light bulb and shallow tin of water to get decent browning.

 

The instructions...



The instructions on the "Plum Brown" bottles said to heat the part to be browned until a drop of water sizzles, about 275 degrees, then apply the browning solution. Let it work for 10 minutes, then rinse it off with water and polish it with fine steel wool. And that is what I did.
I degreased with denatured alcohol the first time and I still had the blotchy, streaky finish, so I degreased with dish washing soap a second time and redid the browning again. SAME RESULT.

I just re-read the directions and apparently I wasn't supposed to rinse with water after each application of the "Plum Brown" which I did do for the first 2 or 3 applications. The last 3 applications I heated the barrel then re-applied the "Plum Brown" without rinsing with water, so the last 3 applications were done exactly as the directions said. Still wound up with a streaky, blotchy finish. I would like a better finish. What product did you use??? I used Birchwood Casey "Plum Brown"

Can you give me a step by step of how you did the browning on you BP???
God Bless, Frank.

 

Haven't tried Plum Brown, so take this with a grain of salt.

Many dishwashing soaps have oils to make your hands feel better, try either the blue Dawn, or better Simple Green.

Most blueing doesn't like the chlorine and other chemicals in tap water, try distilled water from the grocery store for both the soap and the rinses.

I've done a lot of reading on old blue and brown methods, and almost all recommended a 'soft' steel brush. Some more reading showed that the expensive steel wool that wood working shops sell is considered 'soft' in addition to not being oiled. Cheap steel wool is usually 'hard' and can strip the blueing and browning, as well as oiled which causes problems with following treatments.

Bob

 

I've not used Plum Brown.

I use Wakhon Bay "True Brown" from "Track of the Wolf" It must be perfectly decreased to keep any splotching away. Alcohol is supposed to work, but hasn't for me. I use acetone.

This is a multi-day process (3-14 days depending on humidity).

ToTW used to have a sheet about using this stuff. He may have it on his website.

 

Thank you...

I've not used Plum Brown.

I use Wakhon Bay "True Brown" from "Track of the Wolf" It must be perfectly decreased to keep any splotching away. Alcohol is supposed to work, but hasn't for me. I use acetone.

This is a multi-day process (3-14 days depending on humidity).

ToTW used to have a sheet about using this stuff. He may have it on his website.

Thank you for the info ToTW, very informative!!!
God Bless, Frank.

 

I know this is an older thread, but thought I would post this anyway. Not sure which browning solution my cousin used, but he would take it in the bathroom every day when he took a shower, to help the rust along. I believe it took several coats of browning solution and probably a week or more to get it where he wanted it. I still have the rifle, and its now about 25 years old, and most of the browning is still on the barrel except where it wore off from me carrying it for years.

 

Good job on the rifle. Your inletting is good. Get any inletting black on your hands?

It's getting harder and harder to find parts for building ML's. Thirty or forty years ago you could just order them directly from CVA.

Having lost a barrel wedge or two from a similar gun that I had, I made my wedges captured so that there is a pin under the escutcheon that allows the wedge to remove only far enough to remove the barrel.

EDIT: The last ramrod I made was with a 3/8" dowel, a .38 Special case for one end, and a .32-20 case for the lower end. Drilled and tapped both cases for 10-32 accessories.

Good idea on the snap caps.

BTW, I watched the yellow jacket hole for a while and nothing but smoke came out of the hole (70 grains of 2F in a 20 ga.)

 

Inletting is OK at best. Bedding compound can hide a whole lot of "errors"!!! And since this was an eBay purchase that was stripped of all furniture. I consider myself lucky to have found what I am pretty sure are items identical to what was originally installed on this rifle.

I am a real fan of the old CVA "Mountain Rifle". You could get it in 3 calibers... .50, .54 and .58 calibers. I had the .50 and the .54, never got the .58 caliber. Sold the .54 later and never got the .58 caliber one. So much for the collection of CVA Mountain Rifles that I was going to do!!!

Don't know what "inletting black" is, I use a Sharpie for fitting metal and wood parts.

If you are talking tradition style muzzle loaders you are correct, parts can be difficult. Particularly the small old style wood screws. All I could find were zinc plated ones and of mediocre quality. I have the feeling that those screws are out there, I just can't find them. Just glad I have a lathe, most any cylindrical part is within my ability... I think???
God Bless, Frank.

 

Add .45 to the list of calibers in which the Mountain Rifle was made. I was also a fan and had .45 and .50.

I shot a squirrel with the .50 and took the head completely off. I did not make a practice of hunting squirrels with a .50 :yikes: . Normally used a .32.

The larger bore Mountain Rifle as I recall was called the Big Bore Mountain Rifle.

I do most of my inletting using either a candle to soot up the parts or inletting black. The candle soot is not quite as messy as the inletting black. I bought inletting black from the major black powder suppliers, such as Dixie, Track of the Wolf, Log Cabin Shop, and others. It was a little bit like black shoe polish and was VERRRY pervasive. But it worked well. Comes in a tiny little jar about 1 1/4" dia. X about 1 1/4" tall. A little bit goes a long way.

As far as the little screws, I found some unplated ones at one of the major ML suppliers, but I don't remember which one.

I have to confess to using bedding compound myself. Brownell's used to sell some that was walnut color. Don't think they have it anymore.

 

I have always found...



I have always found two small plastic vials of black and brown dye with both AcraGlas and the other bedding systems that I have bought over the years. And I will tell your that just a tiny bit of that dye is needed to give the proper color to the bedding mixture.
God Bless, Frank.

 

Glad to come across this thread. I am planning to build a flintlock pistol just like this. Just picked up a nice Lyman deerstalker that just needed a good refinish. Can't wait to get it out after Xmas Pa flintlocking. I looked into buying a pistol but might try to build one myself. It will be just for shooting at the range for now.

 

That is something that...

That is something that is that I DON'T have... a flintlock of any sort. And I have been thinking, that is a deficiency that needs to go away!!! Like I need another project!!! But I may yet scratch that itch!!!
God Bless, Frank.

 

So...

So, I have taken the rifle back apart, did quite a bit of sanding and polishing. Sanding on the wood, polishing on the metal!!! So far there are 3 coats of Minwax "Cherry" finish on the stock, and it is looking pretty good!!! A few more coats and a rotten stone rub-down or two should finish up the rifles stock. Then put all of the furniture back on the stock except for what needs to be browned as that is the finish that I have always favored for the traditional style muzzle loaders.
I'll get pictures up as soon as I can figure out why both cameras and my cell phome won't down load pictures to my computer.
God Bless, Frank.

 

In the 80's I built one of the TC kits. It was recommended to degrease the barrel to use boiling water, or near boiling, with baking soda mixed in the water. I used one of the trays that they used to put water in and put wallpaper with glue to get it to stick to the wall. I don't even know if the trays for wallpaper are available any more. Plugged the barrel and the nipple hole immersed the barrel in the solution. Seemed to work as the plum browning stuck well after the application step. Two pounds of baking soda for the solution.

 

Well...

Well the rifle is finally finished!!! Put it all back together about 2 or 3 days ago!!! All steel parts are browned. The stock is properly refinished. German silver parts hand buffed with 400 grit and the 1 "pewter" part left as purchased!!! And if I say so myself it looks quite nice for a cobbled together assortment of parts primarily from eBay!!! I will edit this post later to add pictures of the finished rifle, or maybe just do a separate post of the pictures!!!
God Bless, Frank.

 

So...

So, the pictures as promised!!! Below right and left sides of the stock

Below right and left sides of the barrel, under rib, thimbles and ramrod.

Below close-up of the rear sight which was somewhat of a PITA to brown. And the "pewter" nose cap.

Below close-up of the patch box and butt plate.

All ferris parts were "browned" including the screws. Non-ferris parts were polished, but just to 400 grit or so, or in the case of the "pewter" nose cap, left as purchased.
Coming soon the cobbled together .50 caliber BP pistol that was intended to be a "matching set" for the rifle!!!

Also went back and deleted the PhotoBucket "Blurred" pictures and replaced them with IMGUR pictures that are nice and crisp and clear!!!:bthumb:

God Bless, Frank.

 

The tip of the ramrod would not hold onto a patch, so a bit of modification was called for!!! The picture below shows the ramrod tip that I originally came with this non-original ramrod. Great for shoving a tightly patched round ball down the bore but it would not hold onto a patch for anything.

So, I removed the tip from the ramrod which destroyed it but that was ok as I was making a new one!!! And since I wanted a snug fitting patch, I measured the bore and machined the ramrod tip to be large enough to have a cleaning patch that would be a snug fit in the bore!!! Wasn't sure I could get the original retaining pin hole properly aligned, plus I destroyed the original retaining pin. A finish nail was selected as the perfect replacement for the destroyed pin.

The finished ramrod tip!!!

And back on the rifle!!!

God Bless, Frank.

 

Wow, not too bad. Only 5 years or so since I finished this rifle!!! Was trying to get it on target and I found out that I either need a taller front sight or a lower rear sight. Had a nice group at 25 yards but the group was about 5 inches too high, and the rear sight is down as low as it will go. So it looks like I will be searching for a new front or rear sight. Shooting 70 grains (equivalent) of Tripple-7 and a patched round ball. It was a nice group; it just wasn't in the right place.
I was planning on shooting the pistol from post #1 but the Heavens opened up and let loose a deluge so never got that far.
God Bless, Frank