New project, Springfield 1863

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  • Mongo59

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    My brother bought an 1863 front stuffer last week. A good honest relic from the civil war in great shape except it had been in a fire 5 years ago.

    Nothing too serious, just scorched the wood between the 2nd and 3rd ring. It had some putty added to the worst spots but will dress up to where it is hardly noticeable.

    All the metal is still armory bright with expected pitting around the nipple. The VP and eagle are viewable but only the '186-' of the '1863' can be seen on the top of the breech. The 'armory bright' (silver) finish is in surprisingly good shape and is cleaning up better than I had hoped.

    Not sure what the rifling looks like yet. I had to put a couple cleaning rods together to hit bottom, at least it wasn't loaded. The nipple is dark but still 'breaths' and remains in usable condition.

    If the inside of the barrel is anything like the outside, we plan to make it into a shooter. No long range high grain crap, just the light puff of smoke and lead going down range stuff. We are crazy, but not that kind of crazy. Or as my brother would say, "Sure, we fell of a turnip truck, but it wasn't last night..."

    Pictures to follow.
     
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    Oct 3, 2008
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    On a hill in Perry C
    Looks to be in amazing condition, especially for almost 160 years old. Somebody somewhere emphasized taking care of firearms and it got taken seriously for a few generations. So many times I see these oldies get neglected after being passed down a few times.
     

    Mongo59

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    Very cool.
    What color stain did you use? I've got one I need to do, and that color is what I'm after.
    It is made right here in Indiana, Laurel Mountain Forge. This color is 'American Walnut', if you want it more red like a Winchester use the 'Walnut'. It is a glycol ether base and dries if you simply blow on it. No waiting until the next day to see what needs to be touched up like the water based stains. Quite literally a teaspoon will do a large rifle stock.
     

    Jaybird1980

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    Jan 22, 2016
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    It is made right here in Indiana, Laurel Mountain Forge. This color is 'American Walnut', if you want it more red like a Winchester use the 'Walnut'. It is a glycol ether base and dries if you simply blow on it. No waiting until the next day to see what needs to be touched up like the water based stains. Quite literally a teaspoon will do a large rifle stock.
    Thank you, I was specifically trying to avoid the redness.
     

    Mongo59

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    Looks to be in amazing condition, especially for almost 160 years old. Somebody somewhere emphasized taking care of firearms and it got taken seriously for a few generations. So many times I see these oldies get neglected after being passed down a few times.
    It is a Harrison County gun, not a Crawford County one...
     

    Mongo59

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    News report: Very good rifling in this gun. Cleaned out about handful of 'muddy clay' and the rifling appeared!

    FYI I use Blue Wonder Gun Cleaner since it is water soluble. Brush and patch and brush and patch etc. Then soap and water, is use Dawn and hot water with the brush and then when you think it is getting clean go back at it with the Blue Wonder. Final rinse, let dry with the muzzle down and then swab with Bore Butter.

    It's a shooter!
     
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    28   0   0
    Oct 3, 2008
    4,184
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    On a hill in Perry C
    News report: Very good rifling in this gun. Cleaned out about handful of 'muddy clay' and the rifling appeared!

    FYI I use Blue Wonder Gun Cleaner since it is water soluble. Brush and patch and brush and patch etc. Then soap and water, is use Dawn and hot water with the brush and then when you think it is getting clean go back at it with the Blue Wonder. Final rinse, let dry with the muzzle down and then swab with Bore Butter.

    It's a shooter!
    Great to hear! Going with Minie bullets or round balls?
     

    Mongo59

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    Minie is the way we want to go. Want the 'new style' thin skirted ones, not the thick skirted old style. Will start about 25gr of triple f and adjust depending on skirt seal.

    There is supposed to be someone who sells Minie's in Brandenburg Kentucky. Shipping doubles the cost on what I have found on the net.

    Or there is wait until June like DeadeyeChrista'sdad said...
     

    MrSmitty

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    Jan 4, 2010
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    New Albany
    I live less than an hour from Friendship, send it to me, and I'll shoot it there for you.........Guess that would be a hard no....... Beautiful gun, wish it could talk!!! That is a bucket list gun for me. good luck with it!! More pictures!!!!!!
     

    Mongo59

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    I live less than an hour from Friendship, send it to me, and I'll shoot it there for you.........Guess that would be a hard no....... Beautiful gun, wish it could talk!!! That is a bucket list gun for me. good luck with it!! More pictures!!!!!!
    I had my 'cootie shot' the other day and didn't feel like doing anything yesterday. I plan to be done with finish pics Friday.

    New finding: the dark pits in the metal would not come totally clean with the Blue Wonder Cleaner and steel wool. But when I apply a coat of Flitz Polish and rub it in with my finger and the go over it lightly with a stainless steel brush (like you are brushing your teeth) it would get rid of more than half of the dark spots down in the pits.

    Now the pits won't be getting any deeper of larger and the overall appearance is better.

    If you have metal "in the white" I can highly recommend Flitz Polish. I did a falling block for my brother over 20 years ago (that was in the white) and it still looks like a new nickel without any subsequent cleanings. German product, great stuff.
     

    Mongo59

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    DSC05738.JPG DSC05737.JPG DSC05736.JPG

    Now it easy to see the scorching to the stock. It had been heavily sanded in the distant past. I am not done with it and continue to add tung oil to the scorched areas to stabilize. The metal is about as good as it will need to get.

    The hammer still has the small nipple intact to aid the firing of the primer, most of the ones I have seen have the nipple eroded off.

    Can't wait to fire this one.
     
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