My Kentucky Long Rifle Build

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druryj

In Remembrance / Dec 27 2021
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A sanding tool I made to help me remove a bit and smooth the inlet where the tang sits: Necessity is the Mother of Invention. I will put this specialty tool in my tool box so if anyone wants to borrow it to do their own kit in the future, you can borrow and use mine and save yourself the expense of buying and fabricating one.
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dennishoddy

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This is six coats of tung oil using my bare hands to work it into the wood vs applying with a rag.
View attachment 155213
YES! I was amazed at how well using fingers vs paper towels or brushes worked when refinishing an old shotgun. Birchwood Casey. I put about 30 coats on it for a deep glossy finish, but you may not want that finish on a MZ.
 

EKing

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Good idea on saving the sanding dust; thanks! It might be useful, as I sure am trying to go slow and not make any screw-ups, but you never know. As far as the barrel, do you have a recommendation on either the Birchwood Casey or Laurel Mountain Brown? I'm sure either would be fine but appreciate any tips or thoughts.

I used Mark Lee Express Brown, purchased from Brownells. I'm not sure how it differs from other brown and blue solutions, it was the one recommended when I was taking my class with SDI.

mark lee brown solution.jpg

It was a process though. Clean the barrel, heat the barrel, apply solution, remove fuzz, rinse and repeat until the desired color is achieved.

muzzleloader brown barrel.jpg


Mine turned out good, I could have done a lot better with surface prep and handling during the browning process. I'm still happy with the results, this is the good side shown where I must have really been paying attention. Not shown is some splotches and runs where I was getting sloppy. The book they provided was thorough.
muzzleloader lab book.jpg
 

druryj

In Remembrance / Dec 27 2021
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It does look good. Sure looks like a lot of work. And from what I've read, I'm not sure I can get the heat even and right either. I guess I need to decide if I want to go through that much for this one or just use Brownells Oxpho-Blue for the barrel. I've used Oxpho-Blue with good results a few times before.

Taking to day off from the project. Had some medical stuff this morning and feel like warm death now. Later.
 

Jcann

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My dad has an original muzzle loader he bought in Ohio at an estate sale. It has a 9 pound octagon false muzzle barrel made by B.P. Loar (spelling) with a Joseph Manton lock. It's of a plains design and I believe it's 43 caliber and looks like at one time it may have had a rear flip-up aperture sight. We've only shot it a few times with 70 grains FFFg powder with a heavy patch 40 cal round ball. Who knows, maybe one day I'll have its caliber truly checked and have a mold made.
 

MacFromOK

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I guess I need to decide if I want to go through that much for this one or just use Brownells Oxpho-Blue for the barrel. I've used Oxpho-Blue with good results a few times before.
Bluing has been around for several centuries (even before firearms). So if the originals were factory finished, they were probably blued.

But many early firearms weren't finished at all. They were kept oiled, and eventually rusted, resulting in the common brown appearance of antique firearms. However... with heavy use, bluing eventually does the same thing, and results in the same brown appearance.

So I guess it depends on whether you want it to look aged, or new from the factory. Personally, I'd blue it - but that's just me. There is no wrong choice IMO. ;)

Taking to day off from the project. Had some medical stuff this morning and feel like warm death now. Later.
Hope it's all good news. Feel better, Marine.
:drunk2:
 

Shadowrider

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As for a stain on birch. It can be a P.I.T.A. to get even. I'd highly suggest looking at a dye. Fiebings medium brown leather dye looks like milsurp walnut and is super easy to work. Grab a piece of scrap and mess with it so you know what to expect, but just wiping it on with a rag until you get what you want is the crux of it. It dries in minutes. ETA: Woodcraft also has General Finishes dyes which are excellent and they can clue you in on what would be best. I'd go with a pure tung oil finish on top of that. I'd use the dark version from Real Milk Paint. Unlike BLO it will give protection. The Chinese have been using it for about 40 centuries or so. It won't darken over time either.

For the steel, I'd oxpho blue it. Rub the heck out of it with steel wool while the steel is warmed up a little. Layer on the "coats" and you get a nice looking finish that you can touch up when needed. As it always is, the polish and prep will tell the final tale, but you look to be doing a helluva nice job.
 

druryj

In Remembrance / Dec 27 2021
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As for a stain on birch. It can be a P.I.T.A. to get even. I'd highly suggest looking at a dye. Fiebings medium brown leather dye looks like milsurp walnut and is super easy to work. Grab a piece of scrap and mess with it so you know what to expect, but just wiping it on with a rag until you get what you want is the crux of it. It dries in minutes. ETA: Woodcraft also has General Finishes dyes which are excellent and they can clue you in on what would be best. I'd go with a pure tung oil finish on top of that. I'd use the dark version from Real Milk Paint. Unlike BLO it will give protection. The Chinese have been using it for about 40 centuries or so. It won't darken over time either.

For the steel, I'd oxpho blue it. Rub the heck out of it with steel wool while the steel is warmed up a little. Layer on the "coats" and you get a nice looking finish that you can touch up when needed. As it always is, the polish and prep will tell the final tale, but you look to be doing a helluva nice job.

Thank you. And you are absolutely right about Birch! I do have a good bit of experience with finishing wood, even Birch, so I'm confident I can get a nice finish on this stock . Dye is gonna be a part of the finish for sure. I have used Feibings Leather Dye before to refinish an old stock and had good results. Dyes penetrate the wood grain deep, so it's best be sure before you just start wiping it on. But I have an idea which involves dye and stain both, and I am going to test it out on some scrap before hand. I'll be certain of my choice of application and procedure before I put it on, for sure. Might go with one of the General Finish brand Dyes from Woodcraft as you suggest.

Like most projects which involve a finish of some sort, whether it's painting, browning, bluing, staining, dyeing...whatever, you'll get out of it in direct proportion to the amount of prep work you put in to it. Prep work is hard work, and the tendency is to rush it. No need to do that here.

And I have also decided to go with Oxpho Blue for the barrel rather than browning it for exactly the reasons you brought up; ability to touch up easily in the future. I think Oxpho-Blue is the best cold blue going. I could go to the trouble and expense of having it hot blued, but it's a kit rifle after all and part of the fun is doing everything yourself, at least to me.
 
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DavidMcmillan

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I am very interested in this project. I’ve had the idea in the back of my mind so some time, and just haven’t worked up the courage to make the jump. Great information in this thread! ( wouldn’t expect anything different from you guys )
 

druryj

In Remembrance / Dec 27 2021
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I am very interested in this project. I’ve had the idea in the back of my mind so some time, and just haven’t worked up the courage to make the jump. Great information in this thread! ( wouldn’t expect anything different from you guys )

Go for it. So far, I’ve enjoyed the work. The key seems to be to take your time, especially when removing any excess wood.


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