frontiergander
Member
haha I wouldnt even attempt removing that belly. You normally use a band saw to cut the entire bottom section of the stock and then reinlet the trigger guard and butt plate.
Lyman GPR Kit
- Thread starter Panzerschwein
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Panzerschwein
member
Ewww.... probably not a "my level" type modification! I think it looks fine as is though. I am most interested in getting a sharp line around the lock plate, getting the wood smooth with no raised grain, and of course fitting the things to the stock as best I can. I'm not concerned to make it look exactly like a J&S Hawken gun.
I was actually born in St. Louis, so these type Hawken guns of the original styling appeal to me so. I can't wait to start building my own!
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Panzerschwein
member
UPDATE:
Got my kit!
It's SO awesome!!!
But of course, now I've got to build it! So I have a couple questions:
The nose cap is a tad "rocky", that is to say that it wiggles front to back a hair on the axis of the pin that holds it in. How to snug it up to where it's a solid fit?
Also, the ramrod holder is pinned in with a very small pin. I would like to sand down the ramrod holder (behind the nose cap) because it's quite rough before I brown it. Should I remove this part to sand, or is there a way to sand it without removing it from the stock?
Thanks so much all! I am so excited to build my Hawken gun. Thanks for the help!!!
Got my kit!
It's SO awesome!!!
But of course, now I've got to build it! So I have a couple questions:
The nose cap is a tad "rocky", that is to say that it wiggles front to back a hair on the axis of the pin that holds it in. How to snug it up to where it's a solid fit?
Also, the ramrod holder is pinned in with a very small pin. I would like to sand down the ramrod holder (behind the nose cap) because it's quite rough before I brown it. Should I remove this part to sand, or is there a way to sand it without removing it from the stock?
Thanks so much all! I am so excited to build my Hawken gun. Thanks for the help!!!
midland man
Member
congrats cooldill, I am excited to see how it goes, please keep us posted!!
All right! Glad you got it and I'm looking forward to your build pics. I would remove all metal parts from the stock. Be very careful and it will be easier to finish the stock and metal parts with them removed. This thread almost makes me want to build another one of these great kits!
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Panzerschwein
member
Thanks gang! So I just drift the little pins out?
bannockburn
Member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2007
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- 26,312
Cooldill
Good to see you finally got your Lyman GPR! Years ago I put together a Traditions .50 caliber Frontier Rifle Kit over the winter months. Take you time and go slowly, no need to rush through the build. Everything on my kit fit fairly well in terms of inletting with the only difficult part being getting the brass buttplate lined up and shaped properly for installation. I didn't care for the shiny looking brass so I dulled it a bit with steel wool. The ramrod was fiberglass and way too flexible to use so I replaced it with a wooden dowel rod. I used Minwax walnut stain along with a little mahognany mixed in for a little more warmth to the color. Couldn't find any plum brown at the time so I cold blued the barrel and it turned out alright. All in all a very enjoyable and satisfying experience assembling a black powder rifle kit.
Good to see you finally got your Lyman GPR! Years ago I put together a Traditions .50 caliber Frontier Rifle Kit over the winter months. Take you time and go slowly, no need to rush through the build. Everything on my kit fit fairly well in terms of inletting with the only difficult part being getting the brass buttplate lined up and shaped properly for installation. I didn't care for the shiny looking brass so I dulled it a bit with steel wool. The ramrod was fiberglass and way too flexible to use so I replaced it with a wooden dowel rod. I used Minwax walnut stain along with a little mahognany mixed in for a little more warmth to the color. Couldn't find any plum brown at the time so I cold blued the barrel and it turned out alright. All in all a very enjoyable and satisfying experience assembling a black powder rifle kit.
Idaho shooter
Member
Did you make that knife?
Colonists, did you make it?
Hickory rod will work great, do yourself a favor and run a damp patch down the barrel after three or four shots. It will make loading, and shooting a lot easier and more fun. Good luck with the kit, have fun with it!
Colonists, did you make it?
Hickory rod will work great, do yourself a favor and run a damp patch down the barrel after three or four shots. It will make loading, and shooting a lot easier and more fun. Good luck with the kit, have fun with it!
Steel Horse Rider
Member
Cool: Yes, you need to get either a small punch, a finishing nail of the appropriate size (not recommended by me), or a small dowel pin to drive the pins out of the stock. My Pedersoli kit came with a selection of pins to replace those it was shipped with. The metal parts MUST be removed to do a proper finish job. File, sand, and polish the metal parts to your satisfaction and then start on the wood as you need the finished metal parts to determine when to stop removing wood unless you want to get chisels and continue with the inletting. As has been advised, go slowly so each part is finished as you desire before you rush to the next.
Keep a bowl or box for the small parts as you remove them. It makes it much easier when you reassemble. Pay close attention to the size of the pins and where they were used, as it makes a difference when you reassemble. Do not try to force a slightly larger pin into a "too small" hole but find the correct size pin.
It appears to me that the wood in your kit is finished much closer to the end result than any of my Pedersoli kits so go easy on the wood removal until you have a clear vision in your mind of where you want the finished surface. Once you are done with the rough finish then you can start into the tedious process of the finished surface, which is where your patience will be tested. My Junior High woodshop teacher told us that if you think it is good enough, sand some more........... As to the loose front cap I would probably coat the wood with some Acriglas or wood putty and then file and sand it back to a tight fit.
Bannockburn: Very nice job. It is a nice looking finished product.
Keep a bowl or box for the small parts as you remove them. It makes it much easier when you reassemble. Pay close attention to the size of the pins and where they were used, as it makes a difference when you reassemble. Do not try to force a slightly larger pin into a "too small" hole but find the correct size pin.
It appears to me that the wood in your kit is finished much closer to the end result than any of my Pedersoli kits so go easy on the wood removal until you have a clear vision in your mind of where you want the finished surface. Once you are done with the rough finish then you can start into the tedious process of the finished surface, which is where your patience will be tested. My Junior High woodshop teacher told us that if you think it is good enough, sand some more........... As to the loose front cap I would probably coat the wood with some Acriglas or wood putty and then file and sand it back to a tight fit.
Bannockburn: Very nice job. It is a nice looking finished product.
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Panzerschwein
member
Thanks so much gang!
It seems the barrel has already been finished at the factory. Both it and the tang piece are polished and burr-free. They looks very nice, and I don't think draw filing the barrel will be necessary at all. I will just sand all of the metal parts down carefully to the proper look I'm wanting, and remove the color case hardening on the lock and hammer. Then, I'll brown it all.
After that, I'll start fitting everything to the stock. That's how I should go right? Or should I wait to brown until after everything is fitted?
It seems the barrel has already been finished at the factory. Both it and the tang piece are polished and burr-free. They looks very nice, and I don't think draw filing the barrel will be necessary at all. I will just sand all of the metal parts down carefully to the proper look I'm wanting, and remove the color case hardening on the lock and hammer. Then, I'll brown it all.
After that, I'll start fitting everything to the stock. That's how I should go right? Or should I wait to brown until after everything is fitted?
midland man
Member
yep should fit everything first then go from there!
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Panzerschwein
member
The nose cap wiggles a tad on its pin. Not sure if I should remove any wood...
FiveStrings
Member
Don't be in too big a hurry to remove the color case hardening from the lock plate. Lyman's colors are actually pretty nice, IMO. I wouldn't change anything about the way my .50 percussion GPR looked straight from the factory. Let the case colors grow on you before you wipe them off and regret it later.
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Panzerschwein
member
Thanks Strings, but I am all about that brown LOL!
From what I've read, original Hawkens had a browned lock and hammer. I prefer that look as it will match the rest of the metal, which I'll also be browning, as well.
Okay gang, hear is my ROE for this build. If I need to adjust fire or reattack, please let me know:
1. Finish and smooth all metal. I'll file, sand, dehorn, and polish all the metal parts.
2. Fit and inlet the parts to the wood stock.
3. Shape and sand smooth the wood stock.
4. Apply stain & finish to wood stock, and brown all metal parts.
5. Assemble rifle.
6. Have great adventures with my very own custom Hawken rifle!
Does that sound about like the right order? Or should I do something differently? I'd like to have a list to scratch of as I make progress. Please let me know.
HB
Member
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2007
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Start with the wood and go very slow. If you do it right I think it should take you a month. I don't know much about the metal work but wood will take a while. Don't just go at it for 6 hours. Work on it little by little and allow for plenty of drying time and many repetitions of sanding and applying finish
midland man
Member
pics please of this nose cap??
frontiergander
Member
simply bed the nose cap.
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Panzerschwein
member
All, here is the loose nose cap:
I am not sure how to fix it.
I am not sure how to fix it.
Shanghai McCoy
Member
OK, drift the pin out and remove the cap. See if a toothpick will plug the pin hole or whittle a piece of wood to do so. Glue up the plug piece and shove it in the hole, wait till the glue dries then trim excess smooth. Fit cap tightly to stock clamp in place and, carefully, drill new pin hole.
Steel Horse Rider
Member
As a little filler to what Shanghai posted, I would remove the cap (you will need to remove all of the metal pieces in order to finish them and the stock anyway) and plug the existing hole with a suitable piece of wood and glue. Once you have finished with the rest of your filing and sanding but before you apply any stain or finish, fit the cap to the stock. If there is any wiggle when properly fitted, but not pinned, you need to build up the wood with something, I would recommend acraglas or some type of epoxy suitable for wood, and then file and sand to fit the wood to the cap. Once you are happy with the fit and appearance you will need to drill a new hole for the mounting pin. I would drill from the outside in on both sides using the existing holes in the nose piece as a guide to avoid alignment problems. You will probably have to do a little alignment work in the wooden portion but that way you will only have the original holes in the cap.
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First, clean up the nosecap. File/sand it smooth. Lay the end of the nosecap the meets the wood flat on a piece of emery paper and run it back and forth to make sure it's flat. Check with a machinist square.
Apply inletting black.
Push straight back. Some wood from the foreend will need to be removed until the nosecap is flush.
Apply inletting black.
Push straight back. Some wood from the foreend will need to be removed until the nosecap is flush.
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Panzerschwein
member
Thanks gang! Looks like I remove the cap, fill the old hole, fit the cap and re pin.
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Panzerschwein
member
Okay guys, I just got the nose cap off. Check this out:
As you can see, some Italian put the pin in at an angle. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be like that or not, but the pin itself was actually bent as well. Strange... I'm not sure how I'm going to fit it now without drilling a new hole through the nose cap itself... anybody have any ideas?
As you can see, some Italian put the pin in at an angle. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be like that or not, but the pin itself was actually bent as well. Strange... I'm not sure how I'm going to fit it now without drilling a new hole through the nose cap itself... anybody have any ideas?
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