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Thread: Repairing a Kentucky Rifle

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
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    Tacoma, WA
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    Repairing a Kentucky Rifle

    I was watching Pawn Stars and they showed a Kentucky rifle of civil war vintage that had been repaired. It looked like they used a brass mending plate on each side. Then I got wondering if mending plates alone would hold. I figure they must have used a glue as well, maybe hide (hoof) glue.

    I thought I would post here and see if anyone else could shed some light on how wood repairs were done 150 years ago.

    Thanks,
    Tom
    I'm a Creeker, yes I m.
    I fries my bacon in a wooden pan.

  2. #2
    Tom,
    I've seen some pretty homebrew fixes, especially on WW l & ll weapons. Never saw any type of adhesive applied, mostly wire, screws and plates. While this may not take all the flex out of the damaged pieces, they tend to hold together enough to function.

    Mac

  3. #3
    If the stock is cracked, inject the crack with ''Hide'' Glue, do so by just manipulating the crack open and clased and the glue will suck into the crack.
    Drill and pin with brass needle pins longways across the broken sides creating a splint of sort.
    cut and sand flush with the stock.
    The cracks are sometimes invisible except for these pin ends showing.

    I would only use the plate as they did if there was a chunk missing.

    Bobby.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    Williamsburg,Va.
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    Don't take Pawn Stars or their "experts" too seriously. They should NEVER shoot antique guns,and I hope they have sense to properly clean them afterwards. I saw their "expert" put 50 grains of black powder into an antique little brass cannon no more than 1 1/4" dia. at the breech,and fire it. It probably wasn't even that big,and had a pretty big bore in it,too.That is a helluva lot of powder!!!! You only use 40 grains max. in a .44 caliber black powder pistol!Plus,they have NO IDEA how many times the old gun had been fired over the years. Old cannon were kept track of every time they were fired. After a certain number of shots,the guns were apt to blow up from metal fatigue. they were melted down and re cast.

    Those guys are ILL INFORMED when it comes to antique guns.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    ft walton beach, fl
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    I have an old British "Brown Bess" musket that has a large brass plate fitted over a broken part of the stock. I bought it in England so I think using plates may have been common practice years ago. I didn't see the TV show with the cannon but if they did not put a ball in it, I think the pressures that ensued would be minimal. I agree that antique firearms should not be subjected to pressures anywhere close to those of when they were originally made. I use 100 grains of black powder in my modern .50 cal muzzle loader and some folks use more but I sure wouldn't do it on any of my antique firearms.

  6. #6
    there is always a danger when firing those old bangers.
    But the amount of too much powder is alway related to the resistance of the shot.
    (weight of the projectile)
    and some powders burn faster than others, so who knows what their ''expert'' did.
    You can fill the whole barrel and put a wad at the end, and chances are you would just have a fire ball come out.
    (not saying I'd try but....)
    when I was younger and alot dumber maybe I did.

  7. #7
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    Thanks all.

    I saw the little cannon last night. It didn't look safe to me and there was a ball in it.
    I'm a Creeker, yes I m.
    I fries my bacon in a wooden pan.

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    In the days when a Kentucky rifle was used regularly, they couldn't just run to the local hardware or gunsmith to get it fixed. They pretty much had to make do with what they had on hand. I doubt that glue was a common item in remote settlements. Brass on the other hand was possibly more available from an old lamp, or belt buckle. You can do without a belt buckle, but sure can't live without a rifle.

    Firing old weapons is best either not done at all or with an extreme amount of care.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

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