Old percussion cap rifle

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  • Mongo59

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    Scored a H.E.Leman percussion cap rifle this week. Famous Pennsylvania gun maker who is more known for his locks.

    It's a .32 cal, 44 inch barrel, full stocked squirrel'n piece.

    The barrel reads Conestoga Rifle Works, Lancaster.

    It is original, but needs work, but the bore is in good condition and it will be returned to shooting order.

    The barrel is heavier than a truck axle so the squirrel will have to be asleep, suicidal and/or retarded for me to get a bead on 'em.

    On a brighter note, I do live in Crawford County...
     

    srad

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    Nice piece of history there! Gonna feel good harvesting 21st century squirrels with it.
    Post some pics when you can and the story how you came to acquire it.
     

    Mongo59

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    Started working on a total overhaul today. It had enough hand goop on it from over the years to DNA link it to most of the eastern seaboard.

    When I got all the "patina" off you can still see the milling marks from over 180+ years ago.

    It had some poorly done repairs years ago to the stock. This will all be remedied.

    It is a hex-polyagonal rifled barrel and the bore cleaned up great. Mattress ticking should make good patches for it.

    The nipple is roached and I think I may have issues finding a replacement, but it still "breathes" well.

    The front sight is silver with neat "roped" edges.

    All these are hand made pattern rifles and I don't think the maker would have issue with it's being resurrected...
     

    Thor

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    Mongo59, no firearm should be left to dissolution unless it is incapable of providing its primary function. There are plenty of failed examples to put in museums. I don't own one that I wouldn't shoot...going back to 1807. Fire on and enjoy the history.
     

    Mongo59

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    Here is an old timers trick that I just tried and it worked!

    You know how percussion cap cone can just about fuse in place to the nipple and is a bear to get off?

    What you do is heat the nipple (the round part that goes into the barrel) with a propane torch for 30-45 sec trying to keep most of the heat on the nipple and not the cone. (I simply heated from the back side, opposite the cone.)

    Shortly after heating hold a candle (makes no difference if scented or not) to where it is on the cone but not the nipple. A small amount of wax will run but you don't want it all over the nipple but mostly on the cone.

    I waited about 15 sec and with an appropriate device to remove the cone, twist it off. It will hardly give up a fight!

    Mine was old and eaten up pretty good and if it ever had a designed place to crab, it was long gone, so I used my favorite pair of parallel grip pliers and it backed out first try!


    This will also work getting old bolts and jets out of the bottom of carbs that have corroded but are still rebuildable and anywhere you can get heat to the base and a candle to the bolt.

    If anyone told me they removed a fused cone from a nipple with a 4 inch long pair of pliers I would have called them a liar until tonight...
     

    Mongo59

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    Mongo59, no firearm should be left to dissolution unless it is incapable of providing its primary function. There are plenty of failed examples to put in museums. I don't own one that I wouldn't shoot...going back to 1807. Fire on and enjoy the history.

    Thanks Thor, it will get used upon completion. The furniture is stripped, cleaned and glued/clamped. I plan to use bedding to build the edges back up around the nipple and lock.

    It surprised me that the brass was held on with steel screws. They are original but I was expecting brass screws.

    The barrel is cleaned. I didn't file or sand on it but left all the character and mill marks. It will get blued to protect the metal tomorrow.

    The set triggers are in great shape but the lock has issues.

    The quest for finding a suitable cone for the nipple will start tomorrow as well. The kids are all working and we aren't having a big turkey day... may just work out after all...
     

    Mongo59

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    Mr Leman opened his shop in 1834 and ran until his death in 1887. He didn't serialize but did stamp assembly numbers. This one is #84.

    I did mic the barrel and it is actually .36 cal, now I need to rethink my projectiles...
     

    Leadeye

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    Somewhere I remember being told that old squirrel rifles were stained with a solution of Ferric Nitrate as it really brought out the yellow and grain in the maple stocks. Best of luck on this project, I'm curious to see some pictures.
     

    Mongo59

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    Here is the before pic. I watched the Disney movie "Davy Crocket" the other day and his was this same gun with a flint lock on it.
     

    Mongo59

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    Blued the barrel. The stock is structurally sound.

    Had to totally redo the lock. The previous owner must have had a passel of grand kids that liked to cock this thing. The whole in the lock plate the cam comes through was wore into an oval, I'm talking 1/8 inch out of round. Took the old ball peen hammer and anvil and tapped around the bottom of the "egg" and slowly moved all the metal back into it's natural place.

    All the screws on the lock plate were stripped also so more work with a center punch and ball peen were needed.

    Amazon delivered the M6x1 bottoming tap today to put the new cone on the nipple. I ordered it about noon on Wed and it got here 48 hours later.

    Still have a lot of wood work to do and staining. It was originally a dark cherry. Most were that painted on curly maple stain. Cherry will be easier to replicate.

    The original ram rod has a broken end. Plan to keep it and replace (for use) with a 48 inch hickory dowel soaked in kerosene for a month or so. I plan to shoot it before it is ready tho...
     

    Thor

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    Some of these used weapons are challenges. I picked up a Hawkins .50 from a gun store that had been dry charged. I mistakenly loaded another load in front of it before I knew; after I found out I removed the nipple and added powder behind the dry charge. The neighbors said they thought I'd blown up the neighbors house when I set it off.
     

    Mongo59

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    I am so motivated with the .36 that I got out the .32 and starting on it.

    They are both the same era and copies of the same pattern. The .36 is a real H.E.Leman while the .32 looks like it might be an "Indian trade rifle".

    Lots of brass add on's that do absolutely nothing. It is a 37 inch barrel that may have been cut down. Also a polygonal bore. It has the curly maple finish but I can't tell if it is a well done painted curly or the real thing.

    The stock is shorter but weighs more than the other full length. I chased the threads for the new cone and will add some blue soon but leaving all the character...
     

    88E30M50

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    I think Mr Leman would be proud to know something he made is in use 185 years later. Good job!

    How many things manufactured today will still be usable in 2204? It is a testament to the quality of his work that it is worth the effort here 185 years after he built it.

    Can’t wait to see the final result.
     

    Cerberus

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    How many things manufactured today will still be usable in 2204? It is a testament to the quality of his work that it is worth the effort here 185 years after he built it.

    Can’t wait to see the final result.

    Actually about the same percentage as usable 19th century muzzleloading rifles. Come to think of it, probably a higher percentage since modern firearms are made of better steels and use propellants that don't draw moisture or use priming that corrodes the metal.
     
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