It's expensive, $175 for that piece. I only use kiln fired wood that is selected for the purpose of carving gun stocks, both for it's moisture content and for a nice strong grain. With as long as it takes to carve the stock I would definitely be pissed if I finished the thing only to find out that the barrel inlet has warped and the barrel won't fit anymore.
My next musket will probably be a Tanegashima so I won't have to spend so much to get the wood I need. That and I can use brass to make the lock.
However, in December or January I'll be building a crossbow. I already have the steel to do this, and the wood will cost less than $50 and require much much less carving.
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Crossbow.png[/img]
Great to hear you've got more plans in the works, your threads are some of the best on Facepunch, if not THE best.
Please keep us updated!!
This is amazing. I haven't read the whole thread because I'm lazy, but is it actually going to be able to fire?
Either way it's amazing, and good luck with the other pieces too.
Yes it'll fire, neither of these are toys. They're the real deal.
Barrel inletting is well under way, already about a 5th of the way done.
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Super%20Matchlock/000_1584.jpg[/img]
I also went and got a bandsaw last night because we like nice, straight cuts on our gun stocks. My Jigsaw can go die somewhere now.
Inletting is done, and I rough cut the profile with the new bandsaw. Bandsaws are now my favorite kind of saw.
And if the last few pictures weren't enough evidence of just how big this thing is:
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Super%20Matchlock/000_1589.jpg[/img]
RR_Raptor, I can honestly say that I've been [i][b]fanatically[/b][/i] following your work for years.
Nearly finished with the Pan, it just needs a mounting bracket and the touch hole drilled. Also made the brass tip for the ramrod which came the other day. I also made a cleaning rod extension, none of my cleaning rods were long enough to reach the bottom of the barrel. Even with a 6" extension it just BARELY reaches the bottom.
All that's left now is to:
Route the ramrod channel (Carefully) and drill the hole for the end of the ramrod to sit in.
Do the final shaping of the stock.
Cut the inlet for the lock and pan.
Make a seriously heavy duty barrel band.
Drill and tap the barrel tang for a retaining bolt.
Make a trigger bar and fix it to the lock sear.
Sounds like a lot but at least some of those are relatively short jobs.
I plan on making some modifications in the future, such as adding staples to the barrel so it can be pinned to the stock rather than just held in place by the barrel band and bolt, and possibly making a brass muzzle cap to add further strength to the stock. But for now this will do.
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Super%20Matchlock/000_1590.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Super%20Matchlock/000_1591.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Super%20Matchlock/000_1592.jpg[/img]
And holy shit that pan was a bitch to make, never let me make one like that again.
Nearing the finish (No pun intended). All that's left now is to inlet the sideplate, attach and bend the trigger and make a buttplate. And then stain but that's more of a "brush furiously then wait for 2 hours" thing. I've worked out that one coat of maple stain, followed by walnut then another coat of maple will give me the color I want, plus three coats of sealer and varnish.
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Super%20Matchlock/000_1593.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Super%20Matchlock/000_1594.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Super%20Matchlock/000_1595.jpg[/img]
I still need to drill the touch hole in the barrel too, but I like to save that for last. Once the touch hole is drilled in the barrel it is then recognized by law to be a live firearm.
How much gunpowder are you going to need to fire that thing?
About 120 grains. I load my .75 with 80 grains.
Gun is done:
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Super%20Matchlock/000_1600.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Super%20Matchlock/000_1601.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Super%20Matchlock/000_1602.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq291/RR_Raptor65/Super%20Matchlock/000_1604.jpg[/img]
Drill press decided to be a bitch and the 1/16" drill bit I was using to drill the touch hole broke off inside the hole. Either I have to get some harder drill bits to drill through the broken one or drill it even bigger and put a vent liner inside. Either way I am extremely pissed off.
Good lord man, I've got a Garand and that gun is massive, those matchlocks must be near impossible to hold up for a prolonged period. Looks great by the way.
The .75 is suprisingly light, slightly lighter than the Garand and much easier to support because it balances perfectly at the hole the ramrod sits in.
The Super Matchlock on the other hand, I CAN aim it unsupported, but only for about 2 seconds, and then my arms hurt like a motherfucker. It's just extremely muzzle heavy.
Once again, utterly epic. Hope you get the touch hole sorted, I can't wait for a vid!
I'm probably going to opt for a vent liner. This has a number of other advantages, mainly better ignition because it places the main charge closer to the pan and since the liner is made of stainless steel it'll be easier to clean.
Well, it lives! Just test fired it, two shots, 120 grains under a cotton ball. Now I just need to find some cannonballs.
Like an angry mob consisting of a single man with a sputtering torch and a lonely pitchfork I demand video footage!
Please!
I would have taken some pictures, but it's hard enough trying to manage the match, rest and musket together without a camera.
I still need to get some really big musket balls, then I can fire it for real and have someone record it.
Is a ball mould like the one in your matchlock project out of the question?
Yes, they simply don't make 1" moulds like that. I already have a source for a mould, I just want to get some already cast balls so I can figure out which size fits best in my musket.
I say use buckshot too make it a smaller version of a punt gun.
I only have birdshot. It's also worth mentioning that it is highly illegal for me to use this gun as a shotgun while hunting game because it is a punt gun caliber.
Hm. Learning something new everyday.
Damn you're one hell of a carpenter/engineer
That's pretty damn cool. Good job man.
Shit man, you're doing a better job than taurus.
Did you also make that spear?
No, I just put it on the haft. Been using it to practice my coxcombing.
I got some ammo now too:
[img]http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/8735/0001630.jpg[/img]
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