Bates found this old CVA Derringer Kit. Similar ones are still available from Dixie and the Possibles Shop. It's a bit bigger than the Wilkes Booth Deringer but is about the same size as a lot of Derringer's pistols. He did a good job of shaping and checkering the stock.
Deringer put for and aft sights on his pistols so, bates did the same. The kits come with a press to fit front bead but Bates did it one better. The kits don't have a rear sight so, he made one and dovetailed it in.
We had trouble getting the chronograph to read the balls for some reason but did get one shot each with Goex and Swiss. 50 feet seems to be a healthy enough distance for this type pistol. I put one round at 6 o'clock at the bottom of the paper but the other three are pretty good.
One thing I didn't remember is that these have a coil mainspring. May ad a bit to service life.
He was out of plumb brown so, coated the barrel with salt water, left it in a jar with wet rags and then boilled it. I didn't know this would brown a barrel but it did.
Deringer put for and aft sights on his pistols so, bates did the same. The kits come with a press to fit front bead but Bates did it one better. The kits don't have a rear sight so, he made one and dovetailed it in.
We had trouble getting the chronograph to read the balls for some reason but did get one shot each with Goex and Swiss. 50 feet seems to be a healthy enough distance for this type pistol. I put one round at 6 o'clock at the bottom of the paper but the other three are pretty good.
One thing I didn't remember is that these have a coil mainspring. May ad a bit to service life.
He was out of plumb brown so, coated the barrel with salt water, left it in a jar with wet rags and then boilled it. I didn't know this would brown a barrel but it did.
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