Lyman GPR Kit

[FiveStrings]

What Jimster said. Try to get your hands on a piece of scrap walnut or a wood with like hardness and practice with the tools you're going to use before you lay hands on the stock itself. Practice removing very small amounts of wood at a time. Get a feel for how much pressure you should apply to get the result you want.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Thanks guys.

As far as tools, what am I going to need for this? I assume sandpaper? Obviously stuff for refinishing like paint brushes, will I need to draw file the barrel? Anything else for metal work?

 

[midland man]

wow desidog I like that way that turned out on your rifle!! as I own one of those mosin nagants 91/30 and green is my favorite color so I hope you'll explain to me what dye that was plus how to apply it so mine will look like that!!

 

[4v50 Gary]

I like scrapers.

Remember with your files to use it only in one direction. No back-forth movement like a saw. Go forward (or push if draw filing), lift and return.

 

[expat_alaska]

Thanks for the browning/plum brown info...

This probably way off topic, but I have a passion for 1851 Navies and especially their Confederate cousins.

I want to buy a couple of Pietta 1851 Navy revolvers and turn them into a fair representative of an Augusta Machine Works Pistol and a Columbus Fire Arms Co. Pistol. Both were manufactured with browned barrels, and even more parts. I will have to do more study, and the arrival of Mr. Albaugh's treatise (in the near future) will be an enlightenment for sure.

If anyone has an indication as to what color brown and, in fact, what parts were browned/blued on your guns, it would be appreciative.

I have read, with much interest, insofar as your posts concerning vendors, manufacturers, color, application, results, et al. Very good and informative!

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Jim

 

[Panzerschwein]

This probably way off topic, but I have a passion for 1851 Navies and especially their Confederate cousins.

I want to buy a couple of Pietta 1851 Navy revolvers and turn them into a fair representative of an Augusta Machine Works Pistol and a Columbus Fire Arms Co. Pistol. Both were manufactured with browned barrels, and even more parts. I will have to do more study, and the arrival of Mr. Albaugh's treatise (in the near future) will be an enlightenment for sure.

If anyone has an indication as to what color brown and, in fact, what parts were browned/blued on your guns, it would be appreciative.

I have read, with much interest, insofar as your posts concerning vendors, manufacturers, color, application, results, et al. Very good and informative!

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Jim

Perhaps you could start a different thread on the subject? This would alleviate confusion and probably get you more answers. It would also be preferable to not derail someone else s thread.

 

[midland man]

cooldill did you get your rifle kit yet?

 

[desidog]

midland man, my favorite color is green too. i figured that everyone else has a red 91/30, so i made mine green. I used this stuff; the main issue i had was that the stock had so much cosmoline in it that the dye didn't penetrate evenly initially. Once the wood is dyed, you treat it just like a wood stock in any other color. I don't remember which product i was using back then (~5 years ago), but i probably used BLO or Tung Oil on it.

 

[Panzerschwein]

I am scared that the kit will be too hard for me.... Anybody know how hard this is to do?

 

[desidog]

Don't worry. I did two lyman great plains pistols from kits. That was my intro to Laurel Mtn browning solution... i've used it on a ton of stuff since then..

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

We have travelled full circle....

 

[Panzerschwein]

It's not that Steel Horse Rider, it's just that after some research it seems these aren't as easy to fit as some claim.

 

[Jimster]

Cooldill, they are a very simple build. A kid could build these kits. The level of finish is up to your particular taste but the simple act of assembling the parts into a functioning rifle is on the same level as junior high school shop class project. Seriously. It's nothing like a flintlock kit build from Track Of the Wolf.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

As I posted earlier, the Pedersoli kits do not require master wood worker skills. You could actually assemble the rifle and shoot it without working on anything, but it would look like crap.....

 

[frontiergander]

there's a lot of wood to remove and lock panels to shape. Its not exactly easy a kid can put them together, just the opposite if you want it done correctly.

Biggest mistake ive seen is when folks leave that flat area right behind the lock. Gotta remove that stuff and blend it in.

One of half a dozen ive done.

 

[Panzerschwein]

As I posted earlier, the Pedersoli kits do not require master wood worker skills. You could actually assemble the rifle and shoot it without working on anything, but it would look like crap.....

Thanks, this is a Lyman kit however. I think I am just freaking out unnecessarily... thank you for helping me to calm down!

So I have decided I'll go with the Laurel Mountain browning solution, but I am still flip flopping as to what to use for the wood finish.

I may now go with something like Minwax English Chestnut with boiled linseed oil covering it. I think that would go really nice with the browned metal. I do plan to brown all the metal, including the lock and hammer. I'll have to remove the color case hardening on that first.

So hard to choose the finish!!

 

[jcwit]

Nothing can beat a true rust brown. Takes some time and some carding, but will look right and will out wear Plum Brown 10 to 1.

As far as a ramrod goes, get a hickory rod with true grain, soak in kerosene for 6 months to a year. You will have the best wood rod out there.

 

[Jimster]

Frontiergander, that's sure is a pretty job on that rifle kit.

 

[Panzerschwein]

there's a lot of wood to remove and lock panels to shape. Its not exactly easy a kid can put them together, just the opposite if you want it done correctly.

Biggest mistake ive seen is when folks leave that flat area right behind the lock. Gotta remove that stuff and blend it in.

One of half a dozen ive done.

Oh WOW that looks so beautiful!! It seems that your wood is shaped perfectly. I would very much like to make the wood look just like that around the lock plate, and any tips on how you did that would be tremendously appreciated!

 

[frontiergander]

everything from a round file, sand paper wrapped around that and then a magic marker with sand paper wrapped around it LOL. You can find a use for all sorts of odd things when you want to make a shape.

 

[Panzerschwein]

everything from a round file, sand paper wrapped around that and then a magic marker with sand paper wrapped around it LOL. You can find a use for all sorts of odd things when you want to make a shape.

Very interesting! Well if mine turns out 1/8th as good as yours, I'll be happy!

 

[desidog]

get a hickory rod with true grain, soak in kerosene for 6 months to a year. You will have the best wood rod out there.

I thought wood soaked in kerosene was strictly for starting fires. What does six months exposure to kerosene do to hickory?

 

[Panzerschwein]

I called Grafs today, and my GPR should be shipping out today. GOD I CAN'T WAIT!!

I am going to buy a bottle of the Laurel Mountain product. Still debating on the finish, boy is it TOUGH to decide!!

As far as wood finish items, I'll be buying some different size of sandpaper. I assume a sandpaper block will be useful as well. Am I going to need to buy some wood chisels, planes? What about a Dremel tool?

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

I use an assortment of files including half round, round, and flat, a small block plane, a palm sander, a number of different backing blocks for sanding, and lots of assorted grit sand paper as well as steel wool. I have not used a chisel yet but I do have an exacto knife that has come in handy. I would start with a few basic tools which you can get at a flea market, garage sales (although it is the wrong time of year for that here), or your local hardware or lumber yard. Go slow because while it is easy to hog a lot of material off it is extremely difficult to put it back.....

 

[Panzerschwein]

I use an assortment of files including half round, round, and flat, a small block plane, a palm sander, a number of different backing blocks for sanding, and lots of assorted grit sand paper as well as steel wool. I have not used a chisel yet but I do have an exacto knife that has come in handy. I would start with a few basic tools which you can get at a flea market, garage sales (although it is the wrong time of year for that here), or your local hardware or lumber yard. Go slow because while it is easy to hog a lot of material off it is extremely difficult to put it back.....

Okay thanks! I'm going to the gun show tomorrow, maybe they'll have some things there.

So I've heard these Lyman rifles have too much "belly" compared to a real Hawken's gun... what does that mean, and how can I trim the belly?