Numrich Arms Minute Man

[Tbu61]

I inherited an interesting percussion .45 Long Rifle last year, it's a "Minute Man" marketed by the good folks at Numrich arms, originally produced in the 1970's (I assume) as a kit.

Unfortunately the stock has a fracture in the wrist/lock area. I gave it a dose of carpenters glue and wound to dry with surgical tubing for a durable repair.
It's really fun to shoot, and it would like to re-stock this rifle.

Would any of ya'all happen to know of a replacement stock just laying around.
Numrich doesn't have any.

Regards...
tbu

 

[VaughnT]

Don't restock it, wrap the wrist in rawhide for a traditional repair. Not only authentic, but it looks great and gives you a good grip.

 

[Tbu61]

Vaughn,
I considered that, unfortunately it's an elongated radial fracture. Goes right through the lock mortise at the weakest points, ends in the wrist. The Carpenters glue is holding fine, but you can still see the fracture line.

The rifle sat in a closet for at least 26 years before I got it. Owner was paralyzed that long ago, his wife passed last year.

Weight of the barrel pressed the crack open and allowed dust/oil to seep into the crack.

It's a fun shooter now, but I inspect the stock after every shot.

tbu

 

[ribbonstone]

Arre ways of fixing that stock to be stronger than it was when brand new, but fixing it so it won't show is pretty difficult (and probably impossible).

Need to cross that break line with holes (even 1/8" holes would work). In this case, better to NOT have them break though to the otherside; make them blind holes...then pump glue (heat thinned epoxy works well) into the holes (a tight fitting dowl on top of a hole filled with glue, pressed hard will force the glue to run along the crack). Press the dowls to the bottom of the hole, let the epoxy set hard, trim the protuding ends of dowel. Proably 6 to 8 cross dowels (the more the better), which will be too many to hide by going in through the lock inletting and barrel channel (need LONG drill). MIght be able to hide them all by going in through the trigger guard inletting/ lock inletting/ and barrel inletting....places thwere a blind hole would be covered once reassembled.

An good alternative is to take all the metal off, and see if you could bridge that crack with one bigger dowl if you started from INSIDE the barrel inletting...even if you'd need a 6 or 8" drill to do it. One full sized 3/8" dowel might do the trick, and if the blind hole would be fully hidden once back together.


I prefer the many smaller dowels, each crossing the crack at a differnt angle...but I can't really say it's any stronger.
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Have put together test pieces this way, then swung them full strnght against a fence post...brok the stock, but not at the original crack...fixed this way, it's stronger than it was new.
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Long as i'm at it.

Seem to rember the H&A's (which are the same cirtter as Numrich's version) had a smaller than normal bore for a .45...would be wise to measure that bore before investing in ball that might be a too large.

 

[____hoot____]

I use small 6 penny nails, the ones with all the little ridges, and drive sections of these through 3/32nds holes with lots of expoxy glue. Works!