What is up with early Farmingdales?

[Jim VanMiddlesworth]

February 2023 I bought a .54 Farmingdale 1863 Carbine, serial number 735.
I thought it was a decent buy until I found that the gas plate was eroded due to the lever link being too short.

Shiloh won't sell those parts so I sent it in. 10 months and $560 later the gun was in working order to include refacing the chamber end of the barrel because it was not parallel to the breech block.

I really had wanted a .45 and found a trade for one with my .54. The new one is number 429 and looks unfired. Great, nice gun. I got it yesterday only to find that it, too, is out of spec. The seller didn't know.

Lots of measuring and it seems the chamber is cut off-center and favors the right side by about .020". That causes the right edge of the gas plate to be exposed to the chamber by .020". What a disappointment. I'm waiting to hear back from Kirk to see what my options are. I've become pretty sour on the Farmingdale 1863's.

[Jim VanMiddlesworth]

This is what it looks like from inside the barrel.

[Jim VanMiddlesworth]

I've done a ton of examination on this thing and the gas plate, breech block, and receiver all seem correct. Everything is symmetrical.

Looking at the chamber end of the barrel it is obvious that the chamber is off. The end of the barrel is stepped with the surface mating to the gas plate being in the white and the lower, outer ring being blued. The in-the-white ring is thinner on the right than on the left indicating the chamber is off-center.

[Kirk]

As I told you already this morning through private message, those early guns varied some. The chamber is not cut off center, it was done in a lathe for god sakes!!
The rest of the parts were made in fixtures on milling machines, it's all they had when starting to build these things back then. If you knew how they were fixtured you would then understand how this can happen. Like I also said this morning, it is what it is, shoot it and have fun. Posting pictures isn't going to fix it. I told you that when it eventually burns out which they all do we will take a look at it, and that more than likely the receiver threaded hole could be off center from the breech block mortise, I don't know without looking at it, I was in grade school when those rifles were made and Wolfgang is no longer with us!!!

Kirk,,,

[Jim VanMiddlesworth]

Sorry, no harm meant. The products you produce are second to none.

[Jim VanMiddlesworth]

Just so there is no misunderstanding; I have absolutely no complaints with Kirk or anyone at Shiloh. I have 2 of their rifles and couldn't be happier with them. To me they truly are works of art. Kirk has always done outstanding work on anything I've ever sent in for repair and the turn-around time and cost has always been excellent and fair. Anytime I've ordered parts they were promptly shipped and the price is always very reasonable.

My intent was simply to engage others in an exchange of information regarding the early guns and if my experiences were typical or if it was just a little bad luck. I'm well aware that Kirk, et. al., had nothing to do with the building of the Farmingdale 1863 guns and he has been quite helpful answering my questions regarding the 2 I've owned. My goal has been to learn whatever I can about any firearm I own simply because I'm fascinated with them.

I have been gun smithing and armoring for law enforcement for almost 25 years and know enough to know that one can never know it all. That's why I ask questions and seek advise.

[triggerfinger]

I just went back and looked at the 1863's that I have. In having the following:

Farmingdale 1863 Musket 54 cal with wolf head
Shiloh Products 1863 Musket 50 cal
Shiloh Rifle Company 1863 Musket 54 cal

It's like looking at the evolution of this model from Wolgang's very good rifle to the current master piece's made in Big Timber.
Interesting how quality of these rifles was and continues to be the goal as opposed to just mass making them and I'm glad that I got interested in them as some point...though my wallet and wife don't share the same love. LOL

[Jim VanMiddlesworth]

I agree wholeheartedly. I've had the two Farmingdale 1863's and a Number 3 Sporter. Although those guns were really nice they don't come close to being what the Bryan Shiloh's are. I wish I had the kind of talent the Shiloh folks have.

At Kirk's suggestion I shot the gun today and am happy to report that the little bit of gas plate showing was not an issue. The plate sealed properly all the way around. My only concern was that maybe there would be some gas deflection in the wrong direction and that seems to not be the case.

I'm always learning something new in this hobby.