Shiloh Rifle Forums

Gents


Do you remove the wood off the rifle or leave it on? I'm worried if I take the wood off it won't go back on. I could use painters tape on the metal and apply addition coats of Formby's Tung Oil. Thanks.

If you carefully apply a little oil with a rag and hand rub it, the metal will not be affected.

Todd,
What if you use 0000 steel wool to rub it down?

Frank

battleship gunner wrote:Todd,
What if you use 0000 steel wool to rub it down?

Frank

Not with the wood on the gun, unless you want to spend a boatload of time meticulously applying painter's or masking tape on all exposed metal beforehand.

Here's an old Farmingdale Shiloh Military Rifle I just completed redoing the wood on, except for the final rubdown. The early 'Farmers' had a rougher finish than now with the Bryans running the show:





The walnut has an interesting 'intersection' where lighter colored wood meets darker that looks a lot better in person.

My Farmingdale Military Rifle has the rougher finish (just needed more pore filling) mentioned by Boge. I give it a periodic rub down with a quality furniture wax that has bees wax in it. Looks great and has a nice tactile feel to it.

I use the same wax on all my rifles - wood and steel.

Todd, mine is an early three digit 50-70 Gov't before Wolfe started putting in a freebore.. What is yours chambered for?

Watch the edges! It's not hard with either very fine sandpaper or steel wool to slightly round edges and make the job look amateurish... Not to mention destroying value for discriminating potential purchasers.

Clarence

My 50-70 MR is later than yours - #3XX1. My .50 MR '63 is earlier - #1XX0. It has the "wolf's head" logo, whereas the 50-70 does not, unless it is lower than the wood on the flat. I've always admired the military models and they make great hunting rifles with their sling swivels.

My .50 '63 SRC (#2XX1) does have the "wolf's head" cartouche and splendid dark figured wood. Must have been special ordered.

[quote="boge"]Todd, mine is an early three digit 50-70 Gov't before Wolfe started putting in a freebore.. What is yours chambered for?[/quote]

Todd Birch wrote:My 50-70 MR is later than yours - #3XX1...

Out of curiosity, can you seat a 450 gr. Gov't style bullet way out of the case & still chamber or not? I am curious because I am not sure if Wolfe put a freebore in later 50-70 chambers as at that time the older Dixie Gun Works brass held 70 gr. drop tubed with no need for compression (after being fired once). I have some of those cases that I treat like gold and used them in the past with Swiss BP.

There does not appear to be any free bore in the chamber. I've never tried to seat out a bullet, always crimping it in the normal place.

I think I could get 70 grs powder into cases if I used more compression. My brass is mostly Star Line, but I also have some BELL and Dixie Gun Works.