1877 wood?

[vikingsword]

I have a question for those experienced in selecting a proper stock blank for a custom build and it is this; I inherited a stock blank a friend of mine had, after his passing several years ago. He had actually started using it in a build before Alzheimer's got the better of him and he had to discontinue everything he was working on, he even had a pattern laid out as you will see. Recently, I acquired an 1877 English sharps barreled receiver, in the white, which I am going to try my hand at completing myself(yes I do have some experience at this), but I have never used a stick of wood this nice! What gives me pause for concern is the direction of the figure and grain in the wrist as it is laid out. This build will be chambered in 45-100(2.4), and my concern is the recoil on this stock. Any helpful advise will be appreciated, thanks! Wes I apologize for the links but could not figure out how to upload the pics directly.

https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ar7bDeUoWSuE5VwBvCk ... _?e=2xum9u
https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ar7bDeUoWSuE5VuI8Pz ... j?e=pj89Xb
https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ar7bDeUoWSuE5VoSUZW ... V?e=qKhoO9

[John Bly]

Nice piece of wood but the grain in the wrist area is not suitable for a stock with a weak wrist as the '77 Sharps. It need to flow in line with the wrist angle for maximum strength.

[bobw]

Agree with John bly.

[Kirk]

Not to be different here, but I would use it, english walnut isn't brittle and chippy like black walnut. You just have to becareful so that you don't over inlet and also make sure the little wood locks on each side are fit well into the back of the reciever. Bedrock it when done and you will be fine.
Beautiful piece of wood by the way.

[Randy Bohannon]

English Walnut is spectacular with a 1877 rifle, Shiloh did mine and I waited almost as long as you for my 77. It was worth the wait as they all are worth the wait and then some.

[From Along The Trail]

I have done some odd things before.

I am thinking if a hole was drilled from the butt plate end of the stock, towards the business end? Then install a treaded rod, and epoxy it in place. I have repaired different wood projects by doing this, with fiberglass resin.

Maybe three different locations. If you never tell anyone, only the people that read this would have a idea what you did.

The trick is to not to expose it out the side?

I just used fiberglass resin to repair a fiber drive gear on a 1918 Maytag washer two weeks ago. Looks like the original.

Just thinking.

[vikingsword]

Thanks for the replies! Kirk, I had almost talked myself out of using this blank and going with a nice Bastogne blank I have sitting around, but now I'm going to think serious about using it instead of making knife handles out of it. This barreled receiver supposedly belonged to another maker named John Madone whom I've never heard of but I now am going to need everything else, (all parts, falling block, lock, etc.), barrel is not even chambered, but will become a 45-100. Here are pics of the block of wood for the forearm.
https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ar7bDeUoWSuE5V7u_kP ... d?e=SHj3Ko
https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ar7bDeUoWSuE5WFsd-n ... H?e=jx5jo6

[vikingsword]

The barreled receiver has arrived and I have cleaned it up a bit, done a chamber cast and twist rate check along with pics. As it turns out this barrel is chambered already, and happily, in 45-100 as I was wanting. Twist rate is 20, 8 land, .458 groove, .450 land. The distance from the case mouth to the rifling measures .500. One thing that I noticed is the widths of the lands compared to the grooves, can you guys tell me what type of cast projectiles would be best suited for this? I'm shooting paper patch in my 45/70 and have never used greasers before but have cast some up for future trying out.
https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ar7bDeUoWSuE5W-CQIC ... J?e=ErIhg2
https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ar7bDeUoWSuE5XKYxWf ... P?e=flboSs
https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ar7bDeUoWSuE5W45_4P ... y?e=MKcjOZ
https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ar7bDeUoWSuE5XHx0NS ... K?e=0WnlIt

[semtav]

You are going to get a whole myriad of opinions on that freebore. I'll reserve mine for a while.

[Kurt]

I had a couple rifles with a free bore like that.
Question, Is that a cylinder or tapered free bore and what is the diameter of it? It sort of looks like it might be close to .458" diameter ??

[vikingsword]

So I ran down to the gun room and took some measurement of the free bore, mind you it's been almost eight hours since the casting, and my findings are that at the case mouth, with both calipers and mic, it measured .461.5, and at a point just before the rifling begins, it measured .458.5-.459. Wes

[Kurt]

Well that the freebore is tapered it makes a plus over a cylinder. That makes a good gas seal with the bullet getting obdurated and the slight tapered freebore makes a smooth transition to groove diameter. Despite what you see mentioned about the long freebore chambers do not shoot I have not found this problem. Yes it was a struggle with my first but I got over it.
You have the option using a groove diameter PP bullet with a short ogive radius, unlike a money bullet.
Or a GG that has the ogive ends matching the top of the driving band, No Bore riding portion.
Seat the bullet with the ogive in contact with the throat. GG or PP. A Money GG will make you want to trash the barrel with a 1/2" freeborn.

I used these two bullets. they are not the candy of the eye but they hit what you aim at as far as you want to shoot.

IMG_0221.JPG

[vikingsword]

It begs the question, do I cast bullets slightly harder than say 16-1 to prevent " too much" obduration before entering the rifling? I figured I'd be getting more advise from others too. I'm kinda getting the Idea others might be just shaking their heads and not wanting to give me bad news, bring it on gent's, I'm not new to finding things out the hard way, but I also like being as informed as possible.

[semtav]

What are your goals with this rifle?
Competition?
Hunting?
Experimenting?
Do You have an issue with buying several moulds til you get one that works or will it be one and done if it doesn't shoot good with the first mould you try?

[semtav]

Also, keep in mind, you can stamp the barrel 45-100 or 45 2.6, but in reality you have a 45-115 or 45 3.1.
Unless you try your hand at jumping bullets across the freebore or use a double kw wad stack you are gonna be using a lot of powder.