Modifing India made guns

[Patrick Hand]

The India made guns are a real boon for Pyrate reenactors. A few years ago, I was looking at a Paddlebutt musket in the white, but it cost about $900. The guns from India arn't as nice as a custom gun, but they are affordable, and with a little work turn out ok.

One of the problems with them, is that they all look the same... for military reenactors that OK, but for Pyrates, we want our guns to have some varreation. (they wern't suppose to all be made at the same place...)

Refinishing the stock is the easist option....

I receantly bought a steel barreled blunderbuss from Callenish Gunner, and just had to modify it.....

I took off the original finish, and re-finished the stock.... I still have to make a mixture of linseed oil and bees wax for the final finish....

I carved initials into the butt, and added a button for a sling....

I made a swivel for the sling, took a little of the wood off at the muzzle end of the stock, and ground the ring off the muzzle of the barrel. I liked how the ring looked, but I didn't want my buss to look like everyone elses.

I still have a little more work to do on it.... I want to dull down the shine on the lock... do the last work on the finish... and very slightly distress it... Not so much that it looks really old.... but enough so that it looks used, but cared for....

Anyone else with pictures of modifications they have made to India guns ?

[roytheodd]

Those look mighty fine, but what's an India gun and how do I get one?

[Patrick Hand]

but what's an India gun and how do I get one?

It's just one of the guns that are made in India....

Some of them are sold without the touch hole drilled, but they can be made fully functionable, and can fire.

Callenish Gunner has posted some of the guns that he carrys..... There are other suppliers of India make guns.... but heck.... Callenish is a Pub member..... Oh yah... and Kass ......

[Captain Pogue]

I'd hate to see this thread go away, there has got to be more pirates out there with signature guns

I know Captain Midnight was customizing his doglock, I'd love to see a picture of it when finished.

I don't have a real one yet, I'm one the waiting list for one of MVT's new double barrels. After I get it I'm going to want to make it my own, since there are going to be plenty of pirates running around with one. I'd love to get some advice on how to refinish it, I'd hate to screw something that costly up.

What can you do to customize and stay accurate to the spirit of the period? People back then had some funky ideas about weapons. I read an article on MyArmoury.com about combination weapons. Somebody had a fork, knife, and spoon with flintlocks for the handles...

I put a leather wrap around the grip of my replica pistol. I'll probably do the same with the new one, except make it a bit fancier. Maybe snakeskin...

MyArmoury Combi-Weapons

[Silkie McDonough]

I have a Murdock that I will be getting engraved but it is out of my hands at this moment. Callenish Gunner is looking to replace the small vent pick that I lost. Once I get it back I will personalize it. Engraving and needs to look a bit less shiny too.

[Skull pyrate Carter]

I'll post a pic later, when I'm home. But all I really did was take one of the standard replica flintlocks, and wrapped a clothe around it... but the clothe was soaked in a salt water bath for a week... it's kind of cool. I also restained the wood.

[MadMike]

Looks great, there is an example of a well used William III musket in the Time-Life series on Pirates that has initials carved into the stock.

To "individualize" my flinters, I took them on period treks. After a few months the finish wore off in places, the stock acquired scratches, dings, and dents, and each acquired it's own character (which set it apart from similar replicas).

Yours, Mike

[Patrick Hand]

there is an example of a well used William III musket in the Time-Life series on Pirates that has initials carved into the stock.

Dang... I forgot about that picture.... it must have been somewhere in the back on my mind when I carved the initials.... I was thinking about a Civil War musket that I saw with carved initials..... Cool....

[Patrick Hand]

I got around to mixing the bees wax and linseed oil..... Using a propane torch, I melted a small chunk of beeswax in a small (cleaned out) paint tin, and then added about the same amount of linseed oil.... when it cooled, it's about the consistancy of soft butter....

I got a small amount on my finger, and rubbed it into the Buss stock, so it's a very very thin coat.... then rubbed it down with a chunk of cloth... I'll give the buss a few coat every few days, but it drys faster than just linseed oil, and it has a soft , not glossy shine.

[Flinter5]

that looks so great Patrick, really great

but nothing can fix how crappy the frizzons are on most of them, if not all, getting a replacement is near impossible and the ones that come on it wear through so quick. what can be done with this. and no kasenite does nothing.

It all starts with a spark. please help. . .

[Patrick Hand]

I figure that if kasenite won't work, I can always half sole the frizzen with a chunk of ground down file... Hershal House shows how he did it in one of the Foxfire books.....

I'm going to have to get my copy outta storrage.... there is also something on blacksmithing.... I want to see if I can make replacement springs... the India ones are way too stiff. If I can make ones that work better...cool... if not I'll just keep using the ones that came with the guns.....

[Captain Pogue]

Why is it near impossible to get replacement frizzens, there are muzzle loader supply companys online. Don't they have anything that will work?

Pogue

[Flinter5]

I've just found it very hard to find a frizzon that will fit anywhere near decent. Out of all the companies, even with slight and massive modification. . . .

and the india companies that deal here in the states want you just to send back the frizzon, rather than give new. And you get the same old shitty frizzon with shallow hardened surface back.

besides woulden't you agree with me that if your dishing out money for the product you should at least get something that frickin works. . . .

everyone tells me that these guns are great and there's works fine.

I have 4 new ones, that all have their own advanced levels of disfunction and absolute uselessness.

[Patrick Hand]

besides woulden't you agree with me that if your dishing out money for the product you should at least get something that frickin works. . . .

Ok... a problem or not..... but India made guns are cheap and affordable..... you have to do some work to get them to work right..... on a good gun, you pay someone else to do that for you.......

For someone that kinda understands flinters.... it's a minor hastle....

For someone that it totaly new to flinters .... it's going to be frustrating......

I view India made guns as "kits in the white"..... you gotta fiddle with them to get them to work right..... Hey.. you get what you pay for...... I can fix and make mine work.... OK... it takes some messing with... or I could pay twice as much to have someone else do it for me......

So.... If you are new to black powder guns.... you gotta know someone that fires, so they can help you.....

If you've fired black powder befor.... you gotta know that India made guns take some fixing up to fire properly....

It's all down to how much work, vs. how much money you wanna spend.....

[callenish gunner]

i personally reharden my frizzens with a mapp gas torch and 30 weight motor oil get them cherry red hot and quench in the oil ....and even some so called better guns need this done ocasionally

[Patrick Hand]

Yah... the buss I got from callenish throws a good shower of sparks.....

It's the doglock that I'm having problems with the frizzen......

[Bully MacGraw]

Good morning Mr. Hand

The lineseed oil that I use on my two boats darken the wood over time. I mix the linseed oil with terpinetine and a bit of tar. Over time the wood darkens. I do not know if that is from the air or the salt water. WIll the beeswax and linseed mixture darken the gun stock?

I have used a mixture of neatsfoot oil and beeswax on knife handles then buffed them. This created a nice finnishCheers

Ed

[Captain Pogue]

Callenish Gunner sounds like he has had dealings with Middlesex Village Trading before, how are there pistols as far a quality goes? Are there any companies that are recommend or avoided?

Pogue

[Flinter5]

hey guys I'm by no means what-so-ever new to black powder at all. been doing it my whole life. .

I've even put together some stuff though it looked like crap, and been fiddling and fixing things all this time as well

Its just you cannot take absolute garbage and polish it. I wouden't recomend what I have to anyone. . . .

I bought my guns all at once, maybe i should have just went for the one.

I might have hit a bad run, since they all came in the same bunch.

I think though that before you guys say this is typical and that they can be worked on and fixed, you ought to see these guns and frizzons I got. your minds would be different. I'll try working on getting pics of problem areas but I can't garuntee I'm a computer Jackass.

I even think one of the guns isen't teak but some kind of arabic pine or something, WTF, , , lol. . . . .

Just know I'm not an idiot and I'm reaching out to you guys as my fellow colleagues to share your expertise and expierance on the subject. Flint

[HarborMaster]

Just curious., what vendor did you get these guns from?

[HarborMaster]

Just curious., what vendor did you get these guns from?

If you bought from one of the big 3 Indian made gun importers....., all have a money back guarantee., and will repair .,refund ., or trade in.

But of course no one is going to guarantee your work.., youll have to do that. If you "fiddled" with it., none of them will warrantee it anymnore.

4 new pieces bought all at once sounds like 1300.00 to 3000.00 The vendor would remember you and I would be calling on them.

[Flinter5]

HarborMaster PM sent

[HarborMaster]

Callenish's heat treatment will work ., no new parts necessary so long as nothing is broke. Also ., just a thought., some of my guns like to throw a much better spark with the flint *Upside-Down* ., others *Right-Side-Up* ., also when I load I usually keep a toothpik in my vent., then after loading,. I pull the toothpik and prime., this keeps an unclogged air-way from the prime to the load for a faster ignition., almost like capn-ball., FAST. Have you tried to check for sparks in the dark...., if they are good., perhaps., use a marble mortar and pestle to grind your powder much finer...., into a dust.., Very powerful! .,I do this alot with my priming powder before I put it in my priming flask. I like a very fyne prime you know !

Just a few ideas that might help. What are you priming with., what kind of powder., and FG grade?

[callenish gunner]

middlesex and i deal with the same suppliers in india they are very conscienious about the quality of what they ship ....a bit heavy on the shine both on the wood and the barrels etc. but first rate as far as indian guns go

[Captain Pogue]

That's good to hear Callenish, I've got my eye on the new MVT double barrel. I'm anxious to hear what you think of them (from the MVT thread a little while ago).

Pogue