queen anne pistol questions

[Mick MacAnselan]

I've pretty much chosen to buy a Queen Anne kit. Colonial Gun Works sells the Pedersoli Queen Anne kit at the lowest price I've seen ($200). So...

- Anyone ever bought anything from Colonial Gun Works and how was the experience?

- I've read reviews of the Pedersoli kit and more than one person has snapped off part of the trigger guard while trying to bend it to fit the stock. Anyone built the Pedersoli kit and Not had a problem with this, or have a suggestion about how to make the metal more pliable prior to bending?

TIA!

[Duncan McGuyver]

I wanted the "Build Your Own" kit, but everyone was out when I was shopping. I ended up with a complete one from Dixi which I have been happy with.

Make sure to post how your assembly goes.

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

HEAT!!! A plumbers propane torch will work fine, and a little 0000 steel wool will bring back the color. Be careful not to burn the wood. You will nee to bend the guard off the grip, and keep it up until you get the right fit. Fortunately, i have both a coal forge and a propane farriers forge in my shop, but not everyone does, so use the cylinder type. Also, don't over-heat the metal or it will melt ! Just enough to seeit begin to turn red. Good luck!

Capt. Bo

[callenish gunner]

i used a shaping mallet (nylon faced) over an anvil mandril it took a few taps -not hard! and bent it a bit at a time and made it fit just fine ...not purchased from this dealer ....... i got mine (2) from dixie and i'm buying a few later this month .... they assured me that they should have some in stock within the month ...when they can guarantee immediate delivery my order will be placed :)

[BILLY BONES]

Just a note: The mainsprings on the Pederasoli Queen Anne are flimsy, and are the same on the Harper's Ferry pistol. Granted, the Queen Anne's on POTC have been through more than any pistol has a right to go through, but I've changed the mainsprings on several. They seem to break right at the bend in them.

[Tall Paul]

The way to soften brass is to heat it up to red heat and then quench it in water.

Exactly the opposite to iron.

I have never tried this with a brass casting, but it makes even fairly thick sheet brass much softer and easier to work.

[Cascabel]

Aye, Tall Paul is quite correct about annealing brass. You only need to bring it to a dull red, and quench it in water. It will work with most castings, but if needing to do a SEVERE bend, you need to bring it to a dull red heat, and bend while still hot. Be careful, and only take it to a DULL red, as viewed in shadow, rather than bright light. If yo go beyond a dull red, you risk getting too close to the melting point.

I have put together several Queen Anne kits, and never had reason to bend the trigger guard, but perhaps I was lucky....

>>>> Cascabel

[Cap'n Pete Straw]

THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE. I speak here as a person who snapped his Queen Anne's trigger guard (my own user comment is on Dixie Gun Works, and may have been one warning you have seen)... I know what went wrong. Listen to others, but please read what I have to say, and keep it in mind.

You should not have to go through all the fuss of heating the guard, especially as you may over-heat and melt it. The problem is not so severe -- you just need to be aware of what you are doing.

I recommend using a very soft headed hammer (leather, wood, or a ball peen hammer wrapped in newspaper) to GENTLY (key word: gently) shape the guard to fit in the pre-cut groove. Use a soft piece of scrap wood as an anvil. Work slowly. Make a very good educated guess and bend it a little, then measure the fit, then bend again, etc., etc. Be careful not to over-bend it, as once you reverse the bend in the other direction you are doomed.

The problem: The screw-hole halfway along the guard is a natural weak point. The guard I received was not quite the right shape and needed to be gently (there's that word again) coaxed into the right shape... but you have to do so SLOWLY (and I think gently ) to avoid snapping it at the screwhole.

Focus any needed re-shaping along all points of the triggerguard EXCEPT the screwhole. If you remain alert that this is the weakest point, you should be able to avoid breaking it.

Being forewarned, you should have no problem. Approach the process with caution and you should be fine. Moderation is the key. And gentle... ness. I was aware and afraid mine would break, but I built the whole gun in a six-hour marathon slowed down by lots and lots of beer. I can also offer you the useful suggestion to DO NOT DRINK LOTS OF BEER WHEN SHAPING THE TRIGGERGUARD. I think alcohol reduces your ability to apply gentility to the process.

Seriously, having done this (and I feel stupid, as I was aware this was an inherent problem of the kit) I could easily avoid making the same mistake a second time. Just go slowly.

...All that being said...

I must tell you that my broken triggerguard does not detract from the beauty of the gun. The screw pins the pieces (both halves of the triggerguard) quite sturdily in place, and you have to know where to look to even notice the mistake. I did not even feel motivated to try to repair or replace the guard, as my gon looks AWESOME. It really is a good kit.

[Captain_MacNamara]

What a coincidence... Mine is the *other* review concerning the triggerguard

I built mine in one evening, and snapped the guard in the same spot... as with yours, mine doesn't detract from the beauty of the gun. I added genuine burma rubies and brazilian emeralds to the triggerguard and grotesque. I also added silver crosses to the sideplates... so no one really even notices the break.

Dixie offered to replace the triggerguard, but I have it well in place and have an emerald set into it, so I wasn't too keen on dismantling the piece. Besides... imperfections add character.

[Cap'n Pete Straw]

Captain Macnamara! Well met, sir! I wish we had some better bragging point in common...

'Twould appear ye did far more customization to yer pistol than I did to me own, and I would love the chance to see it. However, I am very, very proud of my own finished product. Unhappy with my initial staining job (which I then removed), I created my own muilticolor water-based ink with subsequent application of linseed oil -- this resulted in a rich, satin finish.

What makes me feel like an ass, then, is that YOUR (earlier) warning is the one I should have heeded... therefore I have no excuse.

[HarborMaster]

I chickened out after reading Capn Macs post., I bought one already assembled.

I bought it last June !!! After going rounds with the people i ordered it from., Finally getting my money back., then finally notice its arrived then doing the credit card again., and well., now its finally upon me., this is Queen Anne Eve for me.., My new pistol arrives tomorrow...,The Long awaited Queen Anne Pistola should be on a UPS truck in my driveway .

I hope to post a few Photos of it

P.S> Capn Mac if you need more Grey Star trunnion caps I got 2 more sets I dont need.

[Cap'n Pete Straw]

Harbormaster,

If ye want yer pistol to match everyone else's, I can give ye tips how to carefully remove the triggerguard, snap it in twain, and reattach it.

Just so ye don't feel left out.

[HarborMaster]

*Wicked-Grin*

Yer a bad Pirate Capn Pete Straw.

[callenish gunner]

just put together 3 of the kits this week they came out great and i had only minor fit issues with the trigger guards ....heated them over my svea stove and they bent easily quenched with wayer and buffed with rouge on the wheel ....this kit is a good beginers kit if you take your time

now once i finish the inlaid thumbpiece they'll be finished and ready to go

[Captain_MacNamara]

Here's the pictures of mine:

I used something odd to color my stock. I was cleaning it after it was assembled, to get a bit of surface rust off the barrel, and noticed that the never-dull I was using discolored the wood. I was out of stain, and didn't have anything else that would suffice, so I rubbed the wood down with the never-dull.

It worked beautifully, and after a few days I pust a layer of clear coat over it, which wears off in places, creating a nice aged look.

For the lock and barrel, I initially used brown... the kind you have to bake on. I was unhappy with the results, because it seemed to make the metal actually rust *faster* than with it plain. So I attacked the metal with steel wool, removing the most of the brown in most spots. I used 4 coats of perma-blue, which came out almost black. Mixed with the rust brown, it also enhanced the aged look. Then for giggles, I baked some brown on the brass sideplate, and polished most of it off, also adding to the aged look.

All of that, with my other modifications, make for a nice one-of-a-kind piece.

[CaptainJackRussell]

Great work, Captain!

Do you use a hardened battery or the default come-along-one?

The finish of the wood is great!

Mine, I painted with brown oak-type colour and finished with a beeswax finish, but it's nothing comparing with yours!

Keep your powder dry,

Jack

[Captain_MacNamara]

Are you talking about the frizzen?

I use the one it came with... I get a good spark with english flints from Track of the Wolf

[CaptainJackRussell]

Frizzen, certainly...:)

I mixed up the words. I German, the frizzen of a flintlock is called "Batterie".

I tempered mine using the Persoli tempering kit and have great spark results with german flint (quite cheap when knapping myself and easy to find, here at the coast we just have to dig in the garden for the grey ones).

After all, your pistol is unbeatable.

Keep ye' powder dry,

Jack

[HarborMaster]

My new queen anne is showering sparks.,I tried to google Persoli tempering kit .,as well as Pedersoli tempering kit ? and dont see it? I am curious and now confused? I thought tempuring was heat treated the right way> Have ya got a link or what do you mean? Are you using Kasenit after heating up the part (Frizzen)

[Cascabel]

The best thing you can do with a Pedersoli Queen Anne frizzen is LEAVE IT ALONE !!!!!!! I have never seen a ignition problem with one of these pistols that was not the fault of the shooter, or simple inexperience with flintlocks.

Watch for an upcoming in-depth article written by me in No Quarter Given magazine explaining the successful operation of a flintlock, and how to get reliability from them.

>>>>> Cascabel

[HarborMaster]

The best thing you can do with a Pedersoli Queen Anne frizzen is LEAVE IT ALONE !!!!!!! I have never seen a ignition problem with one of these pistols that was not the fault of the shooter, or simple inexperience with flintlocks.

I am going with Cascabel. I have never had to mess with any frizzen on the Guns I have bought. And they have all been reliable.

[Cap'n Pete Straw]

I now have the technology to actually post pictures in here. Took long enough.

So, my own Queen Anne is in this montage of my flintlocks (it's the one in the upper right hand corner... the one that looks like a Queen Anne)

In case you are wondering, only one of the two Sea Service pistols actually fire (something is wacky with the angle of the spring/cock/frizzen of the other). The heavily inlaid one on the left is totally non-fireable (really looks AWESOME, though!).

[William Brand]

I'm now looking forward to the time when I can use the term "montage of my flintlocks".

Aye.

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Capt. Pete, looks like the geometry is off on the one with the lanyard. Is that the one that doesnt work? It may have been dropped on a hard surface at some point. At any rate, it isn't a difficult repair for any gunsmith to make, and being in Pa., theres alot of good ones. You might consider having that done if you want.

Capt. Bo

[callenish gunner]

capt pete looks good!!! i know the feeling about when you put a bunch o' the "toys" together for a shot ....their like your babies

we may need to start a new post yer arsenal thread again