Custom pistol

[LadyBarbossa]

I'm looking at possibly (someday) having a custom made pistol.

Once concern of mine is who to trust. What gunsmiths out there are reliable at best. Not just quality (not a lot of broken, poor quality parts) but something that's affordable, too.

My idea is to have a pistol to go with my outfits.

The pistol I have in mind will be an ebony wood stock with silver inlay, silverish metal bore, and other parts (just look silver, doesn't have to be silver). And yes it will be a functioning pistol.

I'm still pondering at what kind of pistol I want... but... at current if ANYONE has recommendations on gunsmiths to check with... please, let me know. I'm open to talking to anyone.

I guess... I haven't a clue on a budget since I suppose I need to talk to the gunsmith first and see what quote he/she can offer me on such a pistol.

Again, who do you recommend (besides Dixie Gunworks, Loyalist Arms, and Track of the Wolf).

~Lady B

[callenish gunner]

let me know what you're looking for ....if nothing else i would be willing to make a queen anne for you with most of the characteristics you speced-out ......and it would be on your approval .....we'll talk lass

[Captain Jim]

To have a custom gun made you will probably have to start in the $1000 range for a no-frills but nearly flawless flint pistol. By that I mean that the stock and all of the fittings have been inlet without noticeable gaps, the lock has been timed correctly and a proper finish has been applied to all parts. Add anything else (engraving, inlays or carving) and the price goes up dramatically. For examples, go to Track of the Wolf and look at the prices on the guns for sale.

Also, call the people at Track and Muzzleloader Builders Supply (link) and ask them for the names of 'smiths with whom they trade.

As for the reliability/responsibility of gunsmiths trading on the net, I cannot make any recommendations, as I can't afford them.

[Hawkyns]

Well, for something like that, I'd go to Dale Shinn out of California. But you are looking at 1000 dollars plus, and a 6 month or better wait. Custom quality and inexpensive just do not belong in the same sentence.

He does lovely work, his inlay is top notch, and he does lots of the earlier period pices.

Hawkyns

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Aye, and if you're dead set on ebony I'd tack on another 500 to the price. It is getting near impossible to get, and extremely difficult to work with. ya may want to consider something else.

[Captain_MacNamara]

I would suggest doing custom work on a queen anne kit and staining the wood black... it would still look nice and be more affordable and a hell of alot easier to work with than ebony

[Captain Jim]

A very fine substitute for ebony is any close-grained wood stained with vinegar in which iron or steel has been left to oxidize. If you prefer a little red in your stain, use rusty iron or steel. This type of stain actually changes the wood itself and cannot be "stripped out" by final finishes, such as tung oil, which will take the pigment out of an oil stain. Find a tightly grained piece of maple with little figure and stain away. I reccomend that you try out your stain on a piece of scrap first. Small pieces of maple are available in most "big-box" stores like Home Depot. Better to find out you don't like the result on a $4 piece of scrap than your $75 stock.

[LadyBarbossa]

Thank you all most kindly.

The pistol is something I've been pondering about for over a year. I like the idea of the ebony for it's dark evil looking color and the silverish metal for silver is the symbol of death.

Thank you most kindly. I can get a jist, but I very much welcome any more suggestions and all.

I've also thought about a blunderbuss. I've a stock for a Brown Bess musket I bought rather blindly where it's fowled up. Can't make a Musket or a carbine out of it.. but, I do believe a blunderbuss can be made from it. So, I suppose that's another curious route I am looking at.

Curious who would be able to make a decent blunderbuss. I'm looking for a fairly inexpensive route on this one but it must be functional. Reason being.. I'm not made of money. But need something functional to use for events other than my carbine (that's a wee bit big to haul around). So.. if anyone could make the weapon for a cheap price ($400 or around that or less, I bought my carbine for $200, it can be done) I'm willing to listen to what everyone has to say.

~Lady B

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Don't know what's wrong with your stock that it can't be made into a boat/canoe gun, but the Bess stock isn't wide enough to take a blunderbuss barrel, unless you can find an old .69 caliber brass CVA barrel. I have a complete unit, but won't part with it. It may be made to fit the Bess stock though. I would suggest saving a while longer and look at Loyalist arms blunderbuss at around $550 I think it was.

[Patrick Hand]

Already having a stock..... You can check out this company (I haven't ordered anything from them tho.... ) They sell a blunderpuss barrel for $100.

http://tennesseevalleymanufacturing.com/ca...ategory=barrels

[Captain Jim]

Nice site, Patrick. I hadn't run accross that one before.

Blunderbuss "kit", brass fittings for $400. Hmmm.....

[Story]

Lady B,

Check yer PMs.

[Patrick Hand]

LadyBarbossa, just for S&G, you could learn to make your own..... check out the blackpowder catalogs, for the parts. In one of the Foxfire Books, Hershal House makes a Tenn. Mt. Rifle, but your local library might have a copy, so you could see what to do ( making a long gun is almost the same, but with some size adjustments.....), also the Muzzleloading forum has lots of info..... then just take you time and make one....

Blackpowder guns are pretty simple, but you do have to take your time.... But if you run into any problems, all you have to do is ask someone in the Pub....

I'm re-stocking a cheap pistol that I got over 10 years ago.... I got a chunk of walnut for $15.00, and whenever the mood hits, I carve some more of it.... sure it's taking forever, but I'm not in a rush to finish it.......

NOTE: I would be better off it I purchased some better parts for it tho.... But if you want a custom pistol, you can expect to pay a LOT for it, or you can learn to do it yourself.... (just take your time.....)

[Patrick Hand]

I posted this photo elsewhare in the Pub, but ....... awh what the heck.... it's on topic.....

This is the barrel of the cheap pistol and the $15.00 chunk of walnut that I'm working on..... just started, so the barrel is not all the way inletted into the stock...... and it's realy rough right now.......

No where near time to even worry about the trigger guard , lock and other parts yet..........( sot they arn't shown in the photo...)

But it shows how to make a pistol yourself..........

(I will be taking that bump outta the back of the stock..... like I typed, it's still very rough........)

[HarborMaster]

What an awesome project ! The tiger in the wood toward the muzzle is going to really make this pistol great when its finished .,thats some good wood Mr. Hand !

[Patrick Hand]

Thank you Harbor Master.... I got it at a local rendezvouse for $15.00.... there is a slight check right near what will be the butt of the grip... but I think I can work around it... I cut out a knife handle out of some of it.... and when finished, Dang... it came out nicely.... hope the same for the rest of it..... (I might have lucked out on this chunk of wood....)

Walnut is a kinda hard wood to work with...... but it is dang pretty.......

Like I posted eirlier.... all you have to do is take your time.....

I think I will sorta take over part of this thread, and show the progress of the pistol.... Making your own isn't that difficult..... just takes time......

[Captain Jim]

Tiger striped walnut! Nice piece of wood. Does the idio..., I mean the generous individual you got this from have any other pieces to sell?

[Patrick Hand]

I think it was what was left over from when he made a rifle...... But rendezvous are a great place to find gun parts at a good price....