A Cowboy Coach

[Sharps40]

Finally back to it. And since I got so much done, I'll reward myself today with a trip to the range to shoot the 45 Sheriff and my 1886.

But.....the buttstock nearly carved in and nearly ready for roughing up the ends for some glass bedding to make a better than I can carve fit and to seal the end grain.

Plenty of extra wood to remove and I'll likely leave the side panels just proud of the metal.....the sides are thin anyway and a bit of extra wood never hurts for some additional strength.

Fitting up the new splinter forend, a mock barrel to sand it in.

With layout blue I see I am hitting bottom on the forend iron and the barrels are just clear of the wood.

Screwed to the forend iron, a light sanding and shaping and it snaps into place nicely.

After a bunch of rasping and sanding the buttstock, I straighten the tang on the lefever trigger guard and check to see where metal and wood will need removed for adaptation to this stevens action.

The width of the buttstock and the width of the barrels is about the same, so, easy enough to cut off the stock for a recoil pad using table saw with fence and miter.

 

[Sharps40]

Belt sander and measure and true up the fresh cut end of the buttstock, not much truin is needed so I stop shy of the line when the measurements all around are about the same.

Screw holes on the recoil pad are 3 1/8 CTC so I find, mark and drill centered holes. Screws are run in and out a few times with some lube to prevent cracking the wood.

Initial grinding of the recoil pad is with an 80g disc, following the top and bottom lines of the stock wood.

Fine belt sander is used to bring wood down to recoil pad on the cheek sides and to smooth out the lines over the top and bottom.

Next steps are glass bedding the forend iron and the buttstock. But for now, the Cowboy Coach looks pretty good.....

 

[HERMET]

Was wondering where you went and how your project was going?

 

[edzackley]

Glad to see the progress - your threads are some of my favorite on the ODT!

 

[Sharps40]

I have been on the road nearly 2 or 3 weekends each month since Christmas. 2 weekends at home and I'm getting caught up a bit!

 

[StuP]

My envy for your skills grows all the time

 

[Sharps40]

Glass bedding. Forend and iron ready to be seated.

Now seated and after cleaning off the ooz out. 24 hours and I can remove the iron and get it ready for bluing.

Toughs are placed in the forward bearing points of the buttstock to increase the surface area of the bedding compound. The bedding will be just a sliver and the troughs give it a bit more strength and holding power.....its likely the stock will be on and off several more times until its all done and so, some extra strength in the bedding is needed.

Pressing the bedding on the front and down inside the stock where the rear of the tang meets the wood.

The buttstock seated snugly with its draw bolt and after cleaning up the ooz out.....a pretty good fit.

 

[Sharps40]

Clearance was made in the Le Fever trigger guard tang, action tang and in the buttstock. Trigger guard mounted and ready for a skim coating of glass bed.....and a slotted head screw vice a Phillips head.

Much larger and better looking than the factory stamped guard. Plenty of room to get to the triggers now.

 

[Sharps40]

Completed glass bedding the trigger guard tang....also started rounding over its edges and tail for a clean smooth look.

Moving the barrel back into battery increased the forend iron tension to a furious amount, took a pry bar to pop it on and off, so, a bit of work deepening the catch and now it pops on and off snugly but still with the necessary authority to retain the barrels.

I suppose next step is a test fire....then if all is well, finish the metal work and perhaps rework the cocking plunger under the barrel.

 

[Sharps40]

Guts back in and stock going on, clearance issue....not unexpected. Some trimming at the bottom lugs to clear the back end of the sears.

A couple spots of blue at 7 and 9 on the wood, the areas to pare away and clear the now installed sears.

Now it fits.

But it won't bring the hammers back full every time, stock on or off....must be that intermittent problem is now more often problem since the guts are clean. The cocking plunger on these come in two lenths. This one calls for the long one.....none available for 6 months. But the shorter 311/511 plunger is available and I have one in a bit better condition....I'll lengthen it. On the right, the more modern and shorter 311/511 plunger drilled, tapped 8x40 and a good strong screw threaded in.....now its a touch too long, but I can adjust by polishing the head of the screw. (I saved the rarer long 5100 plunger, it may fit another gun later.)

This will be locktited in place later.

Now, on opening stock on, it holds the left barrel hammer back but not the right.....stock off, both hammers lock back properly. The wood is interfering with the sears....not unexpected. 37 years smithing and I still ain't no wood carver....No apologies, the interior will be a bit ruffer when done clearancing....but......I am who I am.

The point of interference, mid sear....

Its the tail of the sear return spring that's rubbing. So, I cleance both sides.....now both hammers stay back with the stock on......it requires a smart break to click them back. Sears and hammers are a bit worn and if I find a good deal, I'll likely replace all four parts.

For now, pulled triggers, right barrel good, left barrel no go.....over and over....the problem? Forgot to reshape the rear trigger to clear the new more forward mounted trigger guard.....Done below and the shapes are not too bad, Now both barrels fire.

About several hundred openings and closings.....lock up still looks pretty good....but gotta get the safety to reliable status......one step at a time, each part complements or interferes with the other....tackle em one by one till its done....but, if it ain't a driving rain tomorrow, I just gotta go to the range with it....after all, it was a real peeing contest tonight, but the burn weren't too bad, and so far the shotty is loosing its fight against resurrection.