The Home Machinist!

Hi all, As you can see a Sharps receiver is emerging from the block of steel, it now has a nice radis on the front and sides. So it`s slowly coming along and with my motto ," There`s no such thing as Can't Do it ", it`s going to get there. , Cheers, Homebrew.357.

I'm amazed at the degree of success you're enjoying with this build. I've read each installment with considerable interest. You are an inspiration for those of us who enjoy getting the most out of our machines.

Harold

Hi Harold V, Yep , just keep at it and doing it bit by bit. Have just ground a 45% shamper on the side bits and I think I will leave it at that with a light sanding to finish. Also a finale machining to the slot for the side plate and with a bit of filling to fit the side plate it`s in. As my hip is going good I`v booked a fly in deer hunting trip for three days, so will be trying my home made Hawken plains rifle for the first in the bush, and the deer are Japanese Sika, cunning and hard to hunt, but with careful stalking there could venison in the freezer, Cheers, Homebrew.357.

I don't post much here, but have been following this thread and all I can say is wow. Nicely done! Looking forward to your completion of this.

Hi, Finishing it is some time away yet, and just getting all the bits to fit together with a bit of twigging, filing and hair pulling and getting them all to work. I had a dress rehearsal of all the gun parts put together and Its starting to look like a 1874 Sharps Quigley, mind the barrel still needs finale fitting for head spacing and then I can mill slots for the sights on the top flat and there`s the stock to think about, , So still got a bit to do, Cheers, Homebrew.357.

the assembled parts make a fin example of you can do with what I got approach to building this project. kudo,s to you sir. now to finnish and mary it up to a hunk of fine wood.

what have you got picked out??

Hi Hammermill, Have started to look for a good bit of wood, I like black walnut and we have some nz grown trees here so will look for a nice gnarly bit, It`s got to have that Sharps look. http://www.nzwalnut.co.nz/ gun and rifle blanks. is one I`m looking at , but a bit pricy as I know you can get some for $80 . The pics show the set trigger assy, and yes I made them out of car spring steel then rehardened them , have just finished fine tuning them. Cheers, Homebrew.357.

I have been following this thread with some interest. I am impressed with your progress. I am not a gun builder, mostly a hack at machine work. Never the less, I see what is impossible, or nearly so, in my front. Thanks for the inspiration.

Hi all, I have found a nice bit of black walnut for the rifle stock, and if I do my job it will make a nice stock and forearm on this rifle. I`m thinking of "True oil " for a nice oil finish to bring out the grain in the wood, but have still got it to do. Pic of the wood.

That should do the trick and I am sure you are on the right track with the oil Finnish now what about stock hardware??

Hi Hammermill, I have the plans for the "Shotgun" stock for this rifle and that's the one I will use, as for the hardware all I need is the stock end piece and can get this from T O T W in U S A, It`s a steel one, Ouch!, I have their catalogue, but there my be some plastic type ones around ,have to look a bit more. At the moment getting some technical advice on heat treatments for this rifle, looks like the barrel is ok as is and will nitrate case harden the breech block and receiver , then when all assembled will get it blued. Just sorting out the sear and trigger assy to get it working right and then a fit up to see if it will fire some primed cases, if ok then it`s ready for proof testing, like a good Ruger #1 lead bullet load about 3/4 times should do it. Cheers, Homebrew.357.

Color case hardening is always fun. I have some references I will dig up.and pass into you.