1853 Enfield back from the dead...

[Garandguy]

So, I picked up this Enfield from a local gun show. The seller said it had been in his family for "generations", and it was a "Brown Bess"..it was in such poor condition, I decided to buy it and try to restore it to display condition...

 

[Dbackfed29]

Very nice work!

 

[frontrank2]

Nice going! You saved a piece of history.

 

[Seduzal]

Wow! An awesome job. Another piece of Civil War history found. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Craig L Barry]

Nice work. Wonder what the seller meant by Brown Bess? I think he was confused. Kind of a fine point and easy to correct but the screw heads always face the back on Civil War-era weapons of English manufacture, which this is. The rear sling swivel screw appears to be reversed here.

 

[redbob]

Well done Sir.

 

[Lanyard Puller]

Well Done ! Nice work on a really smashed up stock.

{turn the barrel bands around, though...heads on the left side...it's an English thing !}

 

[kenysd]

nice job! attached is my work restoring the for end of a Sharps carbine. enjoy...

 

[JOHN42768]

Working with a wooden jig saw puzzle

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

Outstanding work! Do you do this as a hobby or a business?

 

[UCVRelics]

Great Job bringing her back to life.

 

[kenysd]

here it is as received.

 

[kenysd]

I did it as an antique gunsmith/ restorer/ appraiser for 30 years. do it now for fun and games.the trick here is to mix the epoxy, long set time stuff, with powdered color, dark, to make it match the fix. no glue line. then mix paint color with ture oil, (a new bottle always, and pad it until it matches. works every time. the walnut wood must match grain for grain too. and the inside must be aged too, so the repair/restoration is totally invisible inside and out.
Ken

 

[kenysd]

I've posted this before, but here is a colt 1860 with an enlarged wedge hole....metal added matched and fixed. invisible.

 

[James N.]

I have a ca. 1795 French flintlock musket that has a stock that was similarly smashed while I was foolishly carrying it on the set of the IMAX movie Alamo... The Price Of Freedom. In one take I accidentally collided with another extra and our guns bore the brunt of the impact. I was devastated, but fortunately another reenactor friend offered to take it back to Florida with him and repair it in exchange for a pair of boxed French ca. 1840's silver epaulettes I had on set. He didn't do as "scientific" a job, using mainly plastic wood, but unless you know what's been done it too is pretty unnoticeable if not quite invisible. It's the one on the top of the gun rack (a Japanese repro is at bottom):

 

[Package4]

So, I picked up this Enfield from a local gun show. The seller said it had been in his family for "generations", and it was a "Brown Bess"..it was in such poor condition, I decided to buy it and try to restore it to display condition...

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Nicely done, there is a member here I would like to introduce you to, he is proposing to do the reverse of what you have done!

 

[General Butler]

The deep and interesting talent on this Forum is amazing.
You guys are great.

 

[letterreader]

So, I picked up this Enfield from a local gun show. The seller said it had been in his family for "generations", and it was a "Brown Bess"..it was in such poor condition, I decided to buy it and try to restore it to display condition...

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Oh My! What a wonderful job as you certainly had your work cut out for you with the combination of repairs. I'm sure it was not the first time you have dabbled in such work. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Garandguy]

Nice work. Wonder what the seller meant by Brown Bess? I think he was confused. Kind of a fine point and easy to correct but the screw heads always face the back on Civil War-era weapons of English manufacture, which this is. The rear sling swivel screw appears to be reversed here.

I'm finding that I've reversed all the swivel/band screws...Thanks for the head's up.. And, yes, you do encounter a lot of characters here in AZ..buy the gun, not the story as I'm sure you already know...

 

[Garandguy]

Nicely done, there is a member here I would like to introduce you to, he is proposing to do the reverse of what you have done!

Whaat?....all my work for nothing?...Lol!