The gunsmith's manual

by J. Parish Stelle; Wm. B. Harrison

THE
GUNSMITH’S MANUAL;

A COMPLETE HANDBOOK
FOR THE
AMERICAN GUNSMITH,
BEING A
PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ALL BRANCHES
OF THE TRADE.

By J. P. STELLE and WM. B. HARRISON.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1883,
By JESSE HANEY & CO.,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

INDEX.

	PAGE
CHAPTER I.
History of the Gun	[9]
Discovery of Gunpowder	[9]
The First Fire Arms	[9]
Earliest Hand Guns	[10]
Prejudice Against Fire Arms	[10]
The First Rifle	[11]
The Arquebus	[11]
The Match Lock	[12]
Musket, Petronel	[13]
The Wheel Lock	[13]
The Pistol	[14]
The Snaphaunce	[14]
The Flint Lock	[15]
Important Improvements	[15]
Advance of the Rifle	[16]
The Percussion Lock	[16]
The Breech Loader	[18]
CHAPTER II.
How Guns are Made	[22]
Gunsmith, Gunmaker	[22]
Gun Barrels, Best Materials for	[23]
On Making Gun Barrels	[24]
Finishing and Proving	[25]
Action, Stock and Final Finish	[26]
On Making the Rifle	[27]
Plain Steel Barrel Guns	[27]
CHAPTER III.
Guns Now in Use	[29]
Gun Defined	[29]
The Old Flint Lock Gun	[29]
The Percussion Lock Gun	[31]
On the Muzzle Loaders	[33]
The Breech Loaders	[34]
Variety of Breech Loaders	[36]
CHAPTER IV.
Pistols Now in Use	[37]
Old Style Pistols	[37]
The Derringer	[38]
The Pepper Box	[38]
Old Colt’s Revolver	[38]
Sharp’s Four-shooter	[39]
The Breech Loading Cartridge Pistols	[39]
CHAPTER V.
On General Gunsmithing	[41]
The Gunsmith and his Trade	[41]
Fitting up a Shop	[41]
CHAPTER VI.
Taking Apart, Cleaning and Putting Guns Together	[43]
To Take the Gun Apart	[43]
To Clean the Gun When Apart	[44]
To Put the Gun Together	[45]
CHAPTER VII.
Tools Required for Work, Their Cost, etc.	[47]
The Alcohol Lamp	[47]
The Alcohol Lamp, Self-blowing	[47]
Anvil	[48]
Barrel Planes	[48]
Bevel	[49]
Beveling Clamp	[49]
Blacksmith’s Tongs	[50]
Blow Pipe	[50]
Breeching Taps	[51]
Calipers and Dividers	[51]
Chisels	[51]
Cutting Pliers	[51]
Drill Stock	[51]
Tile Cord	[52]
Tilting Square	[52]
Floats	[52]
Forge	[53]
Glue Pot	[53]
Gouges	[53]
Grind Stone	[54]
Hack Saw	[54]
Hammers	[54]
Handles	[55]
Hand Shears	[55]
Hand Vice	[55]
Iron Clamps	[55]
Mainspring Vise	[56]
Marking Gauge	[57]
Screw-cutting Tools	[57]
Screw Wrench	[57]
Soldering Copper	[57]
Screw-Drivers	[57]
Pliers	[58]
Wing Dividers	[58]
CHAPTER VIII.
Tools, etc., and How to Make Them	[59]
The Alcohol Lamp	[59]
A Self-blowing Lamp	[61]
Breech Wrenches	[63]
The Bit Stock	[64]
Bottoming Tools	[65]
Chequering Tools	[66]
Nipple Wrenches	[67]
Portable Forge	[67]
Vice Appendages	[69]
Shanks of Tools	[72]
CHAPTER IX.
The Work Bench	[74]
Material for the Work Bench	[74]
How to Make the Work Bench	[75]
Putting the Vise in Place	[76]
Place for Drawer	[76]
The Gun Brace	[76]
How to Deaden the Noise of Hammering	[77]
CHAPTER X.
On Working in Iron	[79]
Hand Forging	[79]
Welding	[79]
Hardening Iron by Hammering	[80]
Case-hardening	[81]
A Good Way to Case-harden	[82]
Material for Case-hardening	[84]
Another Way to Case-harden	[85]
Another Formula for Case-hardening	[86]
Still Another Formula	[87]
To Chill Cast Iron	[87]
Another Mode	[87]
To Soften Wrought Iron	[87]
Alloy for Filling Holes in Iron	[87]
To Harden Iron for Polishing	[88]
CHAPTER XI.
On Working in Steel	[89]
Hand Forging Steel	[89]
Welding Steel	[89]
Tempering	[91]
To Restore Burnt Steel	[93]
Annealing Steel	[94]
To Blue Steel	[94]
To Remove Blue Color From Steel	[94]
Tempering Knife Blades	[95]
The Lead Bath for Tempering	[96]
Test for Good Steel	[97]
Etching on Steel	[97]
CHAPTER XII.
On Working in Silver, Copper and Brass	[99]
To Forge Silver	[99]
To Polish Silver	[99]
Light Plate for Copper or Brass	[99]
To Clean Silver	[100]
To Work Copper	[100]
To Work Brass	[101]
To Cast Brass	[101]
To Brass Iron	[102]
To Clean Brass	[102]
To Solder Brass	[102]
CHAPTER XIII.
On Working in Wood	[104]
The Woods Most in Use	[104]
Wood for Gun Stocks	[105]
CHAPTER XIV.
On Gun Stocks	[108]
Form of Gun Stocks	[108]
Dimensions for Single Gun	[111]
Dimensions for Double Gun	[111]
Laying Out Gun Stocks	[111]
How to Stock a Gun	[114]
The First Operation in Stocking	[114]
Setting in the Barrels	[115]
Measure for the Stock	[116]
The Butt	[116]
Setting in the Locks	[116]
Setting in the Trigger Plate	[117]
Setting in the Triggers	[117]
Secure Fastenings	[118]
Fitting Bolt Loops	[118]
Hints for Finishing	[119]
Fitting the Break-off	[119]
To Let in Escutcheons	[120]
How to Cast Tips on Fore End of Stock	[120]
Chequering	[122]
Coloring Gun Stocks	[122]
To Stain a Maple Stock	[123]
Another Method	[123]
To Color a Maple Stock Brown	[123]
To Color a Reddish Brown	[123]
To Color Black	[124]
Rosewood Stain	[124]
Black Walnut Stain	[124]
Mahogany Stain	[125]
Cherry Stain	[125]
Oil Finish for Gun Stocks	[125]
Varnishing and Finishing	[126]
The Varnish for Gun Stocks	[127]
The Varnish Can	[128]
CHAPTER XV.
On Gun Barrels	[129]
Long and Short Barrels	[129]
Proof of Barrels	[131]
Proof Marks on Barrels	[133]
Gauge of Guns	[135]
Bursting of Barrels	[138]
To Prevent Barrels from Rusting	[138]
Protection from Rust	[138]
CHAPTER XVI.
On Work on Gun Barrels	[140]
Boring Gun Barrels	[140]
How to Make Cutters for Boring	[141]
Quick Boring Gun Barrels	[141]
Proving the Size During Boring	[142]
Draw Boring	[142]
Choke Boring	[143]
Choke Dressing	[144]
Barrels Most Suitable for Choke Boring	[145]
Freeing Gun Barrels	[145]
Another Method	[146]
Finishing Muzzles of Gun Barrels	[147]
Old Method of Straightening Barrels	[148]
The New Method	[148]
Another Method	[153]
Fitting Barrels Together	[153]
Joining Barrels Together	[156]
Soldering Barrels Together	[157]
Why Not Brase Barrels	[158]
Percussioning	[159]
Finishing Nipple Seat	[161]
The Vent in Percussion Guns	[162]
The Patent Breech	[163]
Form of the Chamber or Cup	[164]
CHAPTER XVII.
Tools for Breeching Guns	[165]
Breeching Reamers	[165]
Breeching Taps	[166]
Breech Pin Formers	[169]
CHAPTER XVIII.
Tools for Chambering Breech Loading Barrels	[170]
CHAPTER XIX.
On Gun Ribs	[173]
How to Straighten a Rib	[173]
How to Fit a Rib	[174]
How to Fit a Rib to an Octagon Barrel	[174]
How to Solder on a Rib	[174]
How to Re-solder Ribs	[176]
Height of Ribs	[178]
CHAPTER XX.
On Thimbles	[180]
How to Make Thimbles	[180]
How to Put Thimbles on Barrels	[181]
CHAPTER XXI.
On Rifling Guns	[183]
Importance of Rifling	[183]
U. S. Rifling Machines	[184]
Old Fashioned Rifling Machines	[186]
Gain Twist Rifling Machines	[188]
Re-rifling	[188]
CHAPTER XXII.
On Gun Locks	[190]
Quality of Locks	[190]
The Back Action Lock	[191]
The Bar Lock	[191]
Side Action Lock	[192]
The Wesley Bar Lock	[193]
The Central Lock	[193]
Cleaning Locks, etc.	[194]
How to Take Down a Lock	[195]
To Clean and Oil the Lock	[196]
How to Put up a Lock	[197]
CHAPTER XXIII.
On Fitting Gun Hammers	[199]
To Fit a Hammer on a Tumbler	[199]
The Drift for Squaring the Hole	[200]
A Tool for Fitting Hammers	[202]
CHAPTER XXIV.
On Nipples or Cones	[205]
Forms of Nipples	[205]
Nipples for Breech Loading Arms	[206]
Nipples with Flat Tops	[206]
The American Musket Nipple	[207]
Nipples Used in Sporting Guns	[208]
Preparing Nipples for Guns	[208]
Remedy for Bad Nipples	[209]
Pistol Nipples	[209]
Plugs for Nipples	[209]
CHAPTER XXV.
On Springs	[212]
Main Springs	[212]
Sear Springs	[212]
How to Forge Main Springs	[213]
How to Temper Main Springs	[214]
Cheap Springs for Revolvers	[215]
Coiling Wire for Springs, etc.	[216]
CHAPTER XXVI.
On Rods	[220]
How to Make Ram Rods	[220]
How to Make Wiping Rods	[222]
CHAPTER XXVII.
On Bullet Moulds	[224]
Joints for Bullet Moulds	[224]
How to Make a Ball Cherry	[227]
Tempering Ball Cherries	[232]
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Screw Making Tools	[233]
How to Make Screw Tools	[233]
How to Make Small Taps	[235]
CHAPTER XXIX.
Nomenclature	[238]
Nomenclature of the Gun Stock	[238]
Nomenclature of the Gun Lock	[239]
Nomenclature of the Hammer	[240]
Nomenclature of the Lock Plate	[240]
Nomenclature of the Tumbler	[241]
Nomenclature of the Bridle	[241]
Nomenclature of the Main Spring	[241]
Nomenclature of the Sear	[241]
Nomenclature of the Sear Spring	[241]
Nomenclature of the Swivel	[242]
Nomenclature of the Breech Pin	[242]
Nomenclature of the Screws	[242]
CHAPTER XXX.
On Browning	[243]
Objects of Browning	[243]
Preparatory Process	[243]
The Process of Browning	[245]
Browning Damascus Barrels	[245]
Browning Belgian Damascus Barrels	[245]
Browning Inferior Barrels	[246]
Plain Welded Barrels Made to Resemble Twist	[247]
Smoke Staining	[247]
CHAPTER XXXI.
Recipes for Browning	[249]
Thirteen Recipes for Plain Barrels	[249]
Four Recipes for Twist Barrels	[252]
To Blue Gun Barrels	[252]
Brown Tint for Iron or Steel	[253]
Transparent Blue for Iron or Steel	[253]
Varnish for Browned Barrels, Three Recipes	[253]
Finish for Browned Barrels	[254]
To Remove Old Browning	[254]
CHAPTER XXXII.
Miscellaneous	[255]
Shellac and Its Uses	[255]
How to Make Shellac Varnish	[255]
How to Conceal Bad Places in Wood	[256]
Another Method	[256]
Emery Cloth and Emery Paper	[256]
Uses of the Alcohol Lamp	[257]
How to Make Small Springs	[257]
How to Make Small Drills	[258]
Advantages of the Alcohol Lamp	[258]
The Soldering Copper	[258]
How to Heat the Copper	[258]
How to Tin the Copper	[259]
To Prevent Gun Barrels from Glimmering	[259]
Repairing Shot Chargers	[260]
Broken Plunger Nipples	[261]
How to Remove Rusted Screws, Nipples, etc.	[261]
Patent Breech, Bursted	[263]
Broken Tumblers	[264]
Describing Lines on Bright Surfaces	[264]
CHAPTER XXXIII.
On Powder and Shot	[267]
Comparative Sizes of Shot	[270]
Soft Shot Pellets to Ounce	[269]
Chilled Shot Pellets to Ounce	[270]
Comparative Sizes of Balls	[272]
Colt’s Pistol Sizes	[272]
Comparative Sizes of Gunpowder	[273]
To Select Buck Shot	[267]
Weighing Bullets, Powder, etc.	[267]
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Miscellaneous Recipes	[274]
Soft Soldering	[274]
Good Soft Solder	[274]
Soldering Fluid	[275]
Brazing	[275]
To Brase Lugs on Barrels	[275]
Hard Soldering	[275]
Hard Solders, Three Formulas	[276]
Alloy for Adhering to Iron or Steel	[276]
Gun Oil	[276]
Gunsmiths’ Glue	[277]
CHAPTER XXXV.
On Judging the Quality of Guns	[278]
The Muzzle Loading Shot Gun	[279]
The Muzzle Loading Rifle	[279]
The Breech Loading Shot Gun	[283]
The Breech Loading Rifle	[289]
CHAPTER XXXVI.
On Using the Rifle	[292]
The Old Kentucky Rifle	[292]
General Directions	[294]
Off-Hand Shooting	[296]
Rest Shooting	[299]
CHAPTER XXXVII.
On Using the Shot Gun	[302]
Born Shooters	[302]
How to Shoot	[304]
Brewster on the Use of Two Eyes	[306]
Dougall’s Reasoning	[307]
Gloan on Taking Aim	[310]
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
On Using the Pistol	[313]
Natural Talent	[313]
Taking Aim	[314]
Cane Aiming	[315]
The Best Pistols to Use	[316]
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Vocabulary of Mechanical Terms Used by Gun Makers	[318]
CHAPTER XL.
Vocabulary of Chemicals and Substances Used in Varnishes, etc.	[334]
CHAPTER XLI.
Calibres of Guns, Rifling, Twist of Rifling, etc.	[342]
European Guns	[342]
American Guns	[343]
Pistols	[344]
CHAPTER XLII.
Directions for Taking Apart and Assembling Guns, Rifles and Pistols	[346]
Rifles	[346]
The Ballard Rifle	[346]
The Burgess System	[346]
Burnside’s Rifle	[347]
The Evans Rifle	[348]
Hotchkiss Repeater	[349]
Howard’s “Thunderbolt”	[350]
The Kennedy Magazine Rifle	[350]
Martin Repeating Rifle	[351]
The Maynard Rifle	[351]
Peabody Martini Rifle	[353]
The Phœnix	[354]
The Remington System	[355]
Remington Magazine Gun (Keene’s Patent)	[357]
Remington No. 3 (Hepburn’s Patent)	[358]
Sharp’s Rifle	[358]
United States Muzzle-Loading Rifle and Musket	[360]
Springfield Breech-Loading Rifle	[361]
Whitney Breech-Loading Gun	[362]
Whitney New System Breech-Loading Gun	[364]
Winchester Magazine Gun	[365]
Billings’ Breech-Loading Shot Gun	[366]
Fox Breech Loading Shot Gun	[367]
Lefever Hammerless Gun	[368]
Parker Double-Barreled Breech-Loading Shot Gun	[369]
Remington Double-Barreled Breech-Loading Shot Gun	[369]
Roper Four-Shooting Shot Gun and Rifle	[370]