Phat Girl slymm - A CVA Kentucky build

[LawrenceA]

Well we all know it is damn near impossible to get Muzzleloader kits here so when I saw a 1987 50 cal percussion Kentucky Rifle Kit still in the box I bought it.
Now I know half of you are cringing and I know that the old CVA Kentucky is not exactly the pinnacle of Long Rifle builds but I thought what a great piece to practice the craft.
This is what most look like.

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so here is where I am at.

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Progress so far:
- Firstly I decided the brass spacer was not an option so just left it out.
- Took about an hour to get the buttplate nice and tight to the wood
- Inlet the lock in about 10 minutes
- Inlet the barrel so it sat well at the back and most of the way along (slight warpage in front end couldn't be helped).
- Had to set the barrel back to get the nipple to line up and play a little with the nipple and hammer.
- Put the corner in the tang and bent it
- Set the tang down in the wood and relieved the back of the barrel for the rear lock screw.
- The Lock screws were missing so I rethreaded a couple of others.
- Fitted the trigger. Had to bed it out and recut the threads and countersink to line up.
- Inlet the trigger guard ever deeper
- Cut the barrel off

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- And the stock
- Inlet the rod thimbles
- Took to removing wood
- narrowed the grip maybe 6-8mm
- Narrowed the comb right down
- Rounded the rear forend
- Went to town on the forend such that it is about 3mm fatter than the barrel and fluted.

Before and after of forend

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- Recut the muzzle and crown
- Shaped the muzzle end
- Made a forend cap (took a coupla goes). Waiting on the rivets to rivet it on.
- Shaped the lock panels
- Attempted carving

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Yeah not done but coming along well I think

[bladeracer]

Beautiful!
I want to do one of these as well but I was told we can't build our own these days.

[bigpete]

Very nice,I'm like bladeracer, I wanted to do a build it yourself kit but was unsure of the legalities. Plus I could only find one in 50 cal and I've already got one of them lol

[northdude]

Nice job

[LawrenceA]

Nice job

Tah

[dnedative]

Beautiful!
I want to do one of these as well but I was told we can't build our own these days.

Vaguely recall the way to do it is by importing a modern lock and have that registered. Probably a Pedersoli would be the easiest.
The barrel and the rest of the bits you can figure out and get your gunsmith to formally amend the registration and there you go.

[LawrenceA]

Actually it is the barrel that is the problem.
But again it depends what state you are in.
In Qld you can do most of the work but an armourer must do the work that makes it fireable.
In NSW you cannot start to make anything with the intention of having a fireable result regardless of who makes it fireable.
So in NSW you need to start with a barrel registered as a firearm.
For the matchlock (built in QLD) I made everything other than the barrel and got the gunsmith to fit the breachplug and drill the touch hole.
The Flintlock I started building in QLD and finished in NSW so it was really difficult and took about 5 months to register.
This one was already registered as a firearm so no worries with it.

[dnedative]

Actually it is the barrel that is the problem.

Muzzleloaders and registered antiques probably cause the most headaches for the registry when they and the police come into contact with them I reckon.
Which bit is the actual firearm is up for debate, serial numbers all over the shop on all sorts of parts, some scratched in with a nail, some stamped and I'm sure there is more than one rifle registered with a serial number of 58BP

Thinking about it, easiest way is probably to just build it, take it into your dealer "I found this thing in the roof, can you register it for me under the anmsty, oh and its a .58 Cal CVA"

[LawrenceA]

Actually it is the barrel that is the problem.

Muzzleloaders and registered antiques probably cause the most headaches for the registry when they and the police come into contact with them I reckon.
Which bit is the actual firearm is up for debate, serial numbers all over the shop on all sorts of parts, some scratched in with a nail, some stamped and I'm sure there is more than one rifle registered with a serial number of 58BP

Thinking about it, easiest way is probably to just build it, take it into your dealer "I found this thing in the roof, can you register it for me under the anmsty, oh and its a .58 Cal CVA"

Actually there are heaps registered as 28 which is 28bore or 58 cal as old muskets were stamped 28 for the bore size.
You are probably right abut build and register it is still not legal.
In NSW you can build a realistic Replica as long as there is no intention of making it fireable.

[LawrenceA]

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Its done

[dnedative]

That's come up nicely, good job.

[bladeracer]

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Its done

That must be immensely satisfying!

[on_one_wheel]

Well done LawrenceA, it looks awsome.

Have you let it rip yet?

[LawrenceA]

Well done LawrenceA, it looks awsome.

Have you let it rip yet?

Thanks mate
Not yet

[Oldbloke]

Just found this thread.
Looks great Lawrence.
Fired it yet?