Build Track's Kentucky pistol with 13/16" straight octagon barrel, L&R John Bailes percussion lock

Build Track's Kentucky pistol
with 13/16" straight octagon barrel,
L&R John Bailes percussion lock

Build Track's flint lock Kentucky pistol parts set and replicate one of the rarest frontier accoutrement's. Building a Kentucky pistol requires all the same skills and techniques used to assemble a longrifle. Use of a drill press in recommended. A skilled mentor, as always, can be a invaluable aid in building any rifle or pistol project. Select a available caliber and 13/16" octagon barrel, wood grade, brass furniture, and L&R John Bailes percussion lock to begin your project.

Colerain Barrel Company offers a select few calibers in pistol barrels. Colerain straight octagon barrels are threaded to accept the breech plug. Colerain barrels are the favorite choice of today's best muzzle loading gun makers, because knowledgeable shooters demand Colerain's accuracy, inside and outside. Founded by two entrepreneurs, Scott Keller and Scott Kelly were tutored by Bob Paris, the famous rifle barrel maker who was first to perfect the technique for production of correct swamped barrels.

Colerain rifle barrels are cut rifled, with fancy radius groove rifling geometry, in correct twist rates for round balls:

Cut rifled, with .012" to .016" deep grooves, depending on caliber.
1 turn in 20" twist, in .45 or .50 caliber.

Colerain barrels are drilled from solid steel. Each barrel has six "round bottom" grooves, called "radius groove rifling". Colerain eliminates the sharp inside corner that accumulates fouling. Radius groove rifling cutters are a bit more expensive to make, but Colerain's customers agree that the accuracy, easy loading, and easy cleaning are worth the cost.

Stocks for our Kentucky pistol are carved from plain cherry, maple, or walnut. This Kentucky Pistol stock has a distinctive birds head grip, found on Kentucky pistols of the early to late flint period.

The barrel channel is inlet for your 13/16" octagon 10" or shorter barrel. Drilled for a 5/16" ramrod. Inlet for L&R John Bailes percussion lock. We include a single trigger in our suggested list of parts.

Triggerguards: Select from one of four appropriate brass triggerguards to finish your Kentucky pistol. All triggerguards will require duburring, polishing, drilling, and bending to exactly match the stock profile. See our catalog for full size photos of these triggerguards.

#TG-MA-19-B: Sand cast brass, this is a typical Kentucky pistol triggerguard. Pistols from the American frontier rarely have a fancy finial.

#TG-MA-79-B: Sand cast brass, with a wide swell in the bow, which resembles our #TG-MA-121 flint fowler or longrifle triggerguard.

#TG-P1-B: Wax cast brass, flint pistol triggerguard with acorn front finial, a popular English motif.

#TG-P2-B: Wax cast brass, pistol triggerguard with a pineapple finial, derived from the earlier acorn.

Sometimes called a small Manton, baby Durs Egg, or small English flint lock. This smaller lock is a fine London design, in the style of John Bailes, gunmaker. Fine original flint locks were converted to percussion, during the 1825 to 1880 period. The flash hole was replaced with a powder drum and nipple, which we offer separately. Old time gunsmiths cut away the pan, discarded the frizzen, frizzen spring, and cock. A new hammer was added, and screws were peened over and filed away to fill the old holes in the plate.

The well designed tumbler and sear have raised bearing rings turned around axles, to minimize friction. Lock makers sometimes call this a "frictionless" or "ghosted" lock, because you can see through its internals, if viewed sideways.

A fly detent is fitted to the tumbler's mortise, preventing the sear from accidentally engaging the half-cock notch when fired. Suitable for use with plain or set triggers. Similar in size to the small Siler lock, to fit straight or swamped barrels 3/4" to 1" octagon at the breech.

Notice the "cut away" tumbler and "swing out" link, which greatly simplify lock disassembly. As you examine the photographs, notice the tumbler's lower arm is made to catch the mainspring if the tumbler arm or link should break while being cocked. Indeed, in the early days of metallurgy, this was the "weakest link" in this style of lock. But even if the link fails, this lock will fire its one last shot. Obviously John Bailes, the old London lock maker, was conservative!

This lock plate is nicely polished bright, inside. All exterior parts are bead blasted to a matte gray, ready for browning.

Powder drum, #DRUM-7-5-F-L, we now offer powder drums with a removable lug for installation. Not drilled for the nipple, use our #TOOL-DRUM, drum drilling jig to make this step easy. After the drum is installed, simply cut off the lug and the drum will appear just as those found on original percussion longrifles.

Gunsmithing Labor Options are a popular low cost method of speeding assembly. Our gunsmith can install the plug (#LABOR-BP), front and rear sights (2 #LABOR-DS), and underlugs (2 #LABOR-UL) at small extra cost, with prompt delivery.

#LABOR-BP: Our gunsmith will install your breech plug, in your barrel, with the front face of the breech plug tightly sealed against the inside shoulder of the breech thread, and the barrel maker's name indexed to the bottom flat. Threads are lubricated with Birchwood Casey's Choke Tube Lube anti-seize, so the plug may be removed, even after decades of use. Never remove a breech plug, unless you have a compelling reason. The plug is never removed for cleaning, and should only be removed by a skilled gunsmith, who has the correct tools to avoid marking your polished and finished barrel and plug.

#LABOR-DS: When you buy the sight from us, we will remove any burrs, gates, or parting lines, and hand fit the sight to the dovetail slot, ready for you to finish and use. Many of our rear sights are cast with an oversize base, to allow these to fill oversize slots. It is wise to allow us to trim these to a standard size, before installation in a new barrel. We must install the breech plug before installing sights, or underlugs.

Front sight slots are centered 1.5" from muzzle, unless your clearly specify another location. Do not embed special instructions within lengthy text of a letter. Place special instructions immediately after your written order for that item, or in the comment field of our on-line order form.

Rear sight slots are centered 3" from the breech end of the barrel (not including plug), unless your clearly specify another location. Do not embed special instructions within lengthy text of a letter. Place special instructions immediately after your written order for that item, or in the comment field of our on-line order form.

#LABOR-UL: When you buy the lugs from us, we will remove any burrs, and hand fit the lug to the dovetail slot, ready for you to finish and use. Allow our gunsmith to determine the best location for lug. Typically these pistols require two lugs. We require the breech plug to be fitted before performing this operation.

#BOOK-RAL: If you have never built a pistol or rifle from scratch we recommend the book Recreating the American Longrifle. The late William Buchele was recognized as a true master longrifle maker. But his greatest contribution to muzzle loading must be this book. He shares the step by step details of his craft. His work has been enhanced by the editors. This book does not assume that the reader is an expert stock maker, but begins with illustrated explanations of the basic concepts. Buchele shows several alternate approaches to most tasks. Newly revised fifth edition.Full scale plans include a carved longrifle and fullstock pistol. Over 250 photos and drawings within the 176 pages, 8-1/2 x 11" format, soft cover.

#TOOL-DRUM: Use Track's drum drilling jig to install a percussion powder drum on your new rifle barrel, and be assured of perfect alignment. Using this drilling jig is very quick and easy. No file fitting is required to index the nipple to correctly engage the hammer. Never use a washer or shim under your powder drum. Install one of our drums and use this tool to locate and install the nipple threads. After your lock is correctly located, and fully inlet against the barrel's side flat, drill tap and install our undrilled powder drum. Tighten it snugly against the barrel. Lower the hammer on your lock, and draw a line across the face of the drum, showing the proper nipple angle. Remove the barrel and drum assembly from your stock. Slip this tool over the drum. Align it with the line on your drum. Tighten the locking screw, and insert the drill bushing. Using your hand drill and your #3 drill bit, drill a connecting hole into the powder drums center channel. Remove the drill, bushing, and insert our 1/4-28 plug tap. Using a tap handle and cutting oil, thread the hole to accept our #RST-A nipple. Finish with our bottom tap. Dismount the drill jig, and proof test your barrel and drum before use. Drill, taps, drum and nipple sold separately.

#DVD-BMLP: Rifle maker James Turpin covers the basics in Muzzleloader Pistol Building. This tape includes the different steps necessary to build American and European style pistols. Also included is A "Furniture" repair to save a beautiful piece of curly maple. Both flint and percussion systems are covered. This is the third in a series of building tapes by James Turpin. DVD format, 135 Minutes.

#DVD-BE: The Gunsmith's Apprentice Series Presents "Beginning Engraving", taught by gunmaker Jack Brooks. With this video you can learn to engrave in the manner and style of the original masters.

In this presentation the nationally known traditional longrifle builder Jack Brooks teaches the viewer the essentials of chasing, pushing & wriggle engraving. Beginning with the basic tools, Jack shows the sharpening and heat treating of both square and chisel point engraving tools, and demonstrates the techniques used by period American gunsmiths to decorate their firearms. In addition, the engraving of several original 18th and 19th century longrifles is examined in detail. Over 70 minutes long. DVD format.

We also recommend our new catalog, which describes this kit in great detail, explains the options, and shows most individual parts in exact full size photographs. Prices may change, over the years, but the technical data, dimensions, instructions, and precise photos will make this 432 page book an essential too on your work bench.

Gun building is fun! Click ADD TO CART, and send your order, for same day shipment.

Build Track's Kentucky pistol
with 13/16" straight octagon barrel,
L&R John Bailes percussion lock