IMA's "As Found" 1853 Enfield Musket from Nepal cont.

[Steppenwolf]

Here are some pics of the beast. It is all there, except for some wood around the tang. Check out the sling. What should I do with this musket? Did I ever mention I hate packing friggin peanuts?

 

[mooncoon]

Obviously you need to send it over to me for safe disposal :>) :>). One option not considered so far would be to buy a scrap snider with a full length barrel and rebarrel it. I don't think you can buy sleeves that are 39" long.

cheers mooncoon

 

[Steppenwolf]

Man, I need to review my spelling before I set a poll:-(

MC, I think the top of the stock around the tang would need to be replaced. Sleeve it, He he he. I think it will be a wall hanger unless I need a winter project.

 

[dingus]

Does the Lock still function?
Dont worry about Spelling mistakes id never post nothin if i took all that you cant Spell! seriously

Looks like a neat old gun.

 

[tonyg]

I'd clean it up , scrub it out , then re-assess.

any old gun stuff makes great wall decor.........good find.

 

[nessy357]

I'd clean it up , scrub it out , then re-assess.

any old gun stuff makes great wall decor.........good find.

X2
Took the words right outa my pc

 

[mooncoon]

MC, I think the top of the stock around the tang would need to be replaced. Sleeve it, He he he. I think it will be a wall hanger unless I need a winter project.

The stock work looks fairly minor to my untrained eye. I don't think it would take an awful lot to get it shooting as a smoothbore, which I am pretty sure it is.

cheers mooncoon

 

[JacquesT]

Wow...travel back in time...

Worst senario, you could turn it into a ''cut away'' model for instructional purpose...looks like someone already tried to peek into the lock mechanism...

Looking forward to see the progress on this project...

Thanks

 

[Forty4Forty]

Did they send this to you in Canada?

 

[bdft]

Its a prescribed antique on both sides of the border. Shouldn't have been an issue at all.

 

[Steppenwolf]

Zero problem with the border, as it should be. Not the first time I have purchased from IMA. They have been top notch.

Did they send this to you in Canada?

 

[Musketfire]

Looks Like A Fun Weekend Project To Me.

I say get yourself some naval jelly and 4 boxes of steel whool, a bottle of whisky ,some hank williams albums and then lock yourself in a room and get to work

Looks like its mostly all there, you can get new stocks from American companys if the wood is a write off.

Under the grime you might have a very nice musket....But your going to have to do some work to tell.

 

[Dantforth]

I hate to disagree with everyone. The poll should include "send it back to IMA"! There are many available here in Canada which are in VG condition and can be shot and are part of our history as a country. I just shudder when someone buys one of these "as is" items. I have seen some postings on British Militaria Forums about these and the comments have not been kind. *return to IMA"

 

[mooncoon]

I hate to disagree with everyone. The poll should include "send it back to IMA"! There are many available here in Canada which are in VG condition and can be shot and are part of our history as a country. "

There is also a $1000 difference or more in price between the IMA guns and a British one. Original P53 Enfields are not at all common at least in my browsing around.

cheers mooncoon

 

[The Queens Medalist 8687]

$1250 difference. I just ordered a battlefield pick up the other day from Atlanta Cutlery looking forward to getting it. Fortunately I have a hundred spare P1853 parts, I may need some.

 

[OneBarfly]

Damn.... you guys just had to tempt me? Cleaning old stuff that resembles a musket. I'm like a fat kid in a candy store. I thought about getting one of the Martini's, but this looks more ancient. hummm 150 years of grime......

Question: What bullet mold and cap would you use?

 

[mooncoon]

I think the nepalese guns are .60 cal or slightly over and smoothbore. You would have to clean/hone and mike the bore with commonly available mold sizes being .570 and .600. Depending on what the barrel miked out to, you might be wise to buy a Jeff Tanner mold .010" under bore diameter so that you could patch it.
Caps are almost certainly musket caps and depending on local availability, you might want to replace the nipple with one that takes a #11 cap.

cheers mooncoon

 

[The Queens Medalist 8687]

It got to my house in 5 days. Complete and in fair-good cond. .

 

[Steppenwolf]

Could you post photos of your rifle?

I have cleaned the stock of mine. I should say stripped, I just wanted to clean the crud and dirt of. I tried to wash it with soap and water, as had worked in the past, didn't work. Some parts were clean but most of what was left was a thick black scale. Other people have used Easy Off oven cleaner with good results. So I gave it a try. This stuff is caustic, it melted an acid brush:-0. I didn't wear gloves, big mistake. When I washed the slurry off the stock, what ever was the original finish went with it. The stock came out looking new, there is even a stock cartouche, which I can't read. Now comes the barrel, I have been thinking of using Naval jelly but it will remove any blueing if present. I could try furniture stripper which won't remove blueing. That`s for a couple of days from now, just got to get over this flu.

Cheers

It got to my house in 5 days. Complete and in fair-good cond. .

 

[Musketfire]

Oh yes Naval jelly will take off ANY origional finish.

Try rubbing alcohol and steel wool and see if that de cruds her...
If all you find is rust then use the naval jelly.


Have you tried scrubbing the bore yet??

Have you been able to disassemble her yet??



I cant wait to see how she looks all cleaned up!!