Connecticut Preparedness Community Forums

Inspiration for the project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=monbm21U ... plpp_video



Well... I wanted a "Bulldog"... so I made one. Flash, noise & clouds of smoke are things I like, and hopefully this will fill that need.

After cutting the barrel from the frame with a jeweler's saw & 41tpi blades approximately .10'' from the face of the frame, I then locked the frame in the cross-slide of the ol' Bridgeport & milled it plumb with the face of the frame (taking several thousands of the frame with it) utilizing a fly cutter.




Fills the hand rather nicely, although it's quite chunky still. It actually is still fairly well balanced contrary to my initial thoughts on the project. (And look, no finger on the boom boom! )



Barrel & frame after facing off on Bridgeport. Cut perfectly flush to one another, although it would've stood apparent that I needed to use more cutting fluid (chatter marks galore). Can't see them... but they're there... and UGLY.




Grip reduction in order. Too tired to get to it tonight, but I'd imagine cutting this will be a fairly easy task. Planning to use squared endmill & step-cut until I can profile the grip with a nice #0 file.





I have my work cut out for me tomorrow. Then, off to shoot!

Interesting. I think I would have left a small amount of barrel like the guy in the video did. This way you have at least a little barrel length and rifling for accuracy, and also more aesthetically pleasing with that front sight he made.
Also, he used a Kirst Konverter instead of cap and ball, so he could use black powder centerfire cartridges since the ramrod setup is now gone. I'm 99% sure that would be illegal for you right now. (Side note, he never shows unloading the spent shells in the video. There's no room for an ejector rod like usually used with that conversion, so I guess he has to poke them back out the loading gate). I guess you will have to use a cylinder reloading stand to load it.

Interesting ... I want to see how this comes out.

So... I did NOT get to do any more work to the gun today, BUT I did have the opportunity to shoot it this afternoon

Let me start off by saying this is absolutely, positively the LOUDEST firearm I've ever fired in my life. On top of that, the muzzle flash is completely horrendous... even in broad daylight, the flash from 40gr. of fffg is astounding.

Lastly, accuracy even without a front-sight post is fairly good; minute of soup can at 20ft. (typical 19th century belly/bulldog guns were meant to be pointed, if anything). I plan to mill a channel into the top-strap & fit a small ramp... but even as is, I LIKE it.

I even tried shot loads. 15gr. of 777, wad, #7 birdshot (will have to measure actual weight of payload), and over shot wad. The very nice thing about the short barrel in this instance, is that the rifling seems to impart such little spin to the shot that it actually patterns nicely about 10ft. (Once you start getting to about 20ft., the pattern opens up significantly, but no "donut hole" symptoms that would typically be encountered firing shot loads through a rifled slug gun).

All in all, so far it is smokey, NOISY, and seemingly practical... well, sort of.

Interesting. I think I would have left a small amount of barrel like the guy in the video did. This way you have at least a little barrel length and rifling for accuracy, and also more aesthetically pleasing with that front sight he made.

Admittedly, I too liked his conversion with the remaining barrel length... his came out VERY nicely. At the same time though, I did mark it off as he did, and well... it was still fairly big.

At the same time, I still have 1 5/8" of rifled barrel left (including forcing cone), which gives me *just barely* enough length for serviceable accuracy at distances to probably about 20ft... maybe 50ft. if I install a small post & take my time with the shots.

Also, he used a Kirst Konverter instead of cap and ball, so he could use black powder centerfire cartridges since the ramrod setup is now gone. I'm 99% sure that would be illegal for you right now.

Yeah... it's kind of... really gray as far as that goes. I wouldn't touch the Kirst or R&D for that reason alone... on top of it being more expensive than the gun!!!

Greg, you need to get a video of you shooting this.

Greg, you need to get a video of you shooting this.

Time, place, & camcorder.

Alright, after a uh... "momentary" delay, more progress has been made.


By greggandrews at 2012-01-11


By greggandrews at 2012-01-11


By greggandrews at 2012-01-11


By greggandrews at 2012-01-11

Mmm... Nicotine...

The Carcano's triggerguard happens to be sneaking into the picture as well.



Before I go any further, the mission of this project is to create a quasi-period-correct bellygun. To be honest, from what I have seen with this (shooting it, anyway), it is an immense amount of 19th century FIREpower (note the caps ) in a fairly compact package. Overall, it is no longer than my outstretched hand.

NEARING THE FINISH LINE!!!


By greggandrews at 2012-01-12


By greggandrews at 2012-01-12


It's 3:00AM, and almost done! Who needs sleep...

Who needs sleep indeed.

Looking very nice.

Thanks Hayes!

I plan on finishing the grips themselves either tonight, or tomorrow. Maybe a nice dark cherry stain... and then a gloss poly...

Considering stripping the entire gun of bluing, and then bringing it up to a very high gloss in the white. Would look nice with red grips.

I think you need to take some photography lessons from JamesB!


I guess it is looking good. Kinda hard to see.

I guess it is looking good. Kinda hard to see.

I'M USING A $20 CAMERA!!!

Get your finger out .. I want to see the finished product.

Still working on it.