interested in antique airguns several years ago. Hank is an expert on the history, design and

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1. Lukens Double Neck Hammer (DNH) rifle This rifle was made by clockmaker and gunsmith Isaiah Lukens of Philadelphia. Found in 1 the Virginia Military Institute Museum, it is a.

1 1. Lukens Double Neck Hammer (DNH) rifle This rifle was made by clockmaker and gunsmith Isaiah Lukens of Philadelphia. Found in 1 the Virginia Military Institute Museum, it is a.32 caliber, muzzle loader with Pennsylvania longrifle characteristics, possessing a bronze/brass barrel, brass receiver with modified flintlock and an iron buttflask. Hank Elwood and Martin Orro became interested in antique airguns several years ago. Hank is an expert on the history, design and 2 construction of blackpowder muzzle loaders since Martin has been involved in airguns, machining and design for over thirty years. The Lukens seemed an interesting project to combine our talents. Hank Elwood with Lukens DNH 2. Original design. We were interested in building two guns, one for each of us. A third gun may be built for sale, depending upon interest. A functional prototype has been built, tested and compared with the original. Having only photographs and basic dimensions from cited references, we compiled a series of working drawings Early Guns - Tales of the Gun, History Channel, cat #AAE-15212

It appears that Lukens and later Jacob Kunz modified existing flintlocks and hammers (cocks) to actuate the valve in the buttflask. In all other Lukens/Kunz rifles, swan neck cocks are used.

A firing lug is held in the cock jaws and protrudes towards the center of the receiver to strike the top of a lever.

The geometric relationship of the cock and lever determine the timing or dwell of the valve.

2 It appears that Lukens and later Jacob Kunz modified existing flintlocks and hammers (cocks) to actuate the valve in the buttflask. In all other Lukens/Kunz rifles, swan neck cocks are used. Due to Receiver showing lug and lever the high stresses of striking an airgun valve, these cocks would fail. The DNH has a stronger replacement, military style cock. A firing lug is held in the cock jaws and protrudes towards the center of the receiver to strike the top of a lever. The lever pushes two Outside lock - cocked articulated rods rearward through the center of the receiver to push open the valve. The geometric relationship of the cock and lever determine the timing or dwell of the valve. This is a clever modification of the outside lock mechanism seen in Europe since Lukens receivers showing pushrods. - photo courtesy R. Beeman th the mid 17 century. The original receiver was constructed of two halves, probably sand cast and soldered together with transfer port passing from the wrist to the barrel as a separate tube soldered in place. The wrist is threaded to accept the buttflask and has a port surrounding the rear articulated rod. A large leather washer is used to seal this joint. The front is probably tapped to receive the threaded end of the barrel as in other Lukens/Kunz guns. The trigger passes through a bottom slot with two screws retaining its pivot. The lever and articulated pushrods pass between the transfer tube and lock. This space is fairly restricted and required some thought and skill to negotiate and operate all the moving parts without interference. A cast brass trigger guard is

used. The buttflask is made of sheet iron folded and shaped with an asymmetrical teardrop cross section with a cylindrical wrist.

The end of the wrist is threaded to accept the valve. DNH valve - courtesy R.

The valve has an iron head with (probably) leather washers for sealing. One advantage of this arrangement is the ability to vary preload and travel.

3 used. The buttflask is made of sheet iron folded and shaped with an asymmetrical teardrop cross section with a cylindrical wrist. The metal is riveted and Prototype receiver and lock views brazed along the right side with a horizontal, internal brace to add strength. A butt plate is brazed in place. The end of the wrist is threaded to accept the valve. DNH valve - courtesy R. Beeman The valve is of peculiar design consisting of a cage of threaded rods supporting disks and the valve with its spring. The valve body is externally and internally threaded brass. The valve has an iron head with (probably) leather washers for sealing. One advantage of this arrangement is the ability to vary preload and travel. The barrel is of bronze or brass with 15 grooves of trapezoidal section, not scalloped as once believed. 32 inches long with a 40 inch right hand twist, the rifling appears to have had the grooves scalloped and flared at the muzzle for esthetics and/or to obviate the need for a short start (used with a muzzle loader to press/pound the ball into the barrel before using the ramrod). 3. Prototype design variations and construction details. Since we had good, trustworthy dimensions of the lock and sideplate, this

seemed a good area to start. Hank chose a Davis percussion lock(working parts were identical to the flintlock, minus frizzen and pan) with a French 1777 pistol cock.

4 seemed a good area to start. Hank chose a Davis percussion lock(working parts were identical to the flintlock, minus frizzen and pan) with a French 1777 pistol cock. New lockplate and sideplate were machined from blanchard ground C1018 stock. Hank filed, finished, assembled and case hardened the lock. A firing lug was cut, filed and hardened from low carbon steel. Hank also fashioned a return spring for the lug. Only one of these springs has survived on a specimen in the Cody Museum. Thanks to Warren Newman for sending photos of this specimen. Next was the receiver. The original was cast from brass in two sections. With much experience in lost wax patterns and casting, we decided to create a one piece pattern. The lock and sideplates were affixed to a block of machinable wax along with a section of mock barrel. Rough milling of the basic shape and hand carving led to a respectable pattern which was cast into silicon bronze by a local foundry. After finish grinding and shaping, the nipple for the barrel was threaded and a wrist plug, threaded for the buttstock, fitted. Slots for the trigger and firing Wax pattern lug were milled and filed. The transfer port and tube were then drilled, ground and installed. Hank forged and placed a trigger and guard. Somewhere along the way, the articulated pushrods were installed. Having few good views of the buttstock contour, we decided to make a simplified version for the prototype. 1.5" diameter c1018 tubing was fitted to a u-shaped section of 13 gauge mild steel cut to the approximate shape of the comb. This comb, a buttplate and valve body were TIG welded together. I designed and machined a simpler valve assembly using steel, brass and UHMW polyethylene. Subsequent hydro testing, taught us much about pressure vessel design.

Final pressure achieved was in excess of 900 psi. We normally fire the gun with 750 psi pressure, not much margin for safety.

Hank had made an eighteenth century rifling machine which we used to rifle the first barrel.

I made an indexer to allow 15 grooves, as the machine was set for 7. Hank made a cutter box and single tooth cutter.

Hank rifling Indexer Rifling head with accessories 4. Comparison with original.

5 Final pressure achieved was in excess of 900 psi. We normally fire the gun with 750 psi pressure, not much margin for safety. 364 days after ordering, we received three bronze barrels, smoothbore! Hank had made an eighteenth century rifling machine which we used to rifle the first barrel. This rifling machine uses a twist of 54" - slower than the Lukens, but adequate for our purposes. I made an indexer to allow 15 grooves, as the machine was set for 7. Hank made a cutter box and single tooth cutter. After two days of learning how to rifle, we had a shooting gun! 610 fps at 39 ft-lbs energy was achieved. Hank rifling Indexer Rifling head with accessories 4. Comparison with original. We were given the opportunity to view, photograph and make models of the original Lukens while it was on tour in Tacoma, Washington as part of an exhibit on Army exploration. Many thanks to Col. Keith Gibson of the VMI Museum and Redmond Barnett of the Washington State History Martin and Hank - replica & DNH at Washington State History Museum

Museum. Original Lukens DNH with our prototype replica Hank took extensive measurements and foam impressions of the gun. Numerous digital photos were taken with a macro lense.

Most interesting to me is the model of the muzzle with rifling, through which it is possible to ram a lead ball and examine the rifling. The detail of the reproduced engraving is impressive.

6 Museum. Original Lukens DNH with our prototype replica Hank took extensive measurements and foam impressions of the gun. Numerous digital photos were taken with a macro lense. I was permitted to take several impressions with dental materials. We now have precise models in stone and low-fusing metal of the sights, furniture, lock and sideplates, cock and lug, and etc! Most interesting to me is the model of the muzzle with rifling, through which it is possible to ram a lead ball and examine the rifling. The detail of the reproduced engraving is impressive. Our next replicas will be dead on. DNH muzzle and ball Differences noted are: Barrel contour - the original is tapered, ours tapered and flared. Receiver - ours is slightly longer than the original in the wrist and cast as one piece. Buttstock - our flask was oval in cross section while the DNH is tear-drop shaped. Trigger guard - original is cast brass, not forged iron. All in all we have made a fairly accurate representation of an historic rifle.

7 5. Replica construction changes. Using our collected data from the Lukens DNH, our next step is to refine various contours of the barrel and buttflask. I ve already begun a new buttflask made from 11 gauge steel with our model as a guide. The barrels will be reshaped to a taper as in the original. We will rifle the next two barrels with a faster twist. The cock, lug, lock and sideplates were so close, we are already duplicating our copy. These plates are going to be used in the silicone mold to create more wax patterns for casting. This reduces the amount of labor to inlet the lock plates into the receiver. We ll probably leave the receiver contour as is, since it fits our ergonomics better than the original. Again we ll keep the one piece casting as it is easier for us to replicate. More refinement of the transfer port and tube will be undertaken with the new information gleaned from the original. Our prototype omitted the forestock, ramrod pipes and sights. Now that we have these details, the replicas can duplicate these features. With accurate molds of the trigger guard, accurate wax patterns will be made and cast with the receivers, all in bronze. Progress and more details on the replicas can be viewed at

WESTERN PISTOL.22 CALIBER SINGLE SHOT. Entire pamphlet Copyrighted by JACO Designs 1972

WESTERN PISTOL.22 CALIBER SINGLE SHOT Entire pamphlet Copyrighted by JACO Designs 1972 This pamphlet contains the plans and instructions necessary to construct the Western pistol. This pistol breaks open