Dolls Head/Rib Extension Fit?

[Craig Budgeon]

On second thought, I would cut the old dolls head off, screw and pin a cylinder of steel to the breech. mill off the excess, and finish with smoke and file. To make perfect without engraving figure 2-3 days labor. Not cheap but I think better than welding.

[Bill Murphy]

Edgar made a great attempt to explain why a gap would exist at the doll's head after a set of barrels was refitted after correcting wear at the hook and the loop. Unfortunately, I don't see why any "new" gap would exist after making corrections at the hook and loop. Maybe Mr. Dudley would tell me if I am right or wrong. And I'm not making any negative comment about Russ Bickel's work, only about comments made in this thread about guns that have nothing to do with Mr. Bickel's work. Changes in the breech face usually have nothing to do with a gun getting loose. That is why the hook and the loop are usually corrected when a gun gets loose. Again, maybe Mr. Dudley will tell me whether I am right or wrong. I have never seen a breech face filed so the barrels can be set back, therefore creating a gap at the shoulders of the doll's head.

[edgarspencer]

Bill, It was Brian, Not me, who gave the explanation for the gap.

The photo here shows a gun which was off face by enough to see daylight, roughly a sheet of copy paper. Aurora Micro Welding laser welded the hook for me, and I dressed it back down with a 3/8" round diamond file, smoking the hook and the dolls head the whole time. Prior to welding, the front hooked edges of the dolls head were just rubbing the recess. When I finished dressing the hook, the dolls head was no longer rubbing, and if you look closely, you'll see the gap on the front edge. I consider this more than acceptable.

[Skybuster]

Originally Posted by edgarspencer

Bill, It was Brian, Not me, who gave the explanation for the gap.

The photo here shows a gun which was off face by enough to see daylight, roughly a sheet of copy paper. Aurora Micro Welding laser welded the hook for me, and I dressed it back down with a 3/8" round diamond file, smoking the hook and the dolls head the whole time. Prior to welding, the front hooked edges of the dolls head were just rubbing the recess. When I finished dressing the hook, the dolls head was no longer rubbing, and if you look closely, you'll see the gap on the front edge. I consider this more than acceptable.

Thanks for posting your personal example, it explains what I had assumed would be the case for bring a gun back on face. The barrels are being set back on the standing breech and so everything moves back with it, including the dolls head. I was not aware that the dolls head was fitted after the barrels where brought on face at the factory.

Funny you should mention Puglisi's as an example for how guns should look. All of the screenshots are from Puglisi guns on GI. GI allows a zoom function and the zoom probably does make it look worse, but that wasn't the intention. Just speculation as to how or why this may happen.

[Bill Murphy]

Sorry, but when "setting the barrels back", nothing about the relationship between the breech face and the breech end of the barrels changes. All changes are at the hook and loop. When the hook and loop are repaired, the relationship between the doll's head and the breech face are not changed. Maybe Brian Dudley can comment. Again, am I right or wrong?

[edgarspencer]

Bill, that has been my experience, on the few I have put back on face. If I'm reading Brian's description, he says it is possible there may be a change in the dolls head fit, but I'm not sure how.

[John Davis]

Here you go. This solves the problem.

[Bill Murphy]

A real pigeon gun! Obviously not a Trojan.

[John Davis]

VH, no safety, 32 inch barrels choked full/full. Straight stock and splinter forearm.