blueprints/schematics?

[justin22885]

i have a small foundry... but it is capable of melting brass, copper, aluminum, even steel.  i was interested in casting components from a few 19th century firearms i have interest in... ive built rifles from parts before, but havent casted my own parts yet, so i thought it would be an interesting challenge. 

before i could do any of this, i would need blueprints on one of the models im interested in, so far i can only find blueprints for the 1874 sharps and 1885 highwall... id like to make a sharps sometime, but not yet, i want a lever action, preferably pistol caliber... so id like to find the blueprints for the 1873 winchester or the 1866 henry. factory blueprints are preferred, but if anyone here is exceptional at backwards engineering and is willing to do the work, that would be great too... also blueprints to any of the common pistols would be nice as well, not so much for building them, but they do tend to break a lot, and it would be nice to have the needed information to make replacement parts as needed

before anyone starts getting into lectures about sharing blueprints.. i doubt youre going to have to worry about a surge of black market 19th century lever actions getting into the inner cities. also, building these rifles are entirely legal as long as the barrels are above or equal to 16 inches of course. i would only need a license to manufacturer if i was manufacturing for the purpose to sell, and i will be doing this for myself, atleast for now.... (i doubt many people would complain to american made reproductions that are actually affordable and atleast as good in quality as whats commonly found now)... but i make no plans

als, i have an engineering background, so i do know what im doing.

i really dont care to hear people tell me how much easier it would be to just buy all of these.. because it would be clear to me theyve never made anything themselves to understand how much more fun it is to do it all yourself instead of paying someone else to do everything for you.

[Don Nix]

I understand your  desire to repplicate the rifles. If I had a foundry I'd cast a cannon. I can build the carriage parts but I cant forge a cannon.
A good Sharps and 1885 American made and affordable reproduction would be nice also,
I think American made products right now would be in demand. I know that I do not buy foriegn made goods unless there is no alternative. sadly,that is the case too often.
Keep me posted ,I might be interested iin your products.

[justin22885]

i could cast a cannon, a small one though... my foundry size is like coffee can size, i can only do a few pounds of steel, enough for a receiver and small parts so i could never cast a full size cannon... yet

i should be looking into a metal lathe and button rifling machine in the near future, it would save me a ton of money on the barrels for anything i would make

if i made a highwall or sharps rifle, i would be conflicted as to stay origional, keep it in 45/70, or take advantage of this thing being built for a sheer downrange performer and tweak the extractor to fit a rimless cartridge and go with something like a .338 winchester magnum

[justin22885]

well, im still in the market for 1866 henry, or 1873 winchester blueprints, but if not i really like the simplicity of the remington rolling block design and i think that could make a great single shot rifle