.62 Rifle Build, 2nd Try

[Notchy Bob]

I think you’re going to like that rifle…

Notchy Bob

 

[PathfinderNC]

I think you’re going to like that rifle…

Notchy Bob

It’s a lota rifle there, Ol’ 62

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

Annndddddd thennnnnn.. I am patiently waiting the next step.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Well, it’s coming along. Today the trigger plate went in and then I spent the next five hours installing the butt plate. It was tedious but got it in and pretty happy with it.

 

[BS]

What pre-carve stock did you choose to use for this build?

 

[PathfinderNC]

What pre-carve stock did you choose to use for this build?

It’s a shaped stock from Pecatonica River. They milled a straight 3/4” barrel channel groove and cut and drilled the ramrod hole. Nothing else was done. It’s their Early Fowler stock.

 

[PathfinderNC]

I got the barrel pinned in and the tang bolt installed.
Of course there was a crisis- the drill bit for one barrel lug snapped inside the lug. Luckily I was able to tap it out and no harm done.
Next up will be to work at the forearm.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Had a few shop hours today. Got the trigger guard shaped to about the correct angle to fit the gun. I didn’t use the trigger guard provided by TRS; it was a little narrow and wouldn’t cover the trigger plate in areas. So I got a 1742 (?) Brown Bess trigger guard which seems perfect.
Then I started rasping away at the forestock. So much more to go, but no hurries.

 

[PathfinderNC]

The gun is starting to look like something. I worked down the forestock some more and fit the nose cap on. Now I will have some guide to get the forearm to the right thickness.
Because this will not be accommodating a socket bayonet, I placed the cap about where a longrifle nose cap would be.
It took some fiddling to get the brass nose cap to fit right though. The web is smaller than the nose cap was cast for, so I just had to file down the sides of the cap a bit and slightly angle it downward so the ramrod channel is flush with the cap. It looks like it will be ok.
More forestock shaping next and the ramrod pipes will get cleaned up and inlet.

 

[deerstalkert]

man o man Path! if i lost a couple pounds i could crawl into that bore with a blanket and take a nap! you have most likely already posted but who made that barrel?

 

[PathfinderNC]

man o man Path! if i lost a couple pounds i could crawl into that bore with a blanket and take a nap! you have most likely already posted but who made that barrel?

It’s an Ed Rayl barrel . Tapers from 9/8” to 7/8” at .62, so it’s no lightweight
But holding it now it seems to be really well balanced.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I am liking this rifle a lot.

It looks like you’re going with the iron ramrod instead of wood. That will add some weight out front, but the all metal rod has some advantages.

This will be an interesting rifle, and a real beauty.

Notchy Bob

 

[PathfinderNC]

I am liking this rifle a lot.

It looks like you’re going with the iron ramrod instead of wood. That will add some weight out front, but the all metal rod has some advantages.

This will be an interesting rifle, and a real beauty.

Notchy Bob

Hi Bob- Yes, it will have a steel rammer. At .62 caliber, a wooden ram rod would need to be really thick for this rifle (which is an amalgamation of various Brown Bess model parts for The Rifle Shop's phantom "British Officer's Fusil" which they sold in the mid 1990's but discontinued). I think it's more of a rifled carbine or musketoon than a fusil- it's certainly not going to be lightweight.
The stock I chose is a wee bit similar to the British Loudon Officer's Fusil, as close as I could find, anyway. Nonetheless, it really aims well and will be quite a shooter, I think.

 

[beardedhorse]

Bought parts from an estate for the previous owner's idea of a super Hawken but in .62 caliber and not .69 or larger. Beautiful curly maple full stock with left hand L and R lock but the barrel is only 1 inch across the flats. No stamp on the barrel for maker. Patent breech threads into barrel about an inch. Wonder if I drill the firing chamber small if there is enough meat to safely shoot. Longer ignition time due to longer distance from pan to bore. Hooked breech tang is 1 1/8th inch so an awkward looking step down to barrel. Had wanted it to shoot heavier charges for longer distances - out to 200 for antelope which has been done with a .54 flinter and only 70 grains FFFg. Wonder if I should replace the mystery barrel with an Ed Rayl barrel similar to yours with a 1 1/8ths breech end and taper. The stock is already inlet at a straight 1" so a 7/8ths inch muzzle end would show a gap unless I can steam shrink to fit or cut a slit from nose in a ways and re glue tight.

 

[dracer]

looks like you are having fun

 

[PathfinderNC]

looks like you are having fun

For the most part- though there are moments I wouldn’t brag about

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

For the most part- though there are moments I wouldn’t brag about

Yeah, that goes hand to hand, you ain't alone!

 

[PathfinderNC]

A couple of shop hours today, rasping, filing and sanding wood off the forestock. There’s a lot more to go, slowly but surely

 

[CuNosecap]

Looking good!

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

Day light!