Bellly of the forestock and pins

[brettsut]

I have started my Traditions Kentucky kit. I have a couple of questions. The lip on the top edge of the forestock, immediately adjacent to the barrel is quite wide. I have been narrowing it up a bit. My questions are:

1. Do I want to leave the forestock fat through the "belly" or cross section? Or should I leave it fully rounded" or somewhere in between?

2. It was meant to be pinned, but the pins are too short to begin with. So, I thought I would make keys for it instead. Is it just pressure that keeps the keys in place? I was going to offset the dovetailed spade a little from the mortise in the stock to sort of suck the barrel into the stock as the key is driven into place.

So, I'm enjoying it. Thanks for the ideas in the previous post. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Brett in Salt Lake

 

[CrackStock]

I see that a lot of people have read this and none responded. This may be because this is a difficult one to answer. I am not sure what you are wanting the gun to resemble. It is not a replica of a gun that actually existed, so there is some latitude. I can point you to some good gun building books from Alexander, Buchele, Dixon and Bookout:
[url] http://www.possibleshop.com/book-riflebuilding.htm[/url]
[url] http://www.longrifles-pr.com/faqs.shtml#book[/url]
[url] http://www.trackofthewolf.com/categories/partList.aspx?catID=4&subID=38&styleID=137[/url]

There are plans of various guns that contain cross section info that may answer your questions:
[url] http://www.trackofthewolf.com/categories/partList.aspx?catID=4&subID=38&styleID=141[/url]

Some people make a V shape and add a decorative moulding while others are more rounded. You need to figure a time period and gun school which offers what you envision as what you are wanting from your project.

CS

 

[54JNoll]

Thin that forestock down to about 1/16th of an inch and thin it down to a knife edge at the ramrod groove and next to the barrel.

I am not sure what you mean about the shape of the forestock. Do not make it flat sided. They can be sort o rounded or sort of V shapped. Get the book antitled "recreating the American Longrifle" by Shumway. He shows several upper forestock "shapes" as well as forestock moldings that can be applied.

Going from pins to keys is just fine. Yes a tight fit holds them in place. Some were made to fit flush with the forestock. Some were made with forged heads that were inlet into the side of the forestock. Some were outlined with inlays. Lots of options.

 

[brettsut]

Thanks for the replies. I am well into the project and having fun with it. I have narrowed it up a great deal, and rounded it. If I don't like it I'll go a little further.

As to the keys, I'm not sure what kind of a design I am going to use yet.

This is a great forum. Thanks again. Bret

 

[Cherokee]

Bret,

I didnt see your post. I didnt do much to my Traditions kit other than elimnate the brass spacer in the 2 piece stock design.
By doing that I had to drill the end of the stock for the nose cap to make up the distance of the spacer.
I sanded my stock a little and threw it together. Mine shoots great and fires the cap everytime.
Now I look at mine I might someday sand it down and round the edge by the barrel some and give it all a new darker stain.