Boy's Rifles or "Rug Rat" Rifles lets see you have

[Harms Way]

Alright guys, I know I'm a newbie, and I don't mean to wear out my welcome,... But I am pretty enthused about Muzzle Loaders again... Grin So,.... If my threads are becoming a pain in the neck, Just let me know and I will trim them back.

I have been interested in building or cutting down a Muzzle Loader to teach my Grandson the fun of Black Powder shooting... In my first thread a number of folks called them "Rug Rat Rifles" I always thought they were called "Boys Rifles" ...... But what ever you call them,.... I think it would be fun to dedicate a thread to them....

So, Lets see what you have and how you made them up,... what parts you used, or where you got it. Maybe pictures of your Young'uns touching them off Wink... Again, I don't mean to overstep boundaries or wear out my welcome... But this topic really inspires me.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I don't have a picture but I like the T.C. Cherokee's for kids.( I have two for the grandkids) Also the ohio Vincents as sold in kit by Log Cabin are a nice youth gun. My boys where 12 when I started them and I used a CVA Frontier kit with a 24 inch 45 caliber barrel substituted for the factory barrel,for the oldest and a T.C cherokee single trigger in 36 for the younger boy. Also for youths I add lead under the butt plae to help balance the barrel weight. :idunno:

 

[David W.]

I there have been a few pictures in other threads, but I wouldn't mind seeing them again myself.

 

[54ball]

This is a little monster I cut down from a Springfield Hawken.
She taught my son how to shoot and now it's in the parts bin.

Some of the parts are going to live on in this one.

 

[Harms Way]

I was thinking it would be fun to see them all on the same thread with pictures and stories.

 

[David W.]

I was thinking it would be fun to see them all on the same thread with pictures and stories.

That's what I meant to say.

 

[tallbear]

My sons rifle.

34" .50 cal. barrel
12 1/2"LOP

 

[cynthialee]

:hatsoff:

 

[hanshi]

The Traditions DeerHunter or CVA Bobcat both make good "rugrat" rifles; they just have a too long lop. Mine, by Mike Lange, has a 13" lop which is my max. It's perfect for small women, kids and me. It has heft and is a real rifle it's just made for smaller folk. This is Mike's specialty. .45 x 25" x 15/16".

 

[Harms Way]

Wow !,.... What a fortunate young Man !

 

[David W.]

I hope he invites his friends over to shoot it (under your supervision of course). Mighty fine looking rifle, and by the look on the kid's face, he likes it too!

 

[Bill Hall]

Here's a girl's rifle I built for one of my daughters. Lock, triggers, trigger gaurd, and buttplate are from an old Renegade. Stock is cut from a maple plank (shown in photo). LOP is about 13-1/4". Barrel is 28", 15/16" .54. Very light and very accurate. Bill

 

[Crow Beads]

That's a stunning and very expensive gun that you so thoughtfully gave your son. When I was about his age, I asked my old man if I could have a gun. His response was: "Join the Army."

 

[Harms Way]

Great stuff guys,.... please keep them coming !

 

[Crow Beads]

Don't forget the Pedersoli Scout Carbine (.32, .45 and .50cal) and the Dixie Cub rifle (.36, .45 and .50cal) The barrels are 28 3/8" and the overall length is about 42 1/2". They weigh roughly six pounds. LOP is 13 1/2". All this and you don't have to wait to have one built.

My wife, Deb is 5-3 1/2 and handles her Scout comfortably. We got hers with percussion lock but later purchased the flintlock and vent which screws in where the drum was. So now she has her choice of ignition.

 

[wmaser]

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Here's one I made just to keep around the house so that when friends or family gather to do a little shooting , the little kids are'nt left out. It's a .45 cal flintlock with a 28" barrel. The rifle is only 41" overall and usually fits 3 to 6 year olds. I also made a .45 cal Vincent, percussion halfstock that fits the older kids.

 

[wmaser]

I almost forgot..Although it's not a rifle, I made this pair of cased Derringers for my daughter.

 

[Eljay]

That Mike Lange rifle is just about exactly what I had in mind for my daughter (now 3, there's no rush).

I've been thinking about kids muzzleloaders a lot the last few days - I had the experience of meeting a nice 9 year old boy at the range who was just fascinated when I switched from something modern to a .54 Hawken. Wanted to know everything about it.

I ended up letting him shoot a couple of shots off the bench with 30 grains of powder. That worked pretty well - point of aim shifted less than I would have guessed at 20 yards and it was still exciting for him. But there's no way he could have shot it offhand.

 

[Harms Way]

That is outstanding !.... Any more details or pictures ?...... Has anybody ever thought about doing a build thread on one of these ?

 

[wmaser]

Harms Way,

A build thread on a tiny rifle project would be major project all it's own. A tiny rifle needs to be built entirely from scratch since parts are not available. Even the "The Tiny Becky's Lock" is a bit large for a rifle like the one in the photo. Keeping a photolog of the entire process (lock stock and barrel) would be a major PITA. Also, you and I may like the idea of tiny kid's guns, but 98% of the people are more interested in full sized guns. I'd be willing to bet that there are even those out there that would dissapprove of building a gun for a small child.

Wild Bill