carving ideas

[big bore 75]

well getting a bunch of parts for a viginia lomg rifle and needin a few ideas on proper carving paterns I don't have a book or books showing virginia rifle carving so not sure if rocco ptterns are right or not anyone have any ideas. BB75

 

[rich pierce]

Rococco designs are probably appropriate for 80% or more of carved longrifles made between 1760-1820 but they varied over time and some motifs were used more often in one area than another. To help you out, we need more data like the approximate time frame, the parts you're using, etc., to give us a sense of what would fit. Often Virginia guns had English influence and a "shell" design of carving around the tang. Some rifles exhibited rounded cheekpieces and folksy carving with tobacco leaves, etc. I suggest you browse sites by gunmakers who specialize in Southern guns, look at the custom guns for sale at a major muzzleloader supplier, etc. The company's name is "Footprint of the large wild dog-like creature".

Research is indispensible to good gunbuilding.

 

[C_Laubach]

Big Bore,
I would recommend getting

 

[Hoyt]

I got an H. House Virginia Rifle print from the Log Cabin and it's a good print..doesn't have any deminsions..but it's drawn to a fairly close scale and I scaled off of it to get info. Here's the link if interested..just go down to "Select Department" and scroll down till you see "rifle prints".

 

[big bore 75]

the time period I'm looking at is 1750-1760 english round faced lock (L&R large Queen Ann) Brass fittings (like brass better than steel when letting it tarnish with age and handleing and it will were a long hammock 15/16 x 36 barrel
maple stock plane jane (not real particular about curl), just want a few pictures to go by going to do some moulding work around the lock area butt area to trigger guard, around rear entry pipe to just behind nosecap, any hel would be great going to order one or both of those books been wanting to do so for a while. bb75

 

[LRB]

Hershel's guns are nice, but many are late 18th to early 19th century, and are pretty much Hershel's own ideas as to much of the styling and embellishments. Nothing wrong with this at all, but Hershels guns are not necessarily "THE" representative Virginia rifle. As Rich said, many show much English influence, and are not that far off in profile from some Lancasters, and other schools of style. Acually many call Hershel's guns "the Woodbury School" of style. You won't go wrong building a Hershel style gun, but be aware that his is not the only Virginia rifle style.

 

[LRB]

One word of advice, or maybe two. Lose the straight barrel, 18th century guns are either swamped,or occasionally tapered. Never straight! The Chambers round face English lock is much superior to the L&R. A straight barrel will not allow the proper shaping of your stock. It will cause more problems in the long run, than you will encounter with having to deal with getting a swamped barrel fitted. If you cannot do it yourself, there are places to have it done.

 

[rich pierce]

I agree with LRB. A straight 15/16" barrel 36" long would not be found on a 1760's Virginia gun, and that large lock you plan to use should be snuggled up against a larger diameter barrel. If you've already got the barrel, you may be in a place where you feel you have to use it. But I bet it'd sell. If you could afford it, a 39-44" swamped barrel will pay for itself time after time in balance and good looks and being "right". I realize the extra $70-$100 is a lot of money now, but if you put aside $10 a week and waited a couple of months.....
I've not used the Green Mountain swamped barrels but they look like a competitively priced alternative to the high octane stuff, and the barrels shoot better than I do with iron sights and these old eyes.

 

[dryfly]

Wallace Gussler has a tape out on carving the long rifle. The example he uses is a Virginia rifle, I think from Winchester. Log Cabin has them.