Chambers English Fowler Completed!

[Buckskinn]

I finished it up a couple days ago and assembled yesterday. This gun was a pleasure to build, it was by far the nicest pre-cut stock I've done, hats off to Chambers again. It was also the fastest build so far partially due to me getting more of a feel for it being my third go at it but also no patch box, dovetails or muzzle cap. It's a very basic build, with no carvings as my usual. I know English fowlers are supposed to be in the white, but since it's going to be my turkey gun, I blued the barrel and lock and rubbed back quite a bit instead of leaving it shiny. The pictures show it darker than it really is, but I may rub it back a little more. And the ram rod is just a prop,,, I broke it in the final shaping of the taper! So, in the process of milling one down from a hickory bow stave that I recently cut.

Thanks to all who helped with my questions along the way, this site is a gold mine of knowledge!

 

[moose23]

You did a nice job on that! Looks great! Have you ever built a Kibler? Or just Chambers?

 

[Buckskinn]

This was my third Chamber's, haven't done a Kibler. I might have gone that route if he'd had a Fowler out.

 

[moose23]

Ok I was just curious. I am thinking about getting my first build, and can’t decide between Chambers and Kibler. I’ve heard Kibler are a little easier for a first time build, but would like to hear from someone who has done both. Probably a lot of threads on here about that. I’ll do a search

 

[PathfinderNC]

Very nice and clean looking!
But your front sight appears to be on backwards.
it could be filed to an oval-top I guess.

 

[waksupi]

Very nice and clean looking!
But your front sight appears to be on backwards.
it could be filed to an oval-top I guess.

Yep, it's backwards.

 

[Buckskinn]

Oh, for Pete's sake! You know when I was soldering in on it crossed my mind, but for some reason I figured the heart shouldn't be upside-down... Ah, easy fix, I think I'm going to play with the bluing a bit anyway.

Just got done throwing about a dozen shots down the barrel, fun gun! Got reasonable patterns for first go around. This was at 30 yards with an oz of #7 and Skychief recipe.

I haven't filed the sight much but as you can tell, it's going to be a tiny little bump when I get through with it.

 

[Loja man]

Great looking gun!!!

 

[Onojutta]

Very nice, you did a great job! How long did it take?
I just started the same kit last week. What stain did you use and how did you handle the ramrod? I believe mine came with 3/8 rod but the thimbles measure 5/16 and even a 5/16 rod is a little too big for the hole.

 

[Buckskinn]

Thanks guys. I was about to disassemble the gun and re-solder the sight, but I showed it to my daughter, and she said I should leave the heart right side up, ha! So, it's staying, she's likely that one to get it anyway... Anyone around here who sees it doesn't know a fowler from a blunderbuss, so nobody will notice it backwards. I did file it down to a nub and it shoots where I point now.

I would say it took me about 60 hours or so to complete. I ended up using a yellow aniline with just a touch of orange added, whiskered then stained again sealing with Sutherland-Welles polymerized tung oil sealer mixed 50/50 with mineral spirits, another coat of just sealer, then several coats of S-W medium luster finish. Chambers sent me a separate piece of wood for a patch box cover that I used for testing out different stain configurations.

I used the 5/16th thimbles and shaved down the ramrod using a small plane then chucked it in a drill and finished with sandpaper, tapering it to the stocks ramrod hole. Had it all but completed and the rod snapped at a small knot in the rod. So will have to start over...

 

[Okie Hog]

Nice work.

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

Hi Buckskin, I just ran across your build, I have one of these on order from Barbie Chambers, 6 months wait!
Anyway, I saw that your side plate looks like an upscale, is that right, also was wondering if the butt plate was inletted for you?
I'm considering using keys for the barrel and making the barrel with the removable breech......considering!!
I'm really impressed with your build, nice job! I've built a couple of Chambers' guns in the past and 2 Kibler colonials so I'm not a total novice. I just have to keep from getting too impatient and messing up!

Rich

 

[akroguy]

If I didn't have a North Star West fowler, I'd be ordering up one of those! Nice job! My Kibler Colonial will have my dedicated attention for the next several...(insert wildly inaccurate amount of weeks/months/years here).

 

[Buckskinn]

Rich, Yes it's a "fancy" side plate upgrade. As a matter of fact if you are thinking about doing that one I have an extra one and a thumb piece. I lost the side plate that came with the kit and had to order a second, of course I found it after the gun was complete. Decided against the thumb piece.

The stock comes with the basic shape of the butt plate inlet, but there is a lot of work to do on it, just take it slow. Mine went pretty smooth.

On a side note, worked up a turkey load for the fowler and harvested my first game with a flintlock a few weeks back! Target was set at 30 yards and
tom came in at 23, so smoked em good...

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

Rich, Yes it's a "fancy" side plate upgrade. As a matter of fact if you are thinking about doing that one I have an extra one and a thumb piece. I lost the side plate that came with the kit and had to order a second, of course I found it after the gun was complete. Decided against the thumb piece.

The stock comes with the basic shape of the butt plate inlet, but there is a lot of work to do on it, just take it slow. Mine went pretty smooth.

On a side note, worked up a turkey load for the fowler and harvested my first game with a flintlock a few weeks back! Target was set at 30 yards and
tom came in at 23, so smoked em good...


View attachment 144252View attachment 144254

Congratulations, nice bird!
Your stock has a nice curl, did you order an extra fancy or is that the standard, sure looks good.
I'm figuring on doing the same side plate as yours so I would be interested in yours, already have a wrist plate and am not sure I want to put that on either.
I can pm you.

 

[Buckskinn]

Thanks, it was a fun hunt. Had him at 20 yards for about 10 minutes strutting but he was behind brush. He left and I called him back with a gobble.

Yes the wood was upgraded, I asked for best available. Since I had to wait so long for it Barbie waved the upcharge. Chambers is very good to work with and highly suggest their product.

PM me your address and I send it to you, my treat... I have no use for it.

 

[kswan]

Thats a great looking gun. I'm looking forward to that same kit coming this sometime fall.

 

[Buckskinn]

Thanks, hopefully you get as good a stock as I did as far as how it was cut. It was smooth sailing the whole way through the build.

 

[Mike in FL]

Killer has a smooth bore kit?

 

[Prairie Banditti]

Hi Buckskinn,
Are my eyes playing tricks, or is the hardware on your truly fine-looking fowler in steel instead of brass? When I asked Barbie about the steel buttplate, trigger guard and thimbles, she said that Chambers didn't make any that go with the New England colonial fowler kit...