Chambers English Fowler

Buckskinn · Sep 19, 2021

Well after exactly one year from ordering I received my English Fowler from Chambers. Which is fine, after it was delayed and wasn't able to be a winter project I told Barbie there was no hurry as it won't get touched until this winter anyway. They graciously did not charge me for wood upgrade to boot , so no complaints here!!! I had to wet the butt to see what was inside and looks like a very nice piece of American Walnut to work with, looking forward to getting started! This is #3 from Chambers for me and have not been anything but thrilled from what I have received.

Hatchet-Jack · Sep 19, 2021

Buckskinn said:
Well after exactly one year from ordering I received my English Fowler from Chambers. Which is fine, after it was delayed and wasn't able to be a winter project I told Barbie there was no hurry as it won't get touched until this winter anyway. They graciously did not charge me for wood upgrade to boot , so no complaints here!!! I had to wet the butt to see what was inside and looks like a very nice piece of American Walnut to work with, looking forward to getting started! This is #3 from Chambers for me and have not been anything but thrilled from what I have received.

View attachment 94747 View attachment 94749

That looks very nice. I'm building a Chambers PA Fowler. I hope you'll post pics as you build yours.

dave_person · Sep 19, 2021

Buckskinn · Sep 19, 2021

Yep, I already have those bookmarked, Dave!

dave_person · Sep 19, 2021

Hi,
I am going to upgrade those threads soon. I have 3 original fowlers to add including a fine Mortimer that I am helping restore, and more historical information.

dave

Buckskinn · Sep 20, 2021

Hatchet-Jack said:
That looks very nice. I'm building a Chambers PA Fowler. I hope you'll post pics as you build yours.

Yes I will, for entertainment purposes if nothing else. I've been following yours as well, it's progressing nicely.

Buckskinn · Sep 20, 2021

dave_person said:
Hi,
I am going to upgrade those threads soon. I have 3 original fowlers to add including a fine Mortimer that I am helping restore, and more historical information.

dave

One thing I was going to ask and who better to ask than you... I just noticed that the Chambers kits come as pinned and not keyed, nor do they come with a hooked breech. It looks pretty straightforward to switch to band instead of pins if I go that route, but is it feasible to switch to a hooked breech?

dave_person · Sep 20, 2021

Hi Buckskinn,
I don't think it would be hard to do. Barrel keys are really meant to work with a hooked breech (standing breech). The idea was to make barrel removal for cleaning easy. There are some original American long rifles with keys and standing breeches and some that used the key without standing breeches. On British guns you will rarely if ever find any with keys but without a standing breech. The only exception that comes to my mind is the pattern 1776 Ferguson rifle. It was a sign of quality for British guns by the mid-18th century. By then only trade, military, and livery guns had pinned barrels. It requires some careful work as I describe in my tutorials but is not really hard to do. One trick is to glue or solder the fitted breech to the barrel and inlet it like you would a simple tang. Also, don't buy a hook, cut the tang off the fitted breech plug and file the bolster into a hook. It really is not hard to do. The only thing you may have to check is the location of the rear lock bolt and if it will clear the standing breech. I believe Chambers pre-inlets the side plate so you may have difficulty moving the bolt locations if needed.

dave

Buckskinn · Sep 20, 2021

Excellent, thanks.

Buckskinn · Dec 14, 2021

Well after difficulty removing breech plug I finally got moving on this project. I am amazed at how well done this pre-carved stock is. The other two that I've gotten from Chambers had a few minor issues, but there was also a lot needed as far as setting the barrel lower and back to get correct alignment of the lock and touch hole, but overall I thought they were very good. This fowler stock was damn near drop in! A little wood removal for channel and for breech plug and that was it. Tang dropped right in perfect, nothing removed. Lock plate dropped right in perfect and touch hole is where it's supposed to be. I'm not saying it's a CNC Kibler, but dang not much chisel work so far... I was actually very nervous as I could see with they eye that things were going to be close and everything could have easily been on the other side of the realm!

Loja man · Dec 22, 2021

Awesome! I look forward to pictures and more information on your build. I’m leaning towards a Chambers Fowler. It might not be for a year or more but that’s where I’m leaning

Buckskinn · Dec 22, 2021

Got a few things completed so I guess I should post some pictures for those that are interested.

Very easy process as stated above of getting the barrel to its intended home. Lock plate is nice and snug, good fit on the tang and where touchhole will be. Barrel is also pinned.

Butt plate was a pain in the rear and seemed to take forever, but looks good, no side gaps and will snug in nicely after screws are placed.

With a little advice from Hatchet-Jack was able to get the trigger plate in place. Need to drop it in a little more. I do have a little gap around one of the ears, that I may either leave as is of glue in a tiny sliver of wood.

Overall, this stock is really cut well and other than the tiny issue with the trigger plate cut, everything has been going smoothly. Very happy with it. Next step will be placing ramrod thimbles, cleaning out lock mortice and then drilling and tapping for the tang bolt.

Hatchet-Jack · Dec 23, 2021

Looking good and you are making a lot of progress.
If you haven't already you might want to drop the ramrod down the barrel, mark it and see if your touchhole liner is going to sit ahead of the breech plug.

Buckskinn · Dec 23, 2021

I did check that when I removed the breech plug, plenty of room for touchhole.

But I do have an issue with the ramrod hole. I took a ramrod from my 54 to check alignment of the channel and noticed that there was an issue. The thimbles measure .380" and the ramrod hole .300". For reference my 54 ramrod measures .355" before any taper.

So, this is going to be a pretty stout ramrod. I saw that you made a scraper but was wondering if anyone else can suggest another method for me to increase ramrod hole diameter. I don't think I should taper it that much!

Thanks!

Buckskinn · Dec 23, 2021

Question for Dave.

I've been following your staining of the Bess transformation and wondering your opinion on the approach that you recommend I take on this stock? It has its share of that purple dead color you reference. I do have a chunk for a patch box that I won't be installing to practice on, but I don't believe it's from the same tree. Has even more purple to it. This pic is after wetting with water, actually a little bourbon as well...

Thanks!

Capt. Jas. · Dec 23, 2021

Buckskinn said:
I did check that when I removed the breech plug, plenty of room for touchhole.

But I do have an issue with the ramrod hole. I took a ramrod from my 54 to check alignment of the channel and noticed that there was an issue. The thimbles measure .380" and the ramrod hole .300". For reference my 54 ramrod measures .355" before any taper. View attachment 110876So, this is going to be a pretty stout ramrod. I saw that you made a scraper but was wondering if anyone else can suggest another method for me to increase ramrod hole diameter. I don't think I should taper it that much!

Thanks!

I'd taper that rod on down. These guns did not have big ramrod except maybe on the nuzzle end for loading.

Capt. Jas. · Dec 23, 2021

Buckskinn said:
One thing I was going to ask and who better to ask than you... I just noticed that the Chambers kits come as pinned and not keyed, nor do they come with a hooked breech. It looks pretty straightforward to switch to band instead of pins if I go that route, but is it feasible to switch to a hooked breech?

For an officers fuzee, a pinned barrel and fixed breech is authentic and perfectly fine for the period of this gun.

Mule333 · Dec 23, 2021

Thank you so much for this thread! Plans for a Fowler in the my future. Great source of info!

Hatchet-Jack · Dec 23, 2021

Buckskinn said:
I did check that when I removed the breech plug, plenty of room for touchhole.

But I do have an issue with the ramrod hole. I took a ramrod from my 54 to check alignment of the channel and noticed that there was an issue. The thimbles measure .380" and the ramrod hole .300". For reference my 54 ramrod measures .355" before any taper. View attachment 110876So, this is going to be a pretty stout ramrod. I saw that you made a scraper but was wondering if anyone else can suggest another method for me to increase ramrod hole diameter. I don't think I should taper it that much!

Thanks!

Taper it down and get the lock inletted first. My lock bolt was in the way.

dave_person · Dec 23, 2021

Hi Buckskinn,
Listen to Capt Jas. The rods are skinny on originals because they were meant for loading bird shot not a tight patched ball. With respect to staining, what is you objective for the gun? It is to be an American-built gun or British. If American, I would probably settle for it looking like black walnut. You might consider alkanet root powder infused in mineral spirits or in the finish itself to bring out the figure in the wood and add a redder tone. You may accomplish the same thing with something like Laurel Mountain Forge's cherry stain or a red aniline dye. That should give the black walnut more life without transforming it into another wood. If, on the other hand, you want it to be British, then use yellow dye on the walnut, perhaps two coats, one whiskered and the other left untouched. That will make it more like English walnut. The other thing I recommend since this is a civilian gun, is apply the first coat of finish with 220 grit sandpaper and sand the surface to create a slurry of finish and sawdust. Then let that dry to a crust and then sand it smooth. That will fill the open grain of walnut giving you a very smooth surface that requires many fewer coats to fill the grain.

dave

Chambers English Fowler

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

45 Cal.

54 Cal.

54 Cal.

45 Cal.

54 Cal.

45 Cal.

45 Cal.

54 Cal.

45 Cal.

45 Cal.

54 Cal.

45 Cal.

54 Cal.

45 Cal.

45 Cal.

58 Cal.

58 Cal.

40 Cal

54 Cal.

54 Cal.

Similar threads

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!