Chambers Lancaster build thread

[vacca rabite]

So today I did something that I have been wanting to do for the past several months. After saving money in the rainy day fund for the past several months I called up Jim Chambers Flintlocks, talked to the nicest woman I have talked to in ages, and bought an early Lancaster style kit rifle in 54 caliber.
I optioned in extra fancy wood, double set triggers, and sling swivels. I optioned out the patch box. I am going to put a brass patch box on this rifle, but I did not like the options that they had.

Last year I built a Lyman GPR, more or less as practice for this build.

There are some more things that I want to experiment on with the GPR before I get the Lancaster next month. I want to re-brown the barrel and do some little stuff like that.

As I work on the rifle, I'll update this thread here with pictures and probably questions.

Probably won't update for a while, as the rifle is still a month from getting in my hands, but when it is this is where I will be posting.

And so, it begins.
Zach

 

[nchawkeye]

It's gonna be fun...

Take you time and enjoy, it took me 2 years to finish my first...

 

[Vaino]

You've chosen my favorite "kit" and you'll enjoy building a LR using all quality parts. I've built 3 Chambers early Lancasters and although there were some slight inletting over runs, none were serious. Pictured below is the first.....Fred

 

[galamb]

You have jumped off a cliff and there is no going back. By next year you will updating us on your 3rd or 4th build.

But there are worse thing to be addicted to :grin:

 

[dlgraley]

I'm finishing up my Chambers Early Lancaster, my first kit build. All that's left to do is brown the barrel. This was a great learning experience. I relied heavily on the various books and available DVD's. I'm not up to carving yet, but I did add some moulding to the cheekpiece and lower edge of the butt stock. After this, on to the Mark Silver Virginia.

 

[Lock Nut]

You have jumped off a cliff and there is no going back. By next year you will updating us on your 3rd or 4th build.

But there are worse thing to be addicted to :grin:

Yup, just started acouple myself. So far so good. The only gripe I got so far is the lock inlet could have been alittle more undersized as I wanted to move it alittle farther forward and a fuzz down in front.

 

[vacca rabite]

Hey all, a question.
How common was it for central PA school rifles to have a brass patch box vs a wood patch box vs no patch box at all?

In the builders forum I've started a thread on a Chambers kit that I will be starting soon. I was intending to use this patch box from Muzzle Loaders Builders Supply:

However, for a rifle that I would like to use for Rev war - 1820 I wonder if it would be better to use a simpler patchbox or no patchbox at all. For me the box will be ornamentation. I likely won't use it to carry stuff.

Opinions here are grand, but if you can post sources I'd like to research this.

Zach

 

[galamb]

For post Rev-War into the Golden Age (up to the 1820's or so) a "metal" patchbox would be entirely correct.

You will occasionally see some dome lid "metal" boxes.

I have asked "what time frame" etc and never got a solid answer beyond - early metal boxes may have had domed lids because the builders were used to domed wooden lids - so built the way they always had, until the metal patch box fully "took hold" as the thing to do.

On the other hand, I know some builders who won't put a PB on highly figured wood unless specifically requested.

Say they don't want to cover up the "pretty wood" with a chunk of metal.

If you are not going to engrave/have engrave your patch box I would leave it off - a big chunk of plain metal just looks "bad" (my opinion).

 

[nchawkeye]

You need to buy the books by Shumway, Rifles of Colonial America...

For a Lancaster made after 1770 the Lancaster Daisy patchbox would work...For one made before, I'd go with a sliding wooden one...

 

[jamesthomas]

On the other hand, I know some builders who won't put a PB on highly figured wood unless specifically requested.

Say they don't want to cover up the "pretty wood" with a chunk of metal.

I am not a builder, but I am one of those who do not like a patch box on a grade 6 or 7 piece of wood. If you go with a patch box get a piece of grade 4 or 5 in which most of the curl is forward of the wrist area, and put the patch box in the "uncurled" or "lightly curled" butt stock. JMHO. It is what I have decided to do with my Andrew Figthorn build.

 

[Razor62]

If you are not going to engrave/have engrave your patch box I would leave it off - a big chunk of plain metal just looks "bad" (my opinion).

Agreed! I can't engrave yet and I certainly can't afford to hire an engraver. For me that would mean a wooden patchbox or nothing.

 

[kaintuck]

Build it w/o a patch box.....then later, IF you want one.....you can add it!
PB can be added later....and engraved even later on.....

Not essential at the beginning. And, they take a lot of skill sets to do correctly.....and if placed wrong.... :shake:

Just remember.....build are a pleasure....not a race.

 

[kaintuck]

Build it w/o a patch box.....then later, IF you want one.....you can add it!
PB can be added later....and engraved even later on.....

Not essential at the beginning. And, they take a lot of skill sets to do correctly.....and if placed wrong.... :shake:

Just remember.....build are a pleasure....not a race.

Welcome to the madness....... :surrender:

 

[Birddog6]

My experience with one of them was not good. Every inlet on the stock was cut oversize & I had to glue pieces in the lock inlet, sideplate inlet, all the RR pipes inlets were way overcut.
Then I accidently broke the forestock on it, as was pulling the barrel & though I had everything loose, it had grain runout bad on the forestock & it hung in one place & just snapped like a twig & in Two Places ! :shocked2: Well, a $400. stock just bit the dust....
Anyway, I repaired the break & finished building the rifle, just to see how good I could repair the break & hide it. I was almost down to staining it when I broke it. Had the molding all cut, I mean down to the final sanding.....
Anyway, my forestock repair worked really well... Bowed the crap out of that forestock after that, with the barrel out. Man that repair worked well.....
I got the rifle all done, but knowing I had broken it really bothered me..... and kept bothering me..... and Kept bothering me.....
So one morning I had enough of this bother, & took it all apart & went to the band saw & cut the stock into 8" pieces. And now it doesn't bother me anymore..... :idunno: Got a few knife handle scales out of the butt.
I would not, nor could not sell a rifle to someone after I had broken the forestock. I would feel uncomfortable & worry about it from then on. And I didn't like the feel or the balance of the rifle after I finished it, for me to keep it.
I still have the Rice barrel & Chambers lock & all the parts. Maybe someday I will put it all on another stock for someone. It just didn't fit me well & felt heavy, sluggish handling & was not for me, from what I was used to hunting with. Would probably be OK for target shooting, if I did allot of that.

Now I am not sure, but I think that was my 48th or 49th rifle... Would have to go dig the records out.... But the Point Being IS......... Don't think just because you have built a bunch of rifles, that Sh// Don't Happen to ya ! For some people (such as me) it does still happen !! :rotf: :rotf:

Keith Lisle

 

[Vaino]

I can sympathize w/ you on the stock breakage and compliment you on not selling it to a customer.

Some of your complaints asre a Chambers "kit" have been present on 2 of the 3 parts sets I rec'd, but never had any problems w/ their wood and 2 were standard and one was a higher grade.

You should use all those quality parts w/ a blank....that's what I've done a few times. In fact, I prefer a differently shaped wrist than what's possible w/ Chambers precarve. Also the Dale Johnson lock looks a little earlier than the Golden Age that's standard w/ his "kit".

You mentioned the weight and that it didn't fit you....that's another reason to build from a blank. Below is a Lancaster using all Chambers parts except that it's from a blank.You can see the different wrist when compared to the picture of the Chambers "kit". Also the Dale Johnson lock.....Fred

 

[Birddog6]

Well, most of it was my fault. The fit & weight, was definitely my fault. No telling how many Dozens of them I have seen a CLA & Friendship in the past 20 yrs & never did actually shoulder one of them. It just hit me one day to build one & I ordered it with the best wood.
And it was my fault for breaking it. I should have been more careful with it. I knew the forestock was flimsy, but never had one just snap like that one did.
But there is no excuse for over-inletting on a stock. You are paying for it to be correct. And to keep hearing of more & more of the being sold the same way is disheartening.

As for the metal parts, I have seen none better. IMHO they sell the best barrel, best lock, best brass, :idunno: best everything else. The castings are wonderful. I feel the RR pipes & entry pipes ID are too small as they are advertised as 3/8" ID and they are not, but they are a nice cast & the brass is soft & easy to work.

I may try that with the Dale Johnson lock. Last time I ordered locks I got 6 of them, as I liked the way it looked on your rifle. As always, the Dale Johnson lock is as superb as all the other Chambers locks.

Keith Lisle

 

[vacca rabite]

How did folks go about browning the lock? Do you take it apart?

Should the locks be browned?

Zach

 

[Birddog6]

You better take it apart, or you will have a mess on your hands trying to get it to work again.

I strip the lock & brown the lock parts at the same time I brown the barrel & trim, if it is iron trim.

Keith Lisle

PS: Some locks are In-the-White, some are polished like a mirror, some naturally aged, some browned, some blued.

 

[Vaino]

For a Lancaster build, I order the Isaac Haines RR pipes from TOW...the IDs are cast oversize and don't need reaming like the Chambers or Bivens pipes. I don't order RR pipes from Chambers, but otherwise do use the rest of their brass for a Lancaster build.

The Bucks County builds require more "homade" brass parts than most styles, including the forward entry RR pipes, muzzle caps, trigger and plate, cheek star and all the other usual parts like the bbl lugs. Luckily, I found a Bplate and TG from 2 different suppliers that are perfect for a BC build. Chambers flintlocks are all I use...strayed once and regretted it.....Fred

 

[Birddog6]

That is what I do now, I get the pipes from a dif. vender. I found some & just bought enough to do 12 Lancaster at a time & don't have to worry about them for a while. (6 3/8" ID, 6 5/16" ID)

Now I will admit the smaller pipes make a slimmer looking rifle, but they are a PITA to drill out or ream out.

I buy allot of my misc. from Tip as I go by there now & then & can look at what I am getting & chose from a vast inventory. If you are ever close to Nashville, you need to stop by & see him. You will be impressed with his place.

Keith Lisle