chambers penn. fowler?

[chuck-ia]

I have this incredible urge to put together a penn. fowler from jim chambers. I have looked at early rustic arms, and they look like nice guns, cheaper price too. But, the chambers fowler has a long hammock barrel, (which I know nothing about) but is a muzzleloader barrel. The early rustic arms has a barrel made from hydraulic tubing, which is probably ok, don't know. I also like the idea of a chambers lock, I have 2 guns with a chambers large siler lock and no problems, once I got to know the locks. any of you put together a chambers kit? How is the chambers kit compared to tow kits? thanks, flinch

 

[ffffg]

do it!!!! you will never look back, and you will be hard pressed finding better service or components.. the barrel should be fine, the lock is the right one beyond any doubt.. i have the round face and the early virginia and i like the early virginia better.. they are interchangeable , the round face has a water proof pan.. this couses the powder amnount to be less.. the early virginia has mucho powder, great ignition and a large flint in a lock that can be knapped in the gun when pressed for time in the field or at the range.. the lock will be timed by jim himself and will be the heart of the gun,, and the best way to go when aiming, holding and squeezing trigger, looking to bag moving game.. you should get 25 plus hassel free fireings with this setup if you do it right.. i shot 25 rounds two weeks ago at the sporting clays range, no lag in ingition, no napping, no missfires, one flint... top knotch stuff.. the white lighning flash hole tops it off.. get the best stock yo can aford.. you will be guaranteed a fine product.. i like the big locks best for hunting guns when weather etc is entered in.. another option would be the mark silver in a special order 16 guage getz barrel.. .. very nice, is what i have but is heaveier about 8 3/4 pounds..and maybe up to a six months wait or more for barrel.. ive shot lots of ducks with it.. and i shoot skeet, trap and sporting clays.. if you want the 20 go for it.. good luck.dave..

 

[cptleo1]

I have done several Chambers Kits

They are the Cadillac

You get what you pay for.

If you like the rifle steel barrel

I would talk to Centermark.

Another place where you get what you pay for.

Good Luck

Leo :m2c:

 

I just finished a Chambers penn fowler kit a few weeks ago. I can't comment on how it would measure up to other kits as I haven't finished any other kits save a chambers lanc several years ago for a friend. personally, I'm not real struck on kits for the simple fact that too much is predetermined and if you don't like it, too bad. However, if you don't know how to shape a stock in the first place, then a kit would be of some help. Actually, the only reason I chose to go with the fowler kit was that I don't know enough about shapeing a fowler so the kit would give some idea. I'm a real fussy prick and had some minor issues from the start. Talked to barbie and she was real good at putting up with my (likely unreasonable) BS and was more than willing to work with me and she was very interested in me being happy with what I had purchased. In the end, the kit turned out ok and while I'm sure that you would get good service from other kit suppliers, I KNOW you will with a chambers.

Cody

FWIW, I don't particularily like anything I build from a blank either.

 

[Slowpoke]

I built one a couple years ago. I thought it was a little tough to build and I know what I'm doing. Just like Cody says, it's a kit and things are predetermined for you and if they don't line up, there's little to be done to correct it. These kits don't slap together and require a lot of work. Chamber's tells you 30 hours but I could never do a good job in that time. Anyway, here's a picture of mine. I supplied the wood.

 

[chuck-ia]

that is really a nice looking gun. you did a nice job. flinch

 

Slowpoke, what part of finishing the fowler did you find tough to do?. Mine's a bit different as I did mine in walnut and used the english round faced lock as opposed to the virginia.

Cody

 

[Slowpoke]

I messed up.... I always get them confused.. I made one of Chamber's Virgina Smooth Rifles. I mix them up because he later found that the gun was really from Pennsylvania so he changed the name to gun a Smooth Rifle. I digress....

Problems that I found were...

1 The ramrod hits one of the lock bolts so I had to cut a half moon in the bolt to get it to slide by. No big deal until I forget (which I always do) to take the ramrod out before I take the lock out. My ramrod has chips all round on section.
2. The buttplate was a pain because I can never get the screws to go in straight. When I use a blank it mush easier.
3. The entry thimble is square but pre-carved area is in a sort-of design. Which requires fooling around with the thimble or just inletting it square. I screwed mine up and had to make a patch to cover it.
4. One good part is they leave a lot of wood that you have to take off. That was nice because it's easier to take off, than put it back on.

Anyway, here's a picture of the patch job I had to do.

SP

 

Slowpoke, nice repair. One of those 'if you don't tell anyone, knowone would ever know" type repairs. I know what you mean about the entry pipe. I was a bit miffed that the inlet was not the same as the pipe tang. To me, it's alot easier to inlet a pipe than try to shape the tang to fit an existing inlet. I like thwe shape they gave the inlet alot, just would be alot easier to shape the tang FIRST, then inlet it IMO. I'm still ****** about the lock bolt invading the RR hole. A freind of mine is ordering one and I recommended that he get it with the Entry pipe and side plate NOT inlet so he can shape the pipe any way he wants and positioin the side plate properly. You can see right off that the front of the side plate is too low. beats me why this was not fixed years ago. By repositioning the side plate, the lock bolt may not be in the middle of the nose of the locl plate but that is still better IMO than the bolt interfereing with the RR. here's a pic of how the thimble went on mine. It looks a little wonky in the pic. The sheet it's made from is THIN. It could be a bit bent?, doesn't look so in real life but the camera does pick up stuff that's hard to see otherwise.

And here you can see the angle of the sideplate.

Cody

 

[Mike Brooks]

Wow! Nice guns guys! :master: Those kits go together well, I've probably put together a half dozen or so.
Chambers offers another kit that is basically the same, only with a cheek piece added. I put a rifle guard and set triggers on this one. I believe it had a 20 ga. barrel. Sort of a smooth rifle sort of thing.
Chambers kit

 

Thanks Mike. I know your not terribly fond of bare walnut (putting it mildly ) but I just can't bring myself to stain the stuff. This is what the rest of the stock looks like.

I tried to get a pic of the engraving on the lock but it just wouldn't turn out. perhaps too shiney.

I found that the nose of the stock (from the tip to the start of the RR groove)was a bit long for my taste so i cut 3/4" off. This of course left too much barrel protruding past the stock (for my taste) so I cut 3/4" of the barrel. One of those "kit" things where if you don't like it, you either live with it or, if possible, take somewhat drastic measures to change it.

I left the lock bright (obviously) and the barrel and all othe iron parts are rust blued. I kind of like the result.

Cody

 

[Mike Brooks]

Looks Like Claro walnut to me. :: The buttstock color is great, , but out where the grain gets straight is where it gets just a shade too light for me. This one is dark enough overall that it looks pretty good to me even with out a little stain. The one in my link would have been far lighter with out stain....too light in my opinion.
I like everything about your gun, there's nothing about it that isn't really 100% english. The lock engraving looks dead on as does that fine shell carving at the breech. The rust blueing is a nice touch too. The only thing I could "nit pick" on it is the forward lock moulding.....the english just weren't overly fond of those. But, personally I think it is a nice artistic touch and adds to the gun rather than detracts.
Great job! :master:
Do you own this one or did somebody buy this jewel from you?

 

Mike, thanks for the critique. I pondered the front moulding as well as the elongated teardrop for some time before commiting them to wood. In the end, I just did what I wanted. Actually, this gun is a surprise gift for my dad. he doesn't have a smoothbore and I thought he should have one. he will be coming up here in two weeks and i will give it to him then. I also found the wood to be rather bland from the wrist forward but didn't entertain the idea of stain in fear of obliterating the figure in the butt, what kind of stain do you use on walnut??

Cody

 

[Mike Brooks]

I use Dithchburn's adam's county stain and Bircwood & Caseys "walnut" stain mixed 50/50. One coat is about right most of the time. Gives walnut that pre '64 winchester color. I also use Jim Klien's stains....seems the golden brown and reddish brown mixed together.....don't have a dilution ratio on those, I just kind of slop them together on a whim.
Did you fill the pores on that stock? I use rustoleum flat black spray paint after I've got a good finish built up, then I steel wool it all back off again. That helps to give the walnut a little darker appearance with out using any stain. Rambling a bit here..... :yakyak:

 

Mike, where do you get ditchburn stain?. I don't use a filler. I've only used walnut twice now and both times I just put on a coat of finish, sand and repeat until the grain is filled and there are no shiny spots after sanding. You can see in the photo that there are a few spots that weren't quite filled yet. I suspect that is why you asked? Is there a better way?

cody

 

[Mike Brooks]

I used to get Ditchburn's stain from Reeves Goehring. I don't know if he even sells it any more. I bought a half a dozen bottles years ago and still have a little left. I'll be out soon. I'll have to get a hold of Jim Klien and have him mix me up some stain that is REAL red one of these days.
I just noticed that you pores weren't black is all. Just one of those "little things" with me, I like black pores on walnut :youcrazy: Chambers is selling some filler now for walnut, you might give him a call. I believe you dobb it all over the gun and smear it into the wood, then sand it all off after it dries. Beats sanding after every coat anyway.....
Are you going to go out and grind up some skeet with that thing before you give it away? ::

 

Mike, I don't have any experience with fillers but have always been concerned that they may make the wood look, well.......filled. I'ld hate to have the thing end up with the natural grain somehow clouded or obscured. As far as "grinding up skeet" goes, my best success rate for that with any gun is to put them on the ground and smash them with the butt. I DO like to try and am getting a little better but..... I think part of the problem may be that I am trying to learn with a flintlock and am shooting with trap shooters that suggest that I learn with a "real" gun, then go play with "toys". However, I have no desire to shoot ca'tridge or even cap for that matter. I have no intention of shooting it before handing it over. I believe this to be a poor practice as I think it SHOULD be shot first in case some lock performance issue pops up (they usually do). But I don't have any flint to fit it and, in my experience, any performance issues with a Chambers lock will likely be pretty minor.

Cody

 

[Slowpoke]

What is this "grinding up skeet" ????? All I'm able to do with my fowler is miss.... I suppose I do "grind up" leaves and tree limbs.

Missing Skeet <--- Double Click
SP

 

[Mike Brooks]

What is this "grinding up skeet" ????? All I'm able to do with my fowler is miss.... I suppose I do "grind up" leaves and tree limbs.

Missing Skeet <--- Double Click
SP

Nice shot! :shake: :winking: