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Chambers smooth rifle with 20g barrel

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This will give you an idea of the overall length. Honestly doesn’t feel overly long at all. I guess because it’s so light.

Nice bird my son in law took! He is only allowed to “guide“ next season! at least until I take one!

IMG_1539.jpeg
 
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I Have a Chambers 54 Cal swamped barrel, shotgun butt style . Built by Bob Ray. Lock is fast with a single set trigger.
Balanced,light Oh so nice!


You will not be disappointed !!
 
A 20 gauge Chambers smooth rifle was my first build. It was challenging, but I had an experienced builder (my dad) there to help guide me. The Chambers family, especially Barbie, were great to work with and even provided some pictures to help me develop the carving. I cannot say enough good about them. I realize now that you are stuck with the inlets on a pre-carve kit and you may need to work around some of those issues. But again, utilize Barbie and Jim as a resource. I found the most difficult aspect was drilling for the pins on the pre-carved curved surfaces because I couldn’t square the surface to my drill press. I ended up buying a drill jig and that helped tremendously.
I also had Danny Caywood jug choke the barrel and the gun now shoots tight patterns out to 40 yards…as this Merriam’s tom discovered. I can still shoot round balls since it is jug choked and it groups those well too.
-Steve
 

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Is the,

the same gun the o.p. is asking about, and is that the same as the gun @Compressorguy is showing?
If so, as a nonbuilder, I have a secondary question. Will Chambers cut the stock blank to the customer's preference for length of pull?
I’m not sure. I do know that their smooth rifle is based on the Newcomer rifle.
They also offer a couple of fowling guns so I would have to go to their site and double check the specs....
As far as “LOP”...
Shorter?....
It can be made shorter by moving the buttplate forward in the building process.
Longer?...
You may can order a stock without the BP inlet. You would have to call and find out.

Truthfully LOP is somewhat overrated. Most can shoot a rifle comfortably with shorter LOP.
Most can shoot well with a slightly longer LOP.
A lot of it depends on the gun. Sometimes a gun can feel really well and surprise you with a longer or shorter “LOP” than you are used to.
My suggestion
Try to find somebody that has a gun you want....shoulder it and shoot it you can.
You my be surprised.... or not.
 
I’m not sure. I do know that their smooth rifle is based on the Newcomer rifle.
They also offer a couple of fowling guns so I would have to go to their site and double check the specs....
As far as “LOP”...
Shorter?....
It can be made shorter by moving the buttplate forward in the building process.
Longer?...
You may can order a stock without the BP inlet. You would have to call and find out.

Truthfully LOP is somewhat overrated. Most can shoot a rifle comfortably with shorter LOP.
Most can shoot well with a slightly longer LOP.
A lot of it depends on the gun. Sometimes a gun can feel really well and surprise you with a longer or shorter “LOP” than you are used to.
My suggestion
Try to find somebody that has a gun you want....shoulder it and shoot it you can.
You my be surprised.... or not.
Thanks.
I'm betting I would want it shorter.
14" seems pretty standard but is a little too long for me once I have late fall/winter layers on.
My TVM Early Virginia is 14" and feels okay in regular clothes, once I have on period clothing, especially laywd for colder weather, it is too long. My Centermark is perfect. I agree, "too short" is generally not a problem, but too long can definitely create issues.
I wasn't sure if there was any other stock architecture that needed to change for the shorter lop.
 
Thanks.
I'm betting I would want it shorter.
14" seems pretty standard but is a little too long for me once I have late fall/winter layers on.
My TVM Early Virginia is 14" and feels okay in regular clothes, once I have on period clothing, especially laywd for colder weather, it is too long. My Centermark is perfect. I agree, "too short" is generally not a problem, but too long can definitely create issues.
I wasn't sure if there was any other stock architecture that needed to change for the shorter lop.
The Chambers Smoothrifle, PA Fowler, and English Fowler/Fusil are 13 7/8 LOP.
I do believe that is the SR mentioned above. It has a 46” bbl.
 
Just measured my Chambers smooth rifle LOP at 13-7/8”.

Also took it completely apart last night for the first time since I’ve had it. I was told it was built 20 years ago and just wanted to make sure everything looked good, which it did! I also confirmed it has a GETZ barrel s\n 21xxx. I waxed the barrel channel and pins/holes, gave the lock a good lube, chamfered the pins and buttoned her back up. Should be good for another 20 years!
IMG_6593.jpeg
 
Well, now the wait starts.
Put in my order today.
Standard maple, my only other choice was a $350 upgrade, I'm sure it is very nice, but I would have been so 🤬 when I messed it up. Maybe the next one, the fowler I think.

Time to think of finishes now.
 
Ok, then. More questions.
I have "recreating the American longrifle " and "gunsmith of greenville county"

Any other must haves? I will start a new build thread too.

Money has been removed for my account.so it on the way I guess.
 
Looking forward to the build thread. Thanks in advance for posting.
You may find helpful, "Flintlock Fowlers" by Tom Grinslade. There is a brief but comprehensive discussion about the differences between the traditional Kentucky rifle (PA), and the fowler. Since the smooth rifle transitions both and represents a little of both, you may find it interesting.
Good luck with the build.
 
Looking forward to the build thread. Thanks in advance for posting.
You may find helpful, "Flintlock Fowlers" by Tom Grinslade. There is a brief but comprehensive discussion about the differences between the traditional Kentucky rifle (PA), and the fowler. Since the smooth rifle transitions both and represents a little of both, you may find it interesting.
Good luck with the build.
I have that one, I will dig it out.
Thanks for the reminder
 
Ok, then. More questions.
I have "recreating the American longrifle " and "gunsmith of greenville county"

Any other must haves? I will start a new build thread too.

Money has been removed for my account.so it on the way I guess.
Do you read and speak Canadian?
Grenville county is written in Canadian.
Once you suffered through Grenville County you can spot Alexander’s edits in RTAL.

It’s good info. I’m just telling you that a lot of things are over explained. Sometimes less is more.
It can be confusing and for me it took several reads to finally “ get” what was being said.

For a new builder, a lot of simple things were over explained. Some info I was really looking for was barely touched on if mentioned at all.
I have learned that a lot of that info or knowledge can only be acquired by doing it and solving the problem or learning the solution on your own.
Let’s take forming a lock panel. It’s nearly impossible to fully explain how to form it. Hands on it could be demonstrated in print not so much.
All I can say about lock panels is you have to know what they look like and how they are shaped. ( hands on inspection to really see it) Get the outline work and shape to it.....it just appears.

Books are great but sometimes you will not get it until you do it.

Edit....
Let’s take triggers....
You don’t have to get into high math and secrets of the universe to pin a trigger. Going by the books you’ll have lines and angles drawn every where. Maybe even a map with yarn and thumbtacks set up over your bench.....

Set the pivot 1/4 inch or slightly more in front of the sear. You can set the pivot higher if you pin or at least equal, higher or it close to it if using a lugged trigger plate.....Ding! Done!

I’ll probably be banished by the grand poo ba of the mystical order of the longrifle but another thing you’ll hear a lot is this Golden Mean stuff.
OK 3/5 from where and to where?

What looks good is good. You don’t have to get all Yoda to build a rifle and especially a parts set.

Now if I wanted to turn lead into gold I might get into to all that stuff, but hey.....
I’m just building a gun.
 
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