Thanks very much again everyone. Oldarmy, I'd love to see more pictures all the time on this forum - the Builders Bench is always best when there are a few photos running through current threads. Every finished gun is a big achievement worthy of celebration and it's inspiring to see what others are doing. Also it's so easy now with a digital camera - you can taken dozens of pics at no expense or effort to make sure you've got one that's right, in different light conditions. Almost all of my photos here were taken against the wall of my barn on a sunny morning but in shadow, which seemed to give just the right amount of light to reveal some lustre in the finish but without glare. I took a couple of hundred shots to choose the ones you see here. (One hint - avoid wide angle if possible. I took one wide angle sequence of the butt close-up which made it look like a Roman nose).
Chambers York rifle finished
- Thread starter aragorn
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Oldarmy, that's exactly what I have my eye on. I like the look of the New England fowler and want a large bore shotgun, but the 1762 English fowler has the added interest of working with walnut. I've studied the original for the Virginia 'smooth rifle' in Shumway and would like to try that too. Once I've done one of those, I'll have a go reproducing an original colonial rifle from a blank. That's where the biggest skill lies and I don't know if I can do it yet!
Russ T Frizzen
70 Cal.
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Why not call Jim Chambers and ask if the New England fowler comes with a walnut stock? Cherry would be an appropriate choice, too.
Strider, I'm still trying to spot those imperfections you mentioned. If they exist, they must be living behind your eyes because I flat out can't spot a single problem. It you are really unhappy with them though, I'd be willing to unburden you from it. Uh oh, now I see it! The lock is on the wrong side! :hmm: :thumbsup:
No, the lock is fine right where it is, but where are the INLAYS?
By golly, all of you guys are forgetting to put the all important inlays on your guns! :grin:
There! You see what a few inlays can do? :rotf:
Zonie
By golly, all of you guys are forgetting to put the all important inlays on your guns! :grin:
There! You see what a few inlays can do? :rotf:
Zonie
DrTimboone
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WOW, :bow: that rifles has more "bling" than Ludicris!! Early HipHop??? :rotf:
Zonie, I knew I'd forgotten something. I'll just have to build another one.
Just put my first five rounds through her, using up some dregs of 2F, and she shoots like a dream. I need to buy some 3F to have a good session working up loads and sighting in, but I was very content to have my first shot offhand at 80 yds hit my paper plate target (55 gr 2F, 015 patch, .490 ball). I may not even need to file the sights. I then took two bench shots from 50 yds which both came within one inch of the center. I then shot two offhand from about 30 yards which were also within the center 3 inches of the plate. Then I ran out of powder!
What a dream to shoot this after my Pedersoli - I'm not knocking my P and would recommend it as a starter rifle, but with the real deal you suddenly appreciate what you can do with one of these things. That lock and the white lightnin' liner - fantastic. A shower of sparks and instantaneous ignition. This is a gun I could have total confidence in as a hunting rifle.
The barrel interior took a lot of cleaning afterwards - despite keeping it lubed and cleaning it a few times during building there was streaked brown crud in addition to the BP residue. It needed to be oiled the instant I pulled out the last dry patch, to avoid immediate rust (very humid today). I guess that will ease up as I shoot the barrel in and have longer sessions with it. As if I needed an excuse to take it out again!
Just put my first five rounds through her, using up some dregs of 2F, and she shoots like a dream. I need to buy some 3F to have a good session working up loads and sighting in, but I was very content to have my first shot offhand at 80 yds hit my paper plate target (55 gr 2F, 015 patch, .490 ball). I may not even need to file the sights. I then took two bench shots from 50 yds which both came within one inch of the center. I then shot two offhand from about 30 yards which were also within the center 3 inches of the plate. Then I ran out of powder!
What a dream to shoot this after my Pedersoli - I'm not knocking my P and would recommend it as a starter rifle, but with the real deal you suddenly appreciate what you can do with one of these things. That lock and the white lightnin' liner - fantastic. A shower of sparks and instantaneous ignition. This is a gun I could have total confidence in as a hunting rifle.
The barrel interior took a lot of cleaning afterwards - despite keeping it lubed and cleaning it a few times during building there was streaked brown crud in addition to the BP residue. It needed to be oiled the instant I pulled out the last dry patch, to avoid immediate rust (very humid today). I guess that will ease up as I shoot the barrel in and have longer sessions with it. As if I needed an excuse to take it out again!
Glad to hear it shoots as good as it looks!
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How many coats of Chambers oil did you place on the gun. My gun was much more glossy and I was looking for a finish similar to yours.
I've just ordered the Virginia fowler (smooth rifle) from Barbie Chambers. Wooden patchbox, brass parts, top grade maple. I've studied the original closely in Shumway and want to make this a fowler to complement my rifle, by the same maker in Virginia or Pennsylvania c 1765. I want to make the decoration unique and distinctive but in keeping with an early Virginia style, like my York. Maybe if I can keep finding enough time for this - I will, somehow! - there will be pictures on the forum in about a year's time.
All I had was that pic in the Chambers catalogue plus the images from Mark Silver's website. I also have RCA and one of the Virginia gunmaker books, but actually I didn't find much that was inspirational in those as far as colonial era baroque designs go - what has survived seems mostly poor to mediocre, though I imagine there must have been a few Mark Silvers back there in 18th c Virginia!
