Early Long Rifle Based on a Track J.P. Beck Kit?

[Tacksman45]

Hello everyone,

Does anyone have any advice on building an "early" flintlock long rifle based on the J.P. Beck kit which Track of the Wolf offers? The reason I ask this is that I would like to have a rifle made with a Colerain American Heritage barrel, and their J.P. Beck Kit looks like it is mostly pre-inleted including the sideplate, buttplate, and triggerguard. Since I am not a gunsmith I think that this kit would be good for me since most of the inletling is done. My question is; could the kit be reworked so that the finished rifle looks earlier than a circa 1770's rifle, and more like a 1760's, 1750's, or earlier rifle? The stock profile looks like an early "Virginia" type rifle, and the stock comes with a hole for a wooden patch box, which would be great for an early rifle. I am thinking about omitting the toeplate and nosecap, changing the double set triggers to a simple pivot trigger and plate assembly, and seeing if an early large sideplate would completely encompass the pre-inleted hole for the Beck style sideplate, and re-inlet the stock for this sideplate. Also I might opt to use 7/16" dome headed tang bolts, and a solid brass front sight instead of the German silver bladed sight. Other than that I might keep the carving very simple, stain with water based stain, and apply an oil finish.

I would like to hear any advice or thoughts anyone has about this, specifically if any of these changes would actually make this more like an earlier longrifle, of any school or style, or if I am way off base, and the rifle is fine as it is for an early to mid 1700's rifle, or would rifles from this period be like transitional rifles?

Thanks a lot!

 

[billraby]

It is easier to build a gun starting with a blank instead of a pre-carve. Trying to use different parts with a pre-carve stock is going to cause all sorts of problems.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
So should transitional rifles be referred to as "him" instead of "her"? Just kidding! Unfortunately, we do not have many known pre-Rev War rifles to assess for "early" characteristics. The earliest dated (1761) long rifle is the Schreit gun and it certainly could be used as one model. Certainly, the Edward Marshall rifle and some of the early guns attributed to Albrecht and his Moravian colleagues were made during the colonial period. The only generalizations that can be made are they show strong German characteristics, were robust with wide butt plates, probably had wooden patch boxes. Some of the surviving guns that likely were made during colonial times had stepped wrists, others do not. The Schreit gun clearly had a slight step, which someone filed off many years later. With respect to early "Virginia" guns, I recommend reading Gary Brumfield's essay:
http://www.flintriflesmith.com/WritingandResearch/WebArticles/VirginiaRifle.htm

Basically, about the only thing that clearly defines a "Virginia" rifle is that it was made in Virginia or what is now, West Virginia. A lot of folks picture the "Faber", Klette, Thomas, and RCA 119 rifles but most of those likely were made after 1770, with the Faber being earlier. To some, a Virginia rifle is whatever Wallace Gussler says it is.

With respect to the TOW Beck kit and your "heritage" barrel, neither is particularly early relative to the Rev War period. I don't believe it would make a good template for a colonial rifle. You would have better luck with Kibler's colonial rifle kit, which could be turned into an colonial period Lancaster rifle or even one made in northern Virginia by a maker like Adam Haymaker. Anyway, if you already have the barrel, the Beck kit could be made into a Rev War period or early Golden Age rifle. You really should read the 2 books on early Moravian gun making by Bob Lienemann if your interest is in colonial era guns.

dave

 

[Pete G]

The architecture on the Beck is later than a colonial style, particularly the butt plate and trigger guard. You will be better off with a blank from Pecatonica. You can get an early Lancaster and the barrel you want, along with the proper hardware. I would suggest that you do your own lock inlet to get it in the correct position. Give them a call.

 

[Tacksman45]

Hi,
So should transitional rifles be referred to as "him" instead of "her"? Just kidding! Unfortunately, we do not have many known pre-Rev War rifles to assess for "early" characteristics. The earliest dated (1761) long rifle is the Schreit gun and it certainly could be used as one model. Certainly, the Edward Marshall rifle and some of the early guns attributed to Albrecht and his Moravian colleagues were made during the colonial period. The only generalizations that can be made are they show strong German characteristics, were robust with wide butt plates, probably had wooden patch boxes. Some of the surviving guns that likely were made during colonial times had stepped wrists, others do not. The Schreit gun clearly had a slight step, which someone filed off many years later. With respect to early "Virginia" guns, I recommend reading Gary Brumfield's essay:
http://www.flintriflesmith.com/WritingandResearch/WebArticles/VirginiaRifle.htm

Basically, about the only thing that clearly defines a "Virginia" rifle is that it was made in Virginia or what is now, West Virginia. A lot of folks picture the "Faber", Klette, Thomas, and RCA 119 rifles but most of those likely were made after 1770, with the Faber being earlier. To some, a Virginia rifle is whatever Wallace Gussler says it is.

With respect to the TOW Beck kit and your "heritage" barrel, neither is particularly early relative to the Rev War period. I don't believe it would make a good template for a colonial rifle. You would have better luck with Kibler's colonial rifle kit, which could be turned into an colonial period Lancaster rifle or even one made in northern Virginia by a maker like Adam Haymaker. Anyway, if you already have the barrel, the Beck kit could be made into a Rev War period or early Golden Age rifle. You really should read the 2 books on early Moravian gun making by Bob Lienemann if your interest is in colonial era guns.

dave

Dave,

Thanks for your reply! I just googled the Schreit longrifle, and that is exactly what I had in mind! It even has the large sideplate and large dome shaped tang bolts! I will see if I can gets the books you mentioned via inter-library loan.

Thanks again!

 

[dave_person]

Dave,

Thanks for your reply! I just googled the Schreit longrifle, and that is exactly what I had in mind! It even has the large sideplate and large dome shaped tang bolts! I will see if I can gets the books you mentioned via inter-library loan.

Thanks again!

Hi,
The Moravian books don't include the Schreit rifle but do include many early guns including the Marshall rifles (Edward and William). The are good photos of the Schreit rifle in Rifles in Colonial America Vol 1 by George Shumway. The Schreit is a big heavy gun with what would likely be a "D" weight barrel. It was and may still be on display at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. Schreit was a gun maker in Reading, PA. Also, RCA 1 shows many early Reading and Berks county guns, which would be good choices as well for a pre Rev-War period rifle. The stocks are very robust and often described as "pregnant".

dave

 

[Tacksman45]

Hi,
The Moravian books don't include the Schreit rifle but do include many early guns including the Marshall rifles (Edward and William). The are good photos of the Schreit rifle in Rifles in Colonial America Vol 1 by George Shumway. The Schreit is a big heavy gun with what would likely be a "D" weight barrel. It was and may still be on display at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. Schreit was a gun maker in Reading, PA. Also, RCA 1 shows many early Reading and Berks county guns, which would be good choices as well for a pre Rev-War period rifle. The stocks are very robust and often described as "pregnant".

dave

Thanks again for the reply! Another rifle I had though about is a Schimmel, with an ash stock, and a nailed sheet brass buttplate. But I do not know how appropriate these are for the colonial period.