English Style Match Rifle

[Mulemauler]

British style match rifle with side hammer lock is starting to take shape. The lock is an L&R side hammer. Colerain .45 caliber barrel 32" long and 15/16" diameter, Dual action single set trigger.

 

[TFoley]

That'll be interesting. I've never seen a sidelock 'English style Match rifle'. Is there a prototype?

 

[BruceHH]

I have built some in the style of the Gibbs or Rigby rifles. Mostly flintlocks, but my next one is going to have the L&R Mule Ear just like the one above. They are a joy to handle and shoot.

Mulemauler, if I may - bring that panel around the lock down to about 1/8" wide - it will look better. Also, I recommend that the pistol grip handle be a little more refined and defined. I know you are not finished, so I may be out of line and I truly don't mean to be. If you will do a search for Gibbs or Rigby on this site, you will see some examples. Something as simple as a brass cap on the grip butt will really help protect it and it will look fantastic.

 

[Mulemauler]

I fell in love with the feel of British sporting rifles LONG ago. Over the years I've had ones by Rigby, Mortimer, Gibbs, Alexander Henry and several others both original and modern, they all had a certain feel and balance. I first built one in the more traditional Gibbs style in .451 caliber for long range shooting but soon found it was very comfortable for forearm "Offhand" matches, just needed a barrel with different rifling. While I have never seen an original with a side hammer lock it lends itself quite nicely to the styling and is lightning fast. The general style will be more on the Rigby rifles. The pictures below are a few I've built for other customers.

 

[Mulemauler]

I have built some in the style of the Gibbs or Rigby rifles. Mostly flintlocks, but my next one is going to have the L&R Mule Ear just like the one above. They are a joy to handle and shoot.

Mulemauler, if I may - bring that panel around the lock down to about 1/8" wide - it will look better. Also, I recommend that the pistol grip handle be a little more refined and defined. I know you are not finished, so I may be out of line and I truly don't mean to be. If you will do a search for Gibbs or Rigby on this site, you will see some examples. Something as simple as a brass cap on the grip butt will really help protect it and it will look fantastic.

Thank you for the input and I absolutely agree. Will be trimmed down quite a bit, just in the shaping stage right now. I usually fit a contrasting wood such as Ebony but would like to try horn one day.

 

[64Springer]

It's like a Hawken and Mauser love child.

Love that pistol grip and non-impaling butt plate.

Something to consider down the road.

 

[64Springer]

Mr. Mule

Are there generic full size plans available so a person wouldn't have to pull their hair out laying out that pistol grip stock?

This is a style my shoulder would enjoy. If I had this rifle in a .45, I don't think I'd ever leave the range.

Thanks.

 

[BruceHH]

Well, I see I spoke too soon. Those are nice builds - I especially like the middle picture, the mule ear with the reddish butt cap.

I have used, brass, contrasting wood, metal and horn for the cap. I liked them all and so did my buyers.

64Springer, Pecatonica has a Gibbs style stock they sell. You can get it at about any stage of inletting you would like - just discuss it with them. I do not recommend you have the lock recess inletted unless you just can not do that yourself.

 

[64Springer]

^^^^^

Thank you, Sir.

I would never let someone else inlet a lock.

 

[BS]

Mulemauler it is only fitting that you use a Mule Ear!

Nice Rifles!

2 questions

What hooked breech do you use?
and
Will the L&R work with a Musket Cap?

 

[Mulemauler]

Mulemauler it is only fitting that you use a Mule Ear!

Nice Rifles!

2 questions

What hooked breech do you use?
and
Will the L&R work with a Musket Cap?

It is an L&R flint hooked breech. I shorten and reshape the tang. They are available in most sizes. I don't see any reason you couldn't use a musket nipple but might have to open the recessed area in the hammer a bit.

 

[Bad Karma]

British style match rifle with side hammer lock is starting to take shape. The lock is an L&R side hammer. Colerain .45 caliber barrel 32" long and 15/16" diameter, Dual action single set trigger.

That’s a dandy! Did pecatonica supply the wood? Can’t wait to see the end result!

 

[Bad Karma]

It's like a Hawken and Mauser love child.

Love that pistol grip and non-impaling butt plate.

Something to consider down the road.

It’s where Mauser and others got their inspiration!

 

[Stykbow]

@Mulemauler those are beautiful rifles you’ve built. That first one really trips my trigger, but the wood on the second is breathtaking.

 

[BS]

Mulemauler, have you thought about opening up the lock to fit a flash cup?

It would help keep the 'crud' from trying to get under the lock, and keep the flash area cleaner.

Just a thought.

 

[Mulemauler]

Mulemauler, have you thought about opening up the lock to fit a flash cup?

It would help keep the 'crud' from trying to get under the lock, and keep the flash area cleaner.

Just a thought.

That's a great idea and will give it a try! I always pull the lock after a match to clean it and even though lock is tight against the barrel it is amazing how much residue still gets behind it.

 

[Mulemauler]

Thought some might be interested in how barrel is attached. On rifles that customer wants a ramrod, I use a slotted lug, silver soldered to the barrel and a traditional key through the side of the stock, but on a strictly match rifle that does not need a ramrod mounted the barrel is attached by a 1/4-28 Allen head bolt through the underside of the stock into a steel lug soldered and screwed to the underside of the barrel. A steel cup is made to accept the head of the bolt and bedded into the underside of the stock to keep the bolt from pulling into the wood. Barrel channel and breech area are fully glass bedded as well as the barrel lug so nothing can go anywhere. Probably overkill on a roundball gun but on a fast twist long range rifle shooting 80-90 grains FFg and a long 530 paper patched bullet felt it is needed for the recoil. Plus a competition rifle likely gets more rounds put through it in a couple of seasons than a hunting rifle in a lifetime. This combination using the hooked breech is very solid yet simple and easy to pull the barrel for cleaning.

 

[Bad Karma]

Thought some might be interested in how barrel is attached. On rifles that customer wants a ramrod, I use a slotted lug, silver soldered to the barrel and a traditional key through the side of the stock, but on a strictly match rifle that does not need a ramrod mounted the barrel is attached by a 1/4-28 Allen head bolt through the underside of the stock into a steel lug soldered and screwed to the underside of the barrel. A steel cup is made to accept the head of the bolt and bedded into the underside of the stock to keep the bolt from pulling into the wood. Barrel channel and breech area are fully glass bedded as well as the barrel lug so nothing can go anywhere. Probably overkill on a roundball gun but on a fast twist long range rifle shooting 80-90 grains FFg and a long 530 paper patched bullet felt it is needed for the recoil. Plus a competition rifle likely gets more rounds put through it in a couple of seasons than a hunting rifle in a lifetime. This combination using the hooked breech is very solid yet simple and easy to pull the barrel for cleaning.

I had a rifle with a similar attachment years ago. It didn’t have the cup so I installed a stainless steel pillar. I’ve also installed stainless and aluminum pillars for the lock bolt on TC side locks.

 

[Mulemauler]

I had a rifle with a similar attachment years ago. It didn’t have the cup so I installed a stainless steel pillar. I’ve also installed stainless and aluminum pillars for the lock bolt on TC side locks.

Lots of ways to skin a cat, I sure can't make any claim to this as I've seen rifles from the 1850's with similar setups. As long as it is solid it should work.

 

[Mulemauler]

It is finished and ready to ship off to South Dakota. It is for a young lady who competes in their 4H muzzleloading shooting competition. Their state program is absolutely awesome and making sure that muzzleloading competition has new blood in it for many years to come. I'm proud to support them! .45 caliber Colerain barrel, 32" long 15/16" diameter. Weighs just a hair over 7 pounds with sights.