First Build - LH Flint Longrifle

[HomeBru]

I'm 6'3 and left handed and have wanted a flint long rifle for years, so it's either order a custom or build my own. I've been drooling over the Track of the Wolf catalog for two years now getting the itch to do a build and decided that I'll likely kick it off next fall (birthday present).

I've been a woodworker for years and am capable of very precision work (I built clock cases for a while) but will need to practice my carving before I do a stock. The craftsmanship doesn't worry me, but I'm still trying to make decisions on style/parts.

I "want" a 42" - 44" swamped "B" barrel in .50 with a sliding wood patchbox and am leaning toward the Lancaster County school ala Haines and Beck.

Where I'm still falling short in my research is obtaining the stock. With my wingspan, I'm going to need 14"-15" of pull and the pre-carved stocks just aren't appearing for a lefty. I'd prefer not to have to start from a blank for my first rifle but would "settle" for a rough-cut with barrel and ramrod channels pre-drilled/cut.

I received "Recreating the American Longrifle" for Christmas and have already read it through twice.

Thoughts or suggestions from the more experienced?

J-

 

[BrownBear]

I'd get hold of the folks at Pecotonica about LOP. I think they're in fact the source for most TOW stocks.

I'm a lefty too and with you on size at 6'4" and 220#, with Orangutan arms according to my wife. But I'd be real leery of going as far as 15" LOP, and even 14.5" might be a stretch. I don't recall where you're from but by the time you add a coat, such long LOPs are a problem for me.

Long as you're building, I'll add one more thought to the jumble. Think about a little "cast off" in your stock. For me that has had a bigger influence on rifle fit and happiness in shooting than any adjustment in LOP. Just a "fer conversation" point.

 

[hoochiepapa]

I'm with brownie, try to find someone to talk to about lop that makes stocks. There are plenty around, and it might cost more, but you'll be happier in the long run.
I have a late lancaster I built that has a 14" lop and when I put a heavy coat on to elk hunt, it's too long. Then I have to use my bicep for aiming.
Guess I'll have to build another...you can't have too many rifles...Bwaahahahaha!!! :shocked2:

 

[DEWB]

There are other stock suppliers you should check out before you buy. Jim Chambers has some good kits with different pull lengths,so does Tip Curtis and Knob Mountain Muzzleloading has alot of different stocks and they can inlet what ever barrel you want and you can adjust the pull to what you need. I agree with Brownbear about the cast off, If you get a chance you should try to get ahold of some of these guns and see which one fits the best, Good Luck,Dew

 

[MSW]

homebru, welcome to the forum, and just by way of warning, your project will trigger an addiction for which there is no cure. you will finish this build, and then you'll want to do another, and then it's 'off to the races... '

if you can get a copy, try to score Peter Alexander's book The Gunsmith of Grenville County, which is, i believe, currently out of print.

oops! just looked at Amazon - the price is outrageous, even for this book!

well, i paid about sixtyfive for mine, if i remember correctly (the cheapest at Amazon was about 320). anyway, Alexander describes a trystock made of 3/4 inch plywood with a wingnut in a slot arrangement at the wrist - this allows you to shorten or lengthen the length of pull and drop at heel, which are very important (i would argue the most critical) dimensions of the stock. Remember to make these adjustments when you're wearing what you would usually have on when you shoot. You can also adjust the height of the cheekpiece. Using these measurements, you can adjust a plan available from Track of the Wolf, and if you have the skill to make clock cabinetry, you should have no trouble at all with a stock from a blank.

I personally like the Isaac Haines plan- made one using a blank out of American Lacewood- about as Period Incorrect as you could get, but it does look pretty cool, IMHO. A learning experience, but loks of fun.

As regards cast off- YOU WANT SOME!! I had never shouldered a rifle with cast off before i tried it on mine, and now i would be loathe to have a gun without any. (Still trying to work out how to do it in a HK91).

If you can't get on how to do the trystock thing, drop me a PM and i'll try to be more descriptive.

Good luck with your build. (the requirement is that you send pictures- if you don't, the moderators will send the touch- hole blocking gremlins to your workshop and they'll beat up your elves and take their little peaked caps away- no really!! :rotf: )

 

[HomeBru]

homebru, welcome to the forum, and just by way of warning, your project will trigger an addiction for which there is no cure. you will finish this build, and then you'll want to do another, and then it's 'off to the races... '

I believe it. I'm already considering a smoothbore for my second build... My wife will have fits!

I've been looking at some contemporary stockmaking books as well and one has a trystock described pretty well and I was planning to make one to try out. Maybe even bold a 42" pipe to it for "realism" heh.

Thanks for the insight folks! I was still unsure of castoff, leaning towards it but I'm getting convinced.

J-

 

[MSW]

being the conniving scoundrel that i am, i made my first build for SWMBO, then one for me, then a new one for her... you get the idea. after a while, she will conceed that it's more fun to go to the range than it is to fool with the stupid #$%!ing vacuum cleaner.

then you're really off to the races...

good luck with your build!

 

[hoochiepapa]

Sent you a PT.

 

[Vaino]

Don't know if you presenly have a rifle either modern or a MLer that fits you, but I'd use it for comparison or if the LOP is too short, wood could be temporarily added to the butt until the LOP suits you. As was said...LOP is one of the factors in a good fit and the drops at comb and heel along w/ any castoff also contrbute to a nicely fitting rifle.Extending the LOP also increases the drops at comb and heel so that should be accounted for. Buying a blank and having the bbl and RR work done is the way I mostly build but some of these guys also could profile the butt stock and a Lancaster style shouldn't be a problem. Dave Keck acquired Fred Miller's models and a discussion w/ him might be in order. Good luck.....Fred

 

[A.Merrill]

Knob Mountian Muzzleloading.com,this is the man you want to talk to. He has every stock pattern you would want. Early,Golden Age,Late,Southern, etc. Your wood or his wood,he can do it all. :thumbsup: Good Luck AL