first time builder

[marshall]

Could anyone suggest the best place to buy a first kit from. I have never built a rifle before so I want to get one that will require the least amount of inletting for my first try. Looking for a Lancaster type rifle, 40 caliber. Also, what book or video do you recommend? Thanks, appreciate any ideas.

 

[Zonie]

Pecatonica River Long Rifle Supply Co. Rockford Ill. phone (815)968-1995
PECATONICA LINK

book: "The Art of Building the Pennsylvania Longrifle" by Ehrig, Miller & Dixon.

I would suggest that before you order your parts, you buy the book and read it. This will give you a feeling for what's in store for you.

Before ordering your parts "kit", you have some decisions to make. Do you want a Flintlock or Caplock gun?
If the answer is Flintlock, do you want the old style Lancaster with the wide buttplate type stock or the later narrower buttplate type stock?
If you want Precussion, it can still be a old or new type of Lancaster and be "correct" because many Flintlock guns were reworked to the precussion lock.

Do you want the fancy Curly Maple, the Plain Maple or something in the middle? Do you want Cherry or Walnut wood?

Do you want brass furniture or German Silver? (German silver was not invented in the 1700s but some people like the looks of it and are not interested in being Period Correct).

If you are sure you want a Lancaster, you might think about buying the book "GUNSMITHS OF LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA"
by James Biser Whisker. Old Bedfore Village Press, Bedford Pennsylvania. This book has about 128 pages of photos of many different rifles.
I did notice that Dixie Gunworks doesn't list it but you might find it at your local Library.

 

[Jon in MI]

Wow Zonie, that is exactally what I started with in April(building a Tulle not a lancaster) for my first build. I've never done anything like this before and with the kit and book it's going quite well. If you have a quality muzzleloading shop nearby you should buy the kit from them and hopefuly they will also give advice when needed. The shop I bought my kit from has what they call mentoring, they won't do it for you or tell you how to do it. I get a lot of "if it were mine, I would do this".

Jon

 

[CrackStock]

I would make a lot of calls, ask specific questions here and study a good book such as Gunsmith of Grenville County, The Art of Building the Pennsylvania Rifle or Recreating the American Longrifle.

This Forum has a Links page for all kinds of needs at:

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=Link

Gun makers are listed at:

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/ubbthr...mp;page=0#13134

There are some guns that are unfinished, but otherwise complete. The term here is in-the-white.

There are kits which are so simple that you drill a few minor holes and the sand and polish the parts before applying some form of finish on them.

Other kits are really a collection of rough parts and can be pretty advanced and require some inletting and a lot of reshaping of parts.

Study what needs doing and what you have skills and tools to do yourself. The trick is to grow, but to not be overwhelmed. If you cannot do something then get someone to do it rather than leaving it in a box somewhere.

You are in the right place.

Good luck.

CS

 

[Tommy Bruce]

I'd spend the money to get a quality lock and barrel and buy a plain maple stock. It's easier to work with than curly maple. Walnut isn't bad to work with either but can be a bit pricey. I am starting my 3rd gun (2nd from a kit) and still have much to learn but it's always better to spend a little less money on something that may end up as a piece of firewood. The book mentioned above is very good. I have it but sometimes it's nice to have an experienced builder to give some hands on help as well. Good luck and have fun. Oh yeah hand tools such as chisels, rasps, files gouges and stuff may take longer that dremels, belt sanders and other power tools but they are much more forgiving.