Flint trade rifle

[CoyoteJoe]

It seems that by far the most common rifle in the western fur trade was the mass produced fullstock flint rifle as provided by J.J.Henry and others with minor variations in styles.
Now days I don't know of anyone offering a kit for what should be a very popular item. J.P. Gunstocks used to offer a Henry kit but they seem to be history.
Does anyone produce a trade rifle kit? :hmm: :hmm:

 

[akapennypincher]

Two Place I would check for Kits would be Pecatonic Long Rifles, and Track of the Wolf. Both for Kits, and Plans as both offer a good assortment of Gun Kits, and Plans

 

[Doc Arroyo]

I think that you could cobble together a kit with some catalog work. Barrel is easy, a full stock Hawken precarve or better yet a blank, and modify a Lancaster patch-box. A proper lock would be the most difficult, but I think you could get close with reshaping a lock plate.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I guess any late Lancaster style stock would do. I can't find one preinlet for the L&R late English lock which I think would be both appropriate and excelent. Hawken is way off, it's just Hawken, nothing else like a Hawken.
Puzzles me though, with modern day makers treading on famous names to sell their product, why nobody offers a gun or kit for a J.J.Henry who probably built more guns than all the famous old timers combined.
I guess modern day mountainmen haven't caught on to the maker who supplied most of the fur trade rifles, and good ones at that. Even if they did sell for ten bucks. A Northwest gun was $7.50.
:haha: :haha: :haha:

 

[Donny]

Hanson's Trade Rifle Sketchbook has templates etc. for two J. Henry rifles, a Lancaster and an English pattern.

 

[Doc Arroyo]

Hawken is way off, it's just Hawken, nothing else like a Hawken

I agree, but I have looked at a number of the "fullstock Hawken" precarves, and they are Lancaster lines, and enough meat for the Henry checkpiece. But like I said, I think this is better as a scratch build from a blank. eace:

I just wish Mike Branson was still around to help us with this subject.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Yeah, I have Hanson's book. The good news is "I have plenty of time to think and scheme on this". In other words "I'm broke".
:cry: :cry: :cry: