Getting Read to Buy First Kit

[HardBall]

I've been reading (and re-reading) "The Art of Building the Pennsylvania Longrifle" I bought from Pecatonica. I've also ordered the book "The Modern Kentucky Rifle" and the video "Building Muzzle-Loaders" from Track of the Wolf.

Before I can even start building the kit, I've got to build a new work bench; I've also got to start collecting the tools I'll need.


Now regarding which style of Long-rifle:

I'm leaning towards either a Southern Mountain, or Tennessee style of rifle. My dilemma is that I'll really need to go with a 36", instead of a 42", barrel so that the finished rifle will fit in the cab of my truck.

So, if I'll be using a 36" barrel, would that be very Un-PC for either a Tennessee or Southern Mountain rifle?

In keeping with a "PC" 36" barrel, I'm also considering a Beck Boys Rifle (I think the Beck kit from Pecatonica will still allow a 14"-14 1/2" length of pull). The Beck rifle kits that I've seen come with a small Siler lock though. I thought I had read somewhere that the small Siler isn't nearly as good a sparker as the Large Siler- is this true?

I'm going to have lots of other questions before I select a kit but I think I need to at least nail down which style of rifle I want first.

 

[Donny]

Howdy, I will be the first to jump in and offer something to consider. :hmm: 1) I took pictures at the Davis Gun Museum in Claremore OK, something surprised me, :shocking:nearly all the ML halfstocks, Kentuckys or Plains rifles or whatever, had long barrels, 40"+ barrels. 2)I realize Just because I am unaware of any original fullstocks with a 36" barrel, (for a fullsized guy)don't mean someone didn't make them??
most original half stock rifles had at least a 39" barrel, fullstocks 40-46"+, I think 36" in a fullstock looks chunky, Unusual, If this is what you want and need, go for it. PC? , I suppose they were made. If you want a 36" barrel, consider a 1/2 stock.
3) good choice, Tenn rifle. :imo:
4) I have made several kits, some can be a lot more work than you think. however, consider buying a stock blank with the barrel channel and ramrod grove done. Some will saw it to the profile/style you want, and the butt. Rounding off the stock, & wood removal to me is the easy part. Take your time. You will have to start sometime, as far as inleting the lock, etc. Take your time,Ain't that hard. :m2c:
5) remember, they were slim, our first time guns we always leave too much wood on it, they were slim, they were slim, they were slim.

 

What these guns started life as, and what they have ended as are two different situations.

Common practice was to chop a slab off the muzzle when freshing a barrel. Pobubly the new crown did as much for accuracy as the clean rifling.

As a result, many of the origional guns that began as swamped barrels are now straight tapered barrels!

Many of the late TN rifles used a shallow swamp too, almost straight sided.

When they encountered problem with breeches rotting out they sliced off a couple of inches there too, rebreeched and kept shooting. Those mountain folk did not throw anything away!

With that in mind you might find a TN rifle in any state of barrel length or furnature trim.

Keep in mind that most writers show the guns they are partial too. Often you only see the "pretty guns" that photo well.

Museums are often the same way. The majority of their guns are in storage "waiting for restoration". That means they are not pretty enough to hang on the wall.

The "average guns" are in the reserves and will never again see light of day.

Have you measured from floorboard to back of the cab roof? I once built a rifle specifically to fit in my Mazda truck. Dang 42" barrels stuck out both windows or had to stick out the sliding back glass!

Build it 36", no one will call you on it, espically if you set it up like it was a trim down, if you are really worried about PC. I built a 36" poorboy for my wife. Plain maple stock, 13/16" GM barrel, minimal furnature. It fits her 5'4" frame perfectly and shoots like a champ.

 

[HardBall]

Just because I am unaware of any original fullstocks with a 36" barrel, (for a fullsized guy)don't mean someone didn't make them??

I figure that, while not many may have started life with a 36" barrel, some may have ended up that way. All it would have taken is for a guy to fire his rifle with a clump of mud or something in the barrel- then he'd have to cut the barrel back to 36" or so.

consider buying a stock blank with the barrel channel and ramrod grove done.

I'll probably be buying the kit from Pecatonica which claim 98% inletting. I assume this means the barrel channel and ramrod hole are mostly done.

I'm not sure yet whether to have them make the initial cut for the butplate or not. I'm also not sure if I want them to install the breechplug and cut dovetails for sights and tennions.

 

[HardBall]

Have you measured from floorboard to back of the cab roof? I once built a rifle specifically to fit in my Mazda truck. Dang 42" barrels stuck out both windows or had to stick out the sliding back glass!

No, I haven't measured from floorboard to back of the cab roof. But that might work- I'll measure it and see.

Build it 36", no one will call you on it, espically if you set it up like it was a trim down, if you are really worried about PC.

Okay Ghost, define "trim down". Do you mean keeping the dimensions slim?

 

[Stumpkiller]

I decided to go with 44" barrel on my Lehigh and a sun-roof on my Jetta. ::

 

[Dave K]

I do have an original full stock that has "currently" a 32" barrel. It "appears" as if it may have been about 36" when new. I say this because of the change you can see in the ramrod thimbles and also barrel pins. This is an Ohio gun made in the 1840's, at least that is what I am told. The cal. as built also appears to be around 34cal. It is now 38cal. This barrel measures 1.020 across the flats. Actually I think it looks good. I can send pictures if you like.

 

[HardBall]

I do have an original full stock that has "currently" a 32" barrel. It "appears" as if it may have been about 36" when new. I say this because of the change you can see in the ramrod thimbles and also barrel pins. This is an Ohio gun made in the 1840's, at least that is what I am told. The cal. as built also appears to be around 34cal. It is now 38cal. This barrel measures 1.020 across the flats. Actually I think it looks good. I can send pictures if you like.

I've heard that barrels on many "originals" were quite wide across the flats for their caliber, probably to facilitate several "freshing outs".

Oh, and yes pictures are always appreciated!

 

[HardBall]

While we're on the subject of barrel dimensions:

Right now (that is- today) I'm leaning towards a 7/8 x 36" barrel in .45 But...Tomorrow I may decide on what I wanted yesterday which was either a .32 or .36 cal

If I use a 36" barrel, would 13/16 be ok for .32, with respect to balance, weight and "PCness"? How about 7/8th for .36 and .45?

 

[Dave K]

Hardball I sent you a private message. Send me your email address and I will send you pictures.

 

[HardBall]

Indeed, that is a good looking rifle. I'm trying to envision it with an extra 4" of barrel.

The length-of-pull of the stock seems long- Would you consider it long, or is it just the picture?

 

[HardBall]

Have you measured from floorboard to back of the cab roof? I once built a rifle specifically to fit in my Mazda truck. Dang 42" barrels stuck out both windows or had to stick out the sliding back glass!

No, I haven't measured from floorboard to back of the cab roof. But that might work- I'll measure it and see.

Okay Ghost, I measured around in my truck and I can, in fact, fit a 42" barreled rifle in there. As long as the overall length isn't much over 59", I should be ok.

Now to nail down which style I want- Southern Mountain or Tennessee :hmm:

Just from looking at Pecatonica's catalog; A Southern Mountain style has more drop at heel than a Tennessee. How would this affect the "feel" of the rifle from the bench or off-hand shooting?

 

Couple of points to ponder. One, get a couple more catalog's TOTW and muzzleloaders supply, theyr'e great resources, and you can price shop for your parts, this can make your money go farther. You can also buy your kit in spurts, as the build progresses. While they all have things you might like, they each have stuff the other doesn't. An example is that muzzleloader has a different kind of ramrod drill than the others that I like better because of brad point that tracks better. The second point is the workbench I'm enclosing a gun bench you might be interested in. I found this pic on another websight, and built one myself. I modified it slightly, and am adding a small clamp on vice where the pencil sharpener is. It was cheap to build, a couple 2x4's, 1x3's and a 1x4, and some 2 inch deck screws. I used a 3/8 four inch eyebolt with a t-nut for my clamp screw. It's portable , reasonably light and doesn't use much space, a big plus in my case.

The rough spec's are three by three feet, and eighteen inches wide at the base. It's a nice work height, or you can build to your liking :m2c: