Haines Transitional Rifle

[PathfinderNC]

I would be interested in seeing pictures of any Haines Transitional Rifle builds made from Dunlop sets, as well as your thoughts on them. His prices look good as do the components, I think.
Might be a nice change from what I am familiar with.
Thanks.

 

[Flintandsteel]

Path,
live built both, Chambers and Dunlap.
Here’s the deal….. probably get better wood from Dunlap, BUT the buttplate that Dunlap uses will never look right. The return drops down in the front, and even when inlet properly, it looks wonky.

 

[Flintandsteel]

Here‘s a Chamber’s from a few years ago.

 

[PathfinderNC]

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Here‘s a Chamber’s from a few years ago.

Amazing... thank you

 

[PathfinderNC]

Path,
live built both, Chambers and Dunlap.
Here’s the deal….. probably get better wood from Dunlap, BUT the buttplate that Dunlap uses will never look right. The return drops down in the front, and even when inlet properly, it looks wonky.

That is kinda important info there. I wouldnt want something to look funky even before I muss it it some more. Do you have a photo of what it looks like? And, as a builder, which of those two would you suggest (if I can ask that).

 

[Flintandsteel]

I don’t have my Dunlap here, or any photos. It belongs to my son now.

Definitely the Chamber’s.

 

[PathfinderNC]

I don’t have my Dunlap here, or any photos. It belongs to my son now.

Definitely the Chamber’s.

Thank you!

 

[dave_person]

Hi Bob,
Here are examples of what Dane wrote about. The top is a gun with the butt plate used in the Dunlap kits. Note how it appears to tip down in front. The second is a Chambers kit.

I believe I have the story of these "Haines transitional" rifle kits correct. They were designed or partly designed by John Bivens in the 1970s to meet a contract with the State of Pennsylvania for a number of "bicentennial" rifles. The Getz brothers were involved as well as several other well known gun makers like Jack Haugh. Bivens designed the funky butt plate and trigger guard, which are still sold by the major suppliers today. Getz could only produce 38" barrels in the quantity needed so the kits have 38" barrels rather than the much longer barrel on the original rifle they used as a model (which is owned by the PA State Museum in Harrisburg). There is nothing "transitional" about the kit rifles. The retailers market them that way because the rifles have shorter 38" barrels rather than the more common longer barrels. The original rifle used as a model is a full fledged "golden age" gun made shortly after the Rev War.

dave

 

[PathfinderNC]

Thank you Dave. Great explanation of what is being presented.
Yes, it’s pretty clear how the Bivens butt plate does nod downward giving the comb a wired dip to it. (That just seems like poor designing that could have been handled rather easily with another more correct butt plate.) it’s so helpful to see it compared to the Chambers.
It’s also interesting how it got identified as being “transitional”. (Reminds me of how Pecatonica markets their “Transitional Kentucky” rifle.) I’m understanding more the value of ‘going to the source’ if wanting to be faithful to an original rather than an interpretation.

 

[dave_person]

Hi Bob,
It is always worth while to view original guns when you get the opportunity. Even if you never try to copy one, you get a better sense of what they really look like. It is hard to do that from photos but I will admit, the CDs sold by the Kentucky Rifle Foundation come close to seeing the real thing.

dave

 

[PathfinderNC]

Hi Bob,
It is always worth while to view original guns when you get the opportunity. Even if you never try to copy one, you get a better sense of what they really look like. It is hard to do that from photos but I will admit, the CDs sold by the Kentucky Rifle Foundation come close to seeing the real thing.

dave

I have just one original 18th c. gun, a pistol of unknown Continental origin. But being able to handle and examine even this small gun has given me so much more opportunity to learn about how one was constructed.
I had visited the amazing collections at the Phila. Museum of Art many times in years past and looked at their medieval armaments and particularly the early firearms. Knowing a bit more about them now, I think seeing them again would be amazing, if not sensory overload.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Nothing transitional about Haines work

 

[Coinneach]

View attachment 217832
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Here‘s a Chamber’s from a few years ago.

Superb work sir, well done.

I have Jim Chambers Haines kit in LH I'm yet to finish.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Pecatonica parts.