new fowler - I hope.

[Rifleman1776]

Rifleman, If it were me, I'd call him, inform him he has breached the contract (in so many ways), and return my start up money. I've seen some of his work, believe me, its not worth the frustration your going through. Whatever happens, I wish you only the best in this.
Robby

At the moment I am both elated and eatin' crow at same time. :shocked2:
I called him and got his voice mail. I left a fairly stern, but business-like, message.
Few minutes later he called me and said he shipped via priority mail last Friday. :redface:
He never notified me or asked for balance of payment and he didn't even know what the balance was. I told him and he said to forget shipping costs and an extra I had ordered. I needed some good news.
Enneyhow, today is Tuesday, my mail comes at 2:30 p.m., it is now 2 p.m.
If the bridge ain't out, I should have my new fowler shortly. It will get a try out tomorrow. Report on Thursday.

 

[preston cook]

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

 

[Robby]

:applause: :thumbsup:
Robby

 

[Steve Tobler]

Waiting ... Waiting ...
:hmm:

 

[Rifleman1776]

OK, it is here. :grin:
So, I lied. More complete report will be Thursday. A preliminary report now.
It was well packed and boxed with excelsior (now I have to vacuum) and sent priority mail. As said, he did not charge me shipping. Nor did he charge more for the cross inlay I ordered.
Initial impression was the wood finish and barrel brown was not as I wanted. I ordered "light, honey color". It is almost as dark brown as walnut or any other browning. Some parts like the the trigger guard look more rusted than browned. (Yes, yes, I known browning is a rust, but these look 'rusty') Those can be corrected with oil or a beeswax based finish I use. The wood finish and barrel finish/browning is otherwise very nice. It will look OK. The inlay is nice. Most of the inlays are done sorta OK. I keep in mind the price was $650.00, not $1200.00 or $1400.00. The poor fit of the buttplate can be corrected, I'll do that. The all-round barrel has two wedding rings, one at the breech, the other at the muzzle. Muzzle one is kinda rough but not enough to make me cry. Barrel is tapered, not much but tapered. A hair over 1" at breech to 0.9" at muzzle. Of major concern, and of interest to those here, THE BARREL HAS NO VISIBLE SEAMS, IN OR OUT. :bow: The L&R Late English double throat flintlock looks nice and works smoothly. Haven't even put a flint in yet to see how it sparks. I have no worry with an L&R. It's 36" barrel makes the gun light weight, it holds and swings very nicely. My bum left shoulder appreciates that.

 

[rabjr]

Ten to one the rusty parts are because the rusting action wasn't stopped or halfassadly done.

Glad its finally home and good luck with it. :thumbsup:

 

[Rifleman1776]

more pics individually

Edit: sumptin's wrong, pics won't post

 

[Shine]

Did you order the late period lock

 

[shortbow]

Congratulations Rifleman. That's a hell of a gun for $650, any way you cut it. :thumbsup: I'd like to address some of the naysayers, but I'll let the gun speak for itself.

My barrel also shows narry a sign of a seam and shoots like a house afire.

Hope it serves you long and well.

 

[Wayne/Al]

Man I'm glad you finaly got that smoothbore. I have been following your post everyday..almost like my wife waiting for her favorite soap..HA..waiting....waiting..
I just finished my fowler from a TVM KIT and I kept up with the hours I put in. It came to about 60 hours not counting the sleepless hours I spent trying to figure my next step. The kit cost me about $50.00 more than your finished gun but I guess we are both happy just to have a fowler. Now to get these loads worked up.

Good luck to both of us.

Wayne/AL

Thes comments were to rifleman 1776.I just clicked on reply on the last post.

 

[Tony Logan]

i like the looks of it

 

[Stumpkiller]

Wood looks light in the pictures. In sunlight you may be happy. I've always wanted to play with that Manton/Durs Egg style lock with the island pan to see if it was more weatherproof.

Glad the barrel is visually pleasing - it does matter. Would to me, anyhow.

Now it's all up to how she shoots. Enjoy! :hatsoff:

 

[Steve Tobler]

Nice, congratulations.
Can't wait to see how it shoots.
:wink:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Pic of the butt wasn't there last night after I posted it.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Wood looks light in the pictures. In sunlight you may be happy. I've always wanted to play with that Manton/Durs Egg style lock with the island pan to see if it was more weatherproof.

Glad the barrel is visually pleasing - it does matter. Would to me, anyhow.

Now it's all up to how she shoots. Enjoy! :hatsoff:

Lighter in pic than in person.
I'll be leaving for the range shortly. I haven't shot in about two years. Bum shoulder is still bum but (I know I'm digressing) I have worked up some things I can hold and shoot, the fowler being one of them. I'm taking four rifles with me and plan to burn some powder.
BTW, the touch hole looks small to me. It is placed properly and is outside coned a little. I'll shoot before making a decision to leave alone or enlarge. Trigger pull is rough and the hammer/cock rubs on the stock. I can fix that easy and will dig into the lock and mortise to see about the trigger. But that comes after the trial shooting.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Pic of the butt wasn't there last night after I posted it.

You nested an IMG instruction within an URL link; ripping a hole in the fabric of time and space. I edited out the URL code. When in Photobucket, find your desired image and choose the second option down (Direct Link) and paste that result between the "[ image][ /image]" brackets you get when you select the Image icon in our reply box when starting threads or posting replys.

It looks like you chose the fourth option down (IMG Code) and that will work, but you just post that directly in the message.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Pic of the butt wasn't there last night after I posted it.

I'll try to post another pic. Maybe it will wait 12 hours to appear like the other. :wink: http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/rr329/Rifleman1776/fowlerlock.jpg[/IMG]]Link

 

[Stumpkiller]

Depends how busy I am at work if it needs doctoring. ;-)

 

[Keb]

...36" barrel...

I'd get out a measuring device. That barrel looks shorter than 36"

 

[Rifleman1776]

Link

Another one.

I tried.

Stumpy here - don't use the little globe with the chain icon. USe the little mountains with the sun over them and drop your "http://. . . " into the line that opens up. Stumpy out.