New gun

[Stophel]

This one took me absolutely forever. Everything that could have gone wrong did. Every little part was a fight. Finally, it's pretty well done, after taking me much longer than it "should" have.

It's a smoothbore gun .62, ca. 1750-1760. Obviously very German in style. A relatively plain grade gun.

 

[tg]

Very nice gun, I realy like the lack of a full sideplate it kind of sets this gun apart from most you see, what is the barrel length?

 

[Stophel]

44". It's done in the ever popular "used" finish.

It has a heel screw in the buttplate...I ain't never doing one of those again!!!

 

[JiminTexas]

It may have taken you a long time, but it was time well spent. Nice job!

 

[rabjr]

Looks real good! How about a pic of the tang area and show off the carving you did. :thumbsup:

 

[RickD]

Very nice looking gun..I like the used look

 

[Stophel]

This gun took me so long to finish. I actually got sick of the sight of the thing. I think it came out OK, but I don't think it's my finest work...but then, it is supposed to be a "working grade" gun. This is the first time I did the relief carving using the V tool to outline everything. I am pretty pleased with the results, though I'd like to work a little bit more on the "fronds" that are the farthest forward on the acanthus leaf, but it's too late now! It's still pretty good, I think, and I never claimed to be the world's greatest carver. My strongest suits, I believe, are lock building and stock design and shaping. :wink:

There is no nosecap, and no lower rod pipe. The lack of the rod pipe and the little sideplate washers are not uncommonly seen on German guns, so why not early German-American guns?

 

Chris that is beautiful work.
I wish mine turned out that good. :bow:
Tom

 

[wildeagle]

Quality work my good man! I like the character you achieved on this gun. Is that a sighting groove on the tang-breach area? Again exellent craftsmanship! :thumbsup:

 

[Roy]

beautiful work :thumbsup:

 

Hey Dutchy, I like the low relief carving around the tang. It isn't to high and is very much like what you see on original rifles. Very subtle and very nice. The same goes for the molding around the lock. :applause:

 

[jeepwj992002]

Fine gun you built there! :bow:

 

[Mike Brooks]

What's not to like? Is that an L&R lock? How do you like it? Heel screws are the only way to go man, what trouble did you have with it, maybe I can straighten you out on them. I've probably done over a hundred of them by now....
I like the color by the way, just right.

 

[Jeffrey Hecht]

You did a real nice job, I like it.
Jeff

 

[Stophel]

The heel screw was just a pain. The angle of the screw has to be just right. If it tilts down just a bit, the screw head will hit the bottom of the hole in the buttplate first, and cock the front of the tang up....which is what it did for me. I had to fiddle with it quite a bit and rework the hole so that the angles met up. And, of course, I had to make a new, larger screw out of a lag bolt. It was just more work, that's all.

The lock is an L&R on the outside, but with Siler parts on the inside! I greatly prefer the Siler design over L&R's. I reshaped the plate a bit better and worked on the pan and bridle some, but there wasn't a whole lot else I could do. I wanted to make it into as early an English lock as I could. The big, swoopy pan is always the big sticking point for me on the modern-made round english locks. The average English lock at the time had a normal sized pan.

 

[hawkeye1755]

I think you did a great job. :bow:
I like it very much.When you didn't like the gun, put it a box, write my name on it and send it over the Big Pond.I take it on the spot. :grin:
:thumbsup:

 

[flashpanner]

oooo! nice job and pictures. I can smell the finish and feel the shaping from here! Looks great, not over done, very tasteful.

 

[Christiaan]

A Sight to Sooth the Soul :hatsoff: Beautiful work :applause: :applause: Congratulations on time well spend.

 

[Okwaho]

Very nice looking gun,Chris.Just a couple of questions since I don't know that much about early Germanic guns either made in Europe or by some one just off the boat.I understand the lack of a sideplate on European guns but have you seen any American made Germanic guns with no sideplate and are tang screws coming up from below found on Germanic guns either those made in Europe or America? Again this is a very nice gun.
Tom Patton

 

[Stophel]

Question 1: so far, no, I haven't seen an American made gun with such lock screw washers (well, not this early, anyway). It is not uncommon on German made guns. This gun in my photo album has plain round brass washers (and no entry pipe!)[url] www.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Fatdutchman/Original Flintlocks/SpanishStyle[/url]

Question 2: As yet, I have never seen an 18th century German gun that has a screw coming up from the bottom threading into the tang. You may see a 17th century one done that way though...