nosecap of not?

[Squatch84]

First post so here goes. Planning to build a flintlock here soon. No particular style. Just using a Jacob Dickert pre carve that hasn't been inletted for a lock. Barrel is .45cal 7/8" x 36". I was thinking about doing it with no nosecap. Was wondering everyones opinions on the geometry of what the nise should look like. I've been looking through some originals without a nosecap and they look rounded but I'm not sure.

 

[faste350]

finished a Christian Springs/Edward Marshall last fall and didn't put a nose cap on it. working on a Lancaster/Golden age rifle now and i'm not putting one on it. I don't like the look near as well as just the shaped wood.

 

[Zonie]

Welcome to the forum.

Speaking in favor of a a nosecap, the forestock on a longrifle is very thin and there's not a lot of wood between the bottom of the barrel channel and the ramrod groove.

A metal nosecap adds a lot of strength to the forestock right where it needs it the most.

IMO, that is why almost all of the Pennsylvania longrifles have them. In fact, seeing one without a nosecap is rather rare.

It's your gun to do with what you like but give some thought to my comments.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Done right, I'm a fan of guns without a nose cap...But!...I think the style dictates whether it should have one or not....

 

[Squatch84]

Dumb question, would the nosecap be pinned or screwed to the barrel It's hard to tell from black and white photos. If I were to not put one on what would the shape look like? thank you all for your knowledge.

 

[Cruzatte]

No, not screwed or pinned to the barrel, but to the bottom of the forend of the stock. I've seen rivets, and screws.

 

[Squatch84]

Ok so just pinned to the wood then?

 

[Elnathan]

I believe the usual method of securing a nosecap is a rivet along the centerline with it's head in the barrel channel. Not really "pinned" - the rivets are like really short copper nails with the head inlet into the inside of the barrel channel and the shank peened to keep the cap on. Nearly invisible if done right.

J.P. Beck may have used three rivets. Not positive about that.

A few early rifles did have the cap secured by a screw that when into the barrel.

 

[tenngun]

Some southern guns and poor boys were made with out caps, but generaly a good quality rifle ha one. poured caps are mostly later on half stocks here in the Americas although poured caps show up in Europe early, but... I think sans cap looks best.

 

[Vaino]

Neglecting whether a Mcap looks good or not, the "web" is pretty thin on most LRs and could crack through. It's not that big a deal to install a purchased Mcap and the strength benefit is well worth it.....and learning to install one is part of building most MLers......Fred

 

[Col. Batguano]

Purchased M-caps are fine as far as they go, but there are only a few sizes available. If your muzzle and fore end are of that size, then great. Otherwise, you'll have to make one. that's going to yield you a better fit anyway, and obviously, a much better fit.

Copper rivets either in the RR groove, or going in to each oblique flat are traditional, but I don't see a whole lot wrong with using a good glue either, but it obviously won't be as positive as a couple of hunks of metal driven through and peened over.

 

[hanshi]

I have guns both with nose caps and without them. I agree that it depends a lot on what style it is and even if it is generic. I've never felt "at risk" of damage simply because I was carrying a rifle without a nose cap. SMRs and barn guns look better without them. I'm sort of neutral about it.

 

[Artificer]

A few early rifles did have the cap secured by a screw that when into the barrel.

Boy, with the way the barrel whips around in recoil, I would never put s acrew through the nose cap, stock and into the barrel. Sounds like one is just begging to split the stock that way.

Gus

 

[eggwelder]

I do not have a split in the stock on my Ardessa. the nose-cap is screwed on as mentioned. two screws in fact. I`ve fired at least 100 shots thru it and it was well used when I got it...

 

[Squatch84]

Thanks everyone for all the responses. I was mainly asking about it for aesthetic purposes. Wasn't sure how to shape the nose if I didn't put a cap on it.

 

[rich pierce]

The fore-end shape is simply extended past where the ramrod groove ends a few inches behind the muzzle. Be sure to at least slightly round the edges at the muzzle.

Some rifles have V-shaped fore-ends and others are more egg shaped. Depends on the school and timeframe.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I had a superb plain walnut stocked "poor boy" style rifle. No butt plate or nose cap and minimal plain brown iron furniture. At the end of the forestock, the maker left extra wood that swelled out and down around the muzzle So the extra wood added strength to the web of thin wood between the carrel channel and ram rod channel. The rifle had a 40 inch straight taper barrel and the slight wooden swell at the end made it look almost like it had a swamped barrel. It may have been only an extra 3/32nd of wood, but along with the tapered barrel, it did the trick.