Other than a Hawken.....

[Dphar]

So what I'm getting here is that a "generic" rifle of the 1800's could possibly have a hooked breech, and the use of wedges was not uncommon at all.

Interesting food for thought. I apperciate the warnings to about the fragileness of the fore arm. I'm not going to be doing anything soon, I just wanted to get some ideas about features that I might want.

Hooked breeches can be a pain to get fit right. In a FS gun I think they are more trouble than they were worth. You will see them in fowlers and smooth rifles more than rifles though. At least from what I have seen.
If done right they would be correct into the colonial period I would think. There are guns in Shumways Rifles of Colonial America with hooked breeches.

Dan

 

[djnye]

for what it is worth, i made myrtle myself and she is a fullstock, lancaster style, 3/4 size,.45 cal., 38" gm barrel, cochran lefthand lock, with a hooked patent breech adapted from a fowler, and pins for esthetic purposes. she weighs six pounds and handles like a dream for deer hunting in the u.p.

i remove the barrel and lock for every cleaning for five years now with no problems. and though she is plain with no patchbox or carving, she is the envy of my flint-shooting buddies.

take care, daniel