Pecatonica Pre-Revolutionary Rifle?

[JerryToth]

Halloo the Camp,

Does anyone have a Pecatonica "Pre-Revolutionary" rifle or, perhaps know someone who does?

I built one of Pecatonica's Early Lancaster's last year and I'm looking for the next project... I like the 1760's time frame so it would seem to fit. However, I've never seen one, and although their products are nice, their catalogue doesn't show much! I called them and about all they could explain to me was that they are popular for the fellows who like the earlier rifles.

Anyone out there help me out?

Regards to all,

Ironsights Jerry.

 

[Randy]

As far as I know Pecatonica Rifleworks supplies stocks to lots of places like Track of the Wolf (who does have a nice life sized picture catalogue) Their prices are about the same too. I used to live very near their shop not far from the Pecatonica River but didn't get into BP until I moved away. I always intend to stop at thier shop when I get back to the area sometime.
An Isaac Haines rifle would be a nice project in that time period. Or if you prefer a longer barrel, their 1770 pattern stock with 42" swamped barrel is a sweet handling rifle.

 

[Darkhorse]

How did you like the inletting and all on the Early Lancaster? I have Pec's catalogs also and you are right they do not show much detail.
I just finished an Isacc Haines from Track and I'm in the planning stages of my next project. I am left handed which narrows down the field quite a bit. I want a 42" swamped barrel in a .40 caliber for this next rifle, with a Lancaster type stock. Pec offers a Late Lancaster which can be gotten with a swamped barrel, but the details of this rifle are really sketchy.
A scratch built rifle doesn't interest me at this point as I don't have the time for it. I have a full time job and also raise and train Arabian horses. I would never finish a scratch built rifle. So a kit (component set) of quality parts suits me just fine.
I keep coming back to the Late Lancaster by Pecatonica but I would like to know more about thier products.

 

[musketman]

I called them and about all they could explain to me was that they are popular for the fellows who like the earlier rifles.

Pecatonica River Long Rifle Supply, Inc...

There's the Transitional Kentucky, developed in the 1700's... (top rifle in image)

http://www.longrifles-pr.com/pr/transitionalky.htm

 

[JerryToth]

Hi Darkhorse;

I liked the inletting, and the wood from Pecatonica very much. I don't have a lot of tooling and my Early Lancaster was the first I'd ever built, although I've looked at hundreds of other fellows rifles. I did my work with only an exacto knife, a couple of pocket knives, a rasp, a couple of files, and a few home-made tools from old screwdrivers that I ground down. Their inletting was close enough that I didn't have any problems and like I said, I'm not even GOOD!

I have heard that Pecatonica makes stocks for many other retailers. I don't suppose that they would admit to it for concern of angering their retailers. I do think that Pecatonica delivers to you a wood quality that is a little above what the others might grade it at. I built my Early Lancaster with the Grade 2 wood. I think Grade 1 is 0 to 30% curl, Grade 2 is 30 to 60% if memory serves correctly. My stock is very nice.

Pecatonica charges $80 for a grade one stock, and $100 for a grade 2. Inletting is $42.50. The dovetails are cut for $5 each. They will cut for the buttplate if you don't have a lot of tools (like I don't). They will cut the barrel to a shorter length for $5.

When you call, Dick Greensides owns the business. Jeff is the helper. Jeff is definitely more talkative than Dick. I think that Jeff does most of the cutting as Dick is in his 70's.
They're both really nice guys.

They will cut barrel sizes and inlet stocks for other than what their catalogue shows. They seem pretty willing to accomodate. I think that they now inlet 98% for all their styles, although their catalogue doesn't state this.

My opinion is that the only thing that Pecatonica is lousy at is designing a catalogue and a website. I guess they're more about their product than about marketing their product.

All in all, I plan on doing business with them again. I'd just like to figure out what their "Pre-Revolutionary" rifle looks like before I would order one.

My area, and therefore my chosen personna is about the late 1760's in Southwestern Pennsylvania. I'm an early settler type. This leaves out a lot of the later "Golden Age" era, post-Revolutionary rifles. The Jaegers, the Transitionals, the Tulles, the Northwest guns, and the plainer Fowlers would work, but I'm trying to stretch to get an "early longrifle" that's not quite as heavy and will have at least a little thinner lines.

Regards,

Ironsights Jerry.

 

[JerryToth]

Hi Musketman;

I really appreciate you posting the picture of Pecatonica's Transitional rifle.

However, Pecatonica makes another early model that they named the "Pre-Revolutionary". They don't show this on their website, and the picture in their catalogue is poor.

Their Transitional is a very nice rifle. One of the fellows that shoots in a local buckskinner's group has one. He routinely shoots up near the top of the group! The Transitional reminds me of a Jaeger that has been stretched longer. The wrist is that steep, Germanic wrist. It doesn't have the typical long "longrifle" wrist.
I'm not saying that the Jaegers and the Transitionals aren't nice... All I'm saying is that it's not the effect I want to build right now.

Again, thanks for posting the pics.

Regards,

Ironsights Jerry.

 

[Zonie]

Darkhorse: If you check out the LATE LANCASTER in the Photo Forum you are looking at a Pecatonica River stock in number 3 CM. You may have to use the search engine using "lancaster" as the search word and Zonie as the name of the poster.

Most of my guns are from Dick Greenside. He has always done right by me, and his prices are as good as or better than most.

His wood is always good, and he drills his ramrod holes full depth rather than milling the pocket from the inside like some places do. IMO This adds a lot of strength and stability to the stock.

Everyone is right about his catalog (and in fact, except for the extra folded sheets showing what kits are available he hasn't up dated it for over 8 years that I know of.)

The picture of the pre Rev gun looks interesting. As he says in the catalog, it is a mix of the English Fowlers and German lines molded into one. I cannot beleave the photo of the finished rifle in the Catalog is from one of his kits though, It looks more like a poor photo from a museum.
I thought about using this stock for the B Gun, but I wanted something older.

 

[Darkhorse]

Zonie,
Those are real nice looking rifles.
Does the Late Lancaster stock have "cast-off"?
I want something as close to my Isacc Haines as possible, you know the old saying, "beware the man who has only one gun", though when finishing it I will be able to make it real close to the Isacc Haines as I will be using it as a pattern.
Another thing I like about Pec's rifles is they come with a set trigger. In a turkey, squirrel or target rifle, I absolutely want a set trigger.
In a letter to them I asked if Jim Chambers assembled their locks. They said No, they named the guy but I forget his name. Any comment on how good a job he does.
Of course the option I am considering is just buying the lock straight from Jim Chambers. If the wait is not too long. The time frame quoted from Pec was 4 to 6 weeks for delivery with any make of barrel.
I am thinking about ordering it soon, before prices go up, and to have it here so I can work on it at leisure.

 

[Zonie]

Darkhorse: As I recall, their stocks do not have cast built into them and there is only about 1/8 or so of extra width left on the butt area for the buttplate they furnish. This doesn't leave much for adding cast off/cast on to it.
Of course, if you hold off on buying the butt plate until you get the actual wood in your hand, you can measure it's width. With the width known and a TOW catalog with it's full size pictures you may find a narrower plate which can be moved off of center further. That's how I was able to get about 1/4-5/16 cast on the Boys Rifle I built with a pecatonica stock.

I haven't asked Dick if he would leave extra wood on the butt area so I could add cast but it's worth a try.

The set triggers he supplied with my early guns were of the "double set" style so they would fire with or without setting. I don't remember who but one company supplied me with a "single set" style (only fires when set) which I didn't want and I had to send it back. It's something to ask about if you call them.

The Siler locks I have recieved from him were will made, but that was several years ago. He may have changed sources so I can't promise anything.
If you are buying a kit stock from him which is already cut for the lock, and you want a Chambers lock then buy from Chambers. The Pecatonica stock inlet is not a "drop in" so it will have enough wood left to be custom fit (by you) to the lock you get from Chambers. If Dick also inlet for the triggers then the lack of a installed lock shouldn't slow you down as the cut will be in the correct place to function with the Siler.