Pre-inlet stock a good idea for a beginner?

[ronaldrothb49]

The first rifle I built was a Pecatonica precarved and have been using there precarves and blanks with the barrel and ramrod ever since. In my opinion I have always gotten a better grade wood than I paid for from them. Some cautions. You should have your touch hole location before you inlet the lock. Some info on Douglas barrels. Unless your barrel is marked with XX then it is going to have runout. Douglas stamped their name on the flat with the runout this should be either the bottom flat or the top flat. Douglas barrels were 44 inches long but you were supposed to cut 2 inches off the muzzle. It was something to do with their rifling process which supposedly was inconsistent for those last 2 inches. Have owned several Douglas barrels you should be happy with it I also have a 45 caliber Douglas barrel that never been used. Good luck with your build

 

[david w]

The first rifle I built was a Pecatonica precarved and have been using there precarves and blanks with the barrel and ramrod ever since. In my opinion I have always gotten a better grade wood than I paid for from them. Some cautions. You should have your touch hole location before you inlet the lock. Some info on Douglas barrels. Unless your barrel is marked with XX then it is going to have runout. Douglas stamped their name on the flat with the runout this should be either the bottom flat or the top flat. Douglas barrels were 44 inches long but you were supposed to cut 2 inches off the muzzle. It was something to do with their rifling process which supposedly was inconsistent for those last 2 inches. Have owned several Douglas barrels you should be happy with it I also have a 45 caliber Douglas barrel that never been used. Good luck with your build

Back when I built a couple of rifles, I considered a Douglas barrel, but forgo the opportunity because they were so much cheaper the the competitors. After all, you get what you pay for, right? Little did I know, they were one of the best barrels you could buy. If I could only go back in time! In one of the old Dixie Gun Works catalogs, they took a section of a Douglas barrel, filled it full of powder, capped both ends, and set it off with a bit of canon fuse. All of the gases went out the fuse hole!

 

[ronaldrothb49]

Back when I built a couple of rifles, I considered a Douglas barrel, but forgo the opportunity because they were so much cheaper the the competitors. After all, you get what you pay for, right? Little did I know, they were one of the best barrels you could buy. If I could only go back in time! In one of the old Dixie Gun Works catalogs, they took a section of a Douglas barrel, filled it full of powder, capped both ends, and set it off with a bit of canon fuse. All of the gases went out the fuse hole!

I loved those old Douglas barrels, if I get a chance to buy one I do it. It has been my experience that just because something costs more doesn't mean it is better. The target attached was actually shot with a Dixie Gun Works barrel made by Douglas for them in a 1 in 48 twist. Had several people comment that day that they would never say anything negative about Dixie barrels again. After Douglas quit making muzzleloading barrels I started using Montana barrels. Again a cheaper barrel but got great results from them. Now I use Green Mountain and they shoot just as good as the expensive ones.

 

[Vaino]

Many years ago I bought a Hawken precarved kit from Pecatonica and checked the lock location when rec'd and found it to be mislocated. Called and then went to their shop and they agreed that the lock inlet location was wrong. Showed me another stock they had laying around but the LOP was way too short. So I waited while they profiled another stock. When finished they handed it to me and I noticed the beautiful curl .....I had purchased a #4 but the replacement was a #5 which was their top grade. I left a very happy camper.....Fred