RCA 52 stock template

[hawkenhunter50]

Starting a copy of RCA 52. Wondering if anyone has a template of the stock they'd be willing to share? Or any other dimensions that might be known from the original. I have the book and the dimensions they give but would be interested in any other info available.

 

[oldwood]

Radio Corperation of America.....1952.......Black and white tv's were out by then?????

 

[rich pierce]

Rifles of Colonial America by George Shumway is a book commonly abbreviated as RCA. It’s a resource most builders of colonial and Federal period longrifles, working from blanks, have used for decades. The guns are numbered in the 2 volume series, making it convenient for discussion.

Gun #52 is an early large “smooth rifle” of .64 caliber. The guard is early and of a size similar to the Marshall rifle. The buttplate is hand swaged from sheet brass. Wooden patchbox, curved butt stock suggesting a Lehigh connection. This is a gun that could be in the 1760s or 1770s. Who knows?

The lock is similar to the Chambers Early Germanic (not my favorite Chambers lock) but I figure they used what they had and another lock of the same era would be suitable. I’d modify the side plate a bit. It’s a bit lumpy on the original.

I don’t think there’s a blueprint out there. I routinely mock up blueprints of guns I want to model a new build from. It’s not that hard.

 

[hawkenhunter50]

Hi Rich

Thanks for the reply. I have the early Germanic lock for this build. I have been told that this isn't the greatest performing lock also by others but it seemed to be the best match for the build. I tried getting a Laubach lock but had no success getting in contact. I have also swaged a buttplate from sheet brass already.

Also as you mentioned, I was also given advice to pretty up the sideplate a bit.

I have been in contact with Mr Person and I think he will be able to help with a drawing of the stock.

I have the barrel inlet, and drew the outline of the stock on the blank, but being rather new at this I'm just wanting to see how close or far off I am before cutting it out.

 

[oldwood]

Thanks Rich for clarifying the RCA acronym. I'm old and have trouble decoding things.

 

[rich pierce]

Hi Rich

Thanks for the reply. I have the early Germanic lock for this build. I have been told that this isn't the greatest performing lock also by others but it seemed to be the best match for the build. I tried getting a Laubach lock but had no success getting in contact. I have also swaged a buttplate from sheet brass already.

Also as you mentioned, I was also given advice to pretty up the sideplate a bit.

I have been in contact with Mr Person and I think he will be able to help with a drawing of the stock.

I have the barrel inlet, and drew the outline of the stock on the blank, but being rather new at this I'm just wanting to see how close or far off I am before cutting it out.

I usually adapt the profile to make the gun fit me or the customer. It’s surprising that one can get a varieties of profiles to cooperate with needed drop at comb and heel. The outstanding architectural features of this gun to me are the swelling of the wrist as it blends into the buttstock, the curve of the buttstock, and the sharp corners on the edges of the comb. The carving is rather simple but very attractive. Great choice for a build. Will you modify a Marshall rifle guard? What caliber, length, and size barrel?

 

[dave_person]

Hi Mike,
I really urge you to use Laubach's lock. The Chambers lock will not look right because of the degree to which the plate curves down at the tail and how it widens toward the front. The wrist architecture on the gun is very subtle and the lock is a key component in that shaping. Laubach's lock is perfect. If you go with the Chambers lock see if you can swap out the ugly flint **** with one from a deluxe Siler lock.

dave

 

[hawkenhunter50]

I usually adapt the profile to make the gun fit me or the customer. It’s surprising that one can get a varieties of profiles to cooperate with needed drop at comb and heel. The outstanding architectural features of this gun to me are the swelling of the wrist as it blends into the buttstock, the curve of the buttstock, and the sharp corners on the edges of the comb. The carving is rather simple but very attractive. Great choice for a build. Will you modify a Marshall rifle guard? What caliber, length, and size barrel?

Rich I have a Rice Lancaster/Dickert 44" 62 cal D weight barrel. The guard I chose was a Goehring #62 if I remember right (grabbed it at Kempton last summer). I also ordered a couple Lehigh style guards from Mike Brooks.

 

[hawkenhunter50]

Hi Mike,
I really urge you to use Laubach's lock. The Chambers lock will not look right because of the degree to which the plate curves down at the tail and how it widens toward the front. The wrist architecture on the gun is very subtle and the lock is a key component in that shaping. Laubach's lock is perfect. If you go with the Chambers lock see if you can swap out the ugly flint **** with one from a deluxe Siler lock.

dave

Thank you for the contact info and the advice Dave. I have the German lock but have not inlet it yet. Reason being, every way I have positioned it on the blank with the profile I drew, it just looks off to me. I was going to wait and show it to someone for advice before inletting it. Perhaps the reason is because of what you mention. I will try again to contact Mr Laubach. Bummer is I had the stock and lock at SOAW but didn't get time to mess with it, I could have gotten the info I needed then for sure.

 

[rich pierce]

Rich I have a Rice Lancaster/Dickert 44" 62 cal D weight barrel. The guard I chose was a Goehring #62 if I remember right (grabbed it at Kempton last summer). I also ordered a couple Lehigh style guards from Mike Brooks.

This will be an exciting build and should shoot comfortably if you allow enough drop at the nose of the comb. Plain maple or some curl, or something else?

 

[rich pierce]

Hi Mike,
I really urge you to use Laubach's lock. The Chambers lock will not look right because of the degree to which the plate curves down at the tail and how it widens toward the front. The wrist architecture on the gun is very subtle and the lock is a key component in that shaping. Laubach's lock is perfect. If you go with the Chambers lock see if you can swap out the ugly flint **** with one from a deluxe Siler lock.

dave

Good point Dave. In my rendition of RCA #41 (gun 41 in volume 1 of Rifles of Colonial America by George Shumway) I used the Chambers Germanic lock and removed about 1/8” of the lower rear edge of the “banana” but then had to re-create the edge molding in that area.

 

[hawkenhunter50]

This will be an exciting build and should shoot comfortably if you allow enough drop at the nose of the comb. Plain maple or some curl, or something else?

It is dense piece of maple, fairly plain. Just a bit of figure to give it some interest.