Sale find

[Bassdog1]

Found this pre-carved stock and 40 caliber barrel at sale the barrel is 44 inches to the tang And is 13/16 across the flats. The inlet for the barrel channel is 48 inches long maple stock nice figuring. The two locks have no markings on them. I bought these three pieces really cheap the rifling is very clean however I do not have a rod long enough to go all the way down the bore so I checked it with bore light. There are no markings on the barrel. I am not a gun builder but would really like to own a custom made gun. For the price I could not walk away from these three pieces I can post more pictures if needed do you guys think this would make a nice build or should I move it along. Any Info on the locks?

 

[Bassdog1]

Barrel pics

 

[Phil Coffins]

The stock and barrel may make a nice rifle. The CVA locks are not of good quality and wouldn’t be worth inletting. Note they haven’t a bridle. If you’re up to a build that’s a start.

 

[deermanok]

I'm sure no gun builder but I would imagine that you have all the fixins for a nice rifle.

 

[excess650]

Pull the breechplug and have a look down the barrel, but if its been stored reasonably well, it'll be fine. If you think the barrel too long, you can always shorten it.

The stock looks like it has lots of potential. To my eye its sugar maple (hard) and the worm hole is meaningless.

I would sell those locks and put the proceeds towards a real lock.

 

[Bassdog1]

Ok Guys I am going to come clean I paid $75.00 for the barrel, stock and two locks. I put a tight patch on a 36 inch rod and oiled it well and slid in and out no rust at all. Then a couple looser dry patches to remove excess oil. Light down barrel crisp shiny rifling down as far as rod went a little dusty looking past that. I wont mind paying for good parts to finish it off once I find a builder.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I can't say who made the locks, but they look like inexpensive imported locks, to me. I don't know why, but manufacturers of cheap locks almost always want to "dress them up" by sculpting the hammers and casting deep, floral embossing in the plate. That type of thing is not very traditional. However, at $75.00 for the lot, you still got a good deal. Many times, even cheap percussion locks can be made to function adequately, and as those two look identical, you'll have a spare.

I would examine the barrel closely, and look for some sort of proof marks. I think Dixie sold breeched .40 caliber barrels many years ago, but I thought those were 40" long. Not sure, though. If you don't see proofmarks, I believe I would proof it myself before shooting it.

It would seem to me that the single most expensive component going into a kit or scratch build is the builder's time. It takes no more time to inlet a good lock than a poor one, and a cheap lock that needs work may end up costing as much as a good lock that's ready to go out of the box. On the other hand, if you do it yourself, you could probably learn a lot assembling those parts into a plain, simple schimmel, and if the barrel is as good as it sounds, you might just have a shooter!

Please let us know how it goes. Good luck with it!

Notchy Bob

 

[Bassdog1]

I pulled the breech plug and cleaned the inside all the way through crisp and shiney throughout. I would like to turn it into a 32-36 inch with a simple iron butt and toe plate, with a plain nose cap and a nice set of primitive sights. Plum brown barrel and the stock just dark enough to make the woods figuring pop. I am considering going ahead and ordering one of Kiblers CNC Machined locks and a nice set of triggers. I had a machine shop teacher in High School who is an accomplished builder in our area and am considering having him build the gun for me I think that would make it really special. Have not been this excited about a find in quite a while.

 

[ML48]

Well personally, I think you should just pack it all up , and sell it all to me....very cheaply of course.

 

[Bassdog1]

There was another walnut stock there shaped to the same dimensions that I will probably end up with also. I was considering a Kibler build but this just kind of fell in my lap.

 

[nit wit]

sell the CVA locks and buy an L+ R, you won't regret it.
Nit Wit

 

[deermanok]

Good for you man. We all can't wait to see it finished.

 

[Norman Brooks]

Definitely get rid of the CVA locks. The inclusion in the stock looks solid, you will know when you start shaping it.

 

[Bassdog1]

I am going to go ahead and buy the walnut stock also as a backup.

 

[KC Clem]

I agree with some of the other comments. If the barrel checks out nice, you got a great deal for $75. I'd sell the locks or throw them in a drawer and get a quality lock that matches the build you want to do. Chambers, L&R, RE Davis, and a few others will certainly have one that meets your needs.
K.C.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Buy a decent lock, get the gun built, If mine I would leave the barrel its original length and turn the works in to a southern squirrel rifle, other than furniture and the cost too farm out the work if not building it yourself you will have a fine rifle at a very low cost. Good deal, as too the other stock buy it if not going too use it for a build sell it and add the price too your build in parts, you are pretty much on the way too a basically free rifle.

 

[MSW]

$75 for that?? Hey- don't steal: the government hates competition! You made out like a bandit, and if you can score a walnut stock, so much the better. I agree that the locks don't show much promise. I would go with a Siler from Chambers or (if you want an SMR, a Durs Egg from L&R. I have used both to very good result. If your shop teacher is going to do the build, that's cool.

If you're going to do it yourself, I would recommend that you buy a copy of Alexander's book The Gunsmith of Grenville County from Track of the Wolf - here's a link
The Gunsmith of Grenville County, Building the American Longrifle illustrated instruction manual, revised edition, spiral bound, by Peter A. Alexander - Track of the Wolf

You might also consider Recreating the American Longrifle, also from track:
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/303/1/BOOK-RAL
get really good lighting in our shop. learn how to get your tools neurosurgery sharp. go slow - it's not a race, it's a hobby. this will take A LOT more time than you think, so don't let "opening season is only three weeks away" drive the train ...


send us pictures ... we LOVE pictures

 

[BadDaditood]

Definitely sell those CVA locks.
For the cost of an assembler you could buy a Kibler kit, easily build that yourself, and learn enough in the process that you might wanna tackle those odd parts yourself. (Turnaround right now is short per the email I got from them last week)
I wouldn’t start with an L and R lock, they need a lot of “advanced tweaking” when for a few dollars more you can get a Chambers, RE Davis or Kibler, all of which are as close to drop-in as we can expect these days.

 

[ML48]

$75 for that?? Hey- don't steal: the government hates competition! You made out like a bandit, and if you can score a walnut stock, so much the better. I agree that the locks don't show much promise. I would go with a Siler from Chambers or (if you want an SMR, a Durs Egg from L&R. I have used both to very good result. If your shop teacher is going to do the build, that's cool.

If you're going to do it yourself, I would recommend that you buy a copy of Alexander's book The Gunsmith of Grenville County from Track of the Wolf - here's a link
The Gunsmith of Grenville County, Building the American Longrifle illustrated instruction manual, revised edition, spiral bound, by Peter A. Alexander - Track of the Wolf

You might also consider Recreating the American Longrifle, also from track:
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/303/1/BOOK-RAL
get really good lighting in our shop. learn how to get your tools neurosurgery sharp. go slow - it's not a race, it's a hobby. this will take A LOT more time than you think, so don't let "opening season is only three weeks away" drive the train ...


send us pictures ... we LOVE pictures

He better hide that walnut stock. That thing is damned near worth more than gold these days! Hell, I built a double tier redwood deck a couple years ago for around $900, today that wood is worth around 5 grand!

 

[necchi]

Good advice so far,

I had a machine shop teacher in High School who is an accomplished builder in our area and am considering having him build the gun for me I think that would make it really special. Have not been this excited about a find in quite a while.

A grand idea, present your items to that Gent and follow his guidance,,