Southern Mountain Rifle

[Ltdshooter]

My SMR is dated 5/21, has a Rice barrel marked 1:48. Don't know if current kits are the same.

 

[mrfritz44]

Thanks Ltdshooter...... hoping 1:48 is true.

 

[mrfritz44]

Just found this, so both are true depending on caliber:

Green Mountain Barrel Company Bored Barrels. 32, 36, 40 (all have 1/48 twist) and 45 caliber (1/70 twist) available.

 

[IanH]

Nope, 1 turn in 70" these days. Mine doesn't shoot its best until pumping it up into 1800 fps or more territory with a PRB. 65 grains of 3F GOEX. I wish to smiles it was a 56 twist.

Unless you're set on a "SMR" style, a 38" Haines in .54 or a Kibler Woodsrunner in .54 is pretty much THE overall deer hammer that's fast in the woods, balances perfectly, and is easy to hold and shoot.

 

[longcruise]

A 36 or 38 inch 50 in a 7/8" barrel shouldn't be too heavy.

https://ricebarrels.com/product/rifle-7-8-straight-barrel-28-to-48-square-groove-rifling/

Would weigh in the 4 1/4# to 4 1/2# range.

 

[Mike in FL]

Can anyone show me proof or even good evidence that the original SMRs ever had fancy grade curly maple for the stock? We don't commit any kind of breach into period correctness by building or owning such a gun because I can't say they never existed. It is just that I've never heard of one or seen any pictures of original SMRs that were in any way aesthetically enhanced by the makers. I love the design, but I doubt the southern mountain settlers could buy anything but the a basic rifle to allow them to function and survive. That was not the case in more northern areas where gorgeous and cosmetically enhanced guns were in favor. Or such is my opinion now. I could easily be shown I'm wrong if I discovered the opposite.

 

[reddogge]

Can anyone show me proof or even good evidence that the original SMRs ever had fancy grade curly maple for the stock? We don't commit any kind of breach into period correctness by building or owning such a gun because I can't say they never existed. It is just that I've never heard of one or seen any pictures of original SMRs that were in any way aesthetically enhanced by the makers. I love the design, but I doubt the southern mountain settlers could buy anything but the a basic rifle to allow them to function and survive. That was not the case in more northern areas where gorgeous and cosmetically enhanced guns were in favor. Or such is my opinion now. I could easily be shown I'm wrong if I discovered the opposite.

Because I wasn't there I don't know for sure but I think times were different down there and gunsmiths were stocking rifles with whatever maple, walnut, or rarely cherry they could get their hands on. Since you don't know what's in a tree until you cut it, you kind of took what the Good Lord gave you in the grain. I would think a gunsmith would use any piece of maple to stock a rifle he had lying around. But I do admit, I've not read a single thing on charging more for fancy wood back then. Here is a rifle from that region made by Rice Duncan somewhere in the early 1800s with a curly maple stock. I believe lots more like this are out there.

 

[Mike in FL]

Because I wasn't there I don't know for sure but I think times were different down there and gunsmiths were stocking rifles with whatever maple, walnut, or rarely cherry they could get their hands on. Since you don't know what's in a tree until you cut it, you kind of took what the Good Lord gave you in the grain. I would think a gunsmith would use any piece of maple to stock a rifle he had lying around. But I do admit, I've not read a single thing on charging more for fancy wood back then. Here is a rifle from that region made by Rice Duncan somewhere in the early 1800s with a curly maple stock. I believe lots more like this are out there.

View attachment 299230

Thank you. That eases my mind.

 

[wiscoaster]

Well, for the difference between .45 and .50 I really think you want to go Kibler .45. Unless maybe you need for state ML hunting regs.

 

[Mgbruch]

Can anyone show me proof or even good evidence that the original SMRs ever had fancy grade curly maple for the stock? We don't commit any kind of breach into period correctness by building or owning such a gun because I can't say they never existed. It is just that I've never heard of one or seen any pictures of original SMRs that were in any way aesthetically enhanced by the makers. I love the design, but I doubt the southern mountain settlers could buy anything but the a basic rifle to allow them to function and survive. That was not the case in more northern areas where gorgeous and cosmetically enhanced guns were in favor. Or such is my opinion now. I could easily be shown I'm wrong if I discovered the opposite.

The book Kentucky Rifles Of The Great Smokey Mountains by Randal Pierce shows 23 long guns. Of those, 6 are obviously curly maple; most of which have very nice curl.

If you mean by "aesthetically enhanced" you mean carving and engraving; as far as I know it's rare, but not unknown. One of the rifles in Mr. Pierce's book, a gun by Henry West, has simple engraving and incise carving.

The Beauty of a nice Southern Mountain rifle lies in its architecture. Less is more; and simplicity - well executed - can be very elegant.