Squirrel rifle kit

[OHBandit]

I am wanting to build a 32 or 36 cal. Full length stock gun. I am a machinist by trade and have good gun building skills. Can you guys recommend and or steer me in the right direction? I am guessing a kit would be the way to go.

 

[Zonie]

I am guessing a kit would be the way to go.

I agree but what kind of kit? That is the question.

How many hours are you willing to put into building your rifle?

Do you want a half stock or a full stock rifle?

Are you interested in building something that is historically accurate or just a nice gun to shoot?

If you build a kit rifle made by one of the large companies that import them you can have it finished in 10-30 hours depending on how well you sand the wood and apply the stock finish and the browning/bluing/aging/polishing of the metal parts.
These are "almost" fall together guns that were pulled off of the production line before they were finished. The screw holes are located and threaded. The stock needs some forming to match the mating metal parts but it can be done with some course sand paper.
The sight dovetails are machined and the barrel underlug(s) are installed.

The end result is a factory style gun with some of your own ideas incorporated.

If you build one of the rifle kits offered by Pecatonica River, Track of the Wolf, TVM, Chambers etc, it will take you from 130-180 hours to properly assemble, sand and finish it.
Kits of this type consist of a roughed out stock, an unbreeched barrel, rough sand castings for the butt plate and trigger guard etc.
None of the parts fit together until you do the final fitting. The screw holes don't exist so they will have to be located, drilled and threaded.
The dovetails for the sights and barrel underlugs don't exist so they will have to be made.
The roughed out stock has too much wood all over it so it will have to be finish shaped before sanding it.

All in all, there is a lot of work to building one of these.
The results will give you a custom made gun with the best possible American made parts. Something you can be proud of for the rest of your life.

 

[OHBandit]

Thanks Zonie for the reply.

I am wanting a full stock rifle and just something that's a good shooter and doesn't have to be historically correct.

Not looking to spend a few hundred hours at least not on this one.

I know I stated that I wanted a "squirrel rifle". I'm really not sure what designates a rifle a "squirrel rifle" but really I just want a full length stock small cal. no frills rifle.

I was looking at some rifles on a site I found while searching the net. I came across a company called Sitting Fox that had some nice looking options. I liked the looks of their Southern Mountain Poor Boy.

Really looking for some suggestions.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Try and attend some gun shows where you may find a good selection of rifles you may be interested in.
Try the style for fit and balance to your liking.
Many squirrel rifles are are light in weight and caliber, .32 to .45 caliber
I have had difficulty with .32 cal ram rods, so prefer .36 or better.
So, keep looking until you find what you like.
Old Ford

 

[123.DieselBenz]

Try Tip Curtis, he has lots of parts, and specializes in "In the White" guns, but also sells kits, or just parts . . . he will be coming up your way to Friendship, IN in the spring for the big shoot . . .

He is a bit North of Nashville, TN.

Tip Curtis Frontier Shop
Cross Plains, TN 37049,
(615) 654-4445.

Call him first to make sure he is around if you plan to visit his shop!

 

[mr.flintlock]

I recommend that you look at some of the kits offered by TVM. What constitutes a squirrel rifle? Well I guess that is a matter of personal opinion. I believe that any small bore rifle( .32,.36 even a .40 caliber) in any style can be considered a squirrel rifle. My squirrel rifle is a 32 caliber.

 

[OHBandit]

Thanks guys. That gives me somewhere to start.

 

[Macon Due]

My squirrel rifle is a .36cal. TVM kit rifle.....I guess Southern mountain...? I got it used and love it! 42"x13/16" Colerain.Left handed, L&R Manton lock.
Macon

 

[Birddog6]

You're in S.W.Ohio, so you can drive to Nashville, spend the night, look at 100 dif rifles & pick one out ya like that FITS you, & ALL the parts to build it are THERE..... See Exactly what you are getting & drive back home that afternoon. This beats the H out of guessing of what you want & hoping it fits & etc.

This way you KNOW........

Call Tip Curtis Frontier Shop. 615-654-4445. Tip will have 75+ rifles On Hand for you to look at that are built, and parts to build 300-400 more there On Hand..... You can pick up & shoulder every dang one of them, talk to Tip about building, calibers, locks, wood, trim, etc.

Tip is off I-65 @ Exit 112 at Cross Plains, just north of Nashville. 5 min off the freeway.

You will be in ML heaven when you get to his shop, and you won't want to leave....

Keith Lisle

PS: I would go with a .40 cal. Much more versatile & more Umph if you want to shoot a groundhog or a coyote....

 

[Zonie]

Unless the gun "kit" is bought in a semi finished condition known as "in the white", all of the guns mentioned from Sitting Fox, TVM and Tip Curtis are the box of parts that take 130+ hours to build.

OHBandit said, "Not looking to spend a few hundred hours at least not on this one..."

If a finished half stock will work the Traditions Crockett rifle is available in .32 caliber. http://www.cabelas.com/product/Sho...701680&WTz_l=SBC;MM;cat104701680;cat104641380

 

[Birddog6]

That all depends on the builder, on how much time he puts in it & how talented he is.

However, Tip will have 2-3 racks of 25 of them on the floor, and over half of them are In-the-White. You can spend about ? 30-40 hrs on it browning, fitting, staining, finishing, & have a beaut of a rifle. Several time I have been there & he had a In-the-White Vincent for $ 895. to 1095. with some drop dead gorgeous wood on them.
IMHO, That is no dif. than assembling a Lyman, T/C, Traditions, except much better quality in parts & end results are more pleasing to look at as well.

Keith Lisle

 

[fnitchiefl]

I just finished the crocket .32 cal "squirrel gun" kit from Traditions. Its only my second ML, but it's what my skill level can handle right now. However, having said that I "slow rust blued" my own barrel and am extremly pleased with it. I dont have alot of time to do things so this kit was right for me, the price was right, and now I'm off to the range with it.... ps I can't stand the sights that come with these kits. purchased a set of Lyman sights directly from manufacturer... Have fun....

 

[fnitchiefl]

by the way, finally took the time to learn how to post photo's, here is that barrel anyway...

 

[jerrywh]

That is a real nice looking rust blue job. Not many guys are able to do that correctly or willing to take the time to learn. Congrads.

 

[OHBandit]

Fred that looks really good. Would like to see pics of the entire finished rifle.

 

[msuspartan]

Fred,
I hope you are not blueing that barrel on the bottom of your mattress. The wife may have alot to say later, and none of it would be good. :rotf: :rotf:

Cheers, DonK

 

[fnitchiefl]

Thanks for all of the encouragement..actually I have one more step. my stainless steel brush from brownells just came in today, however coming down with something, I,ll be sure to post the finished results...what a great site..

 

[fnitchiefl]

Actually takin it tough, didn,t match up the lock and the barrel, so it didn,t line up real well. The hammer was offset to the right about 1/8 of an inch, so i took a little off the inlet of the lock, and most unfortunately decided to shave a bit of the barrel that I just rust blued. Well of course that still wasn.t enough, as I found out, I was chasing myself. The lock inlet shaving got me that much further toward lining up, but then I ran into clearance problems with the stock. Then shaved that a bit, which allowed me to shave so more of the inletting, now I,m running into,problems with the lock running into the barrel. Not to mention that I scuffed up then finish around then inlet lock...lessons not soon forgotten....