Stock Patterns

[dyemaker]

Looking thru Knob Mountain Muzzleloading online, I was impressed at the selection of stock duplications by Fred Miller. Fred's Reading looks like a Wolfgang Haga attributed stock to me tho it doe's not mention his name at all. Also I am curious about the "feather rifle". What is it? At first I thought maybe it was a copy of Carl Ulbrich's Austrian rifle pictured here but on second thought.... It couldn't be. Any input??

http://imageshack.us/g/830/ulbrich20carl20autor20a.jpg/

 

[rich pierce]

The Feather Gun is a sister to another gun Wallace Gusler has attributed to Virginia, 1760's. Gunsmiths were moving all over the place. I think the feather gun was collected in Pennsylvania. Both are often compared in architecture to early trade guns (smoothies). I think that's because of the narrowing wrist, etc that evokes the Carolina guns. To me (my opinion only) it's unusual to see much buttplate curvature in the 1760's,and both the feather gun and Wallace's rifle have at least as much buttplate curvature as a 1780's Beck but they both have wide buttstocks. Dating and placing early unsigned rifles is imprecise. Most folks accept that guns like these 2 could be that early.

If you decide to get any of these precarved stocks make sure the stock shaper knows what lock etc you plan to use. Some early locks had very thin bolsters and the stock is too narrow in the lock area to accomodate a large Siler. I'd prefer to not have them shaped that close to final, even in the buttstock, but I don't use precarves so your mileage may vary.

 

[dyemaker]

Thank You for the information.

 

The person you should be talking to is Dave Keck, at Knob Mountain. Rich is right in what he offered, but since Dave has all the patterns in many styles (over a Hundred) and has the ability to adjust them some. If you want something that's who you need to talk to. In the past with Fred I have given him the barrel, and lock I was going to use, and he was able to make them work. Last one I got from Dave was a Stophil Long Lehigh, that had no lock mortice cut, as I'm modifying the lock plate, and will inlet it myself. Dave's great to work with, and his brass castings are top drawer also.

Bill