Suggestions for a short rifle?

[BS]

This is my solution to long heavy rifles. I have a 1" oct to round in a 54 cal, that is 24"s long. My newest editon to my underhammer collection is a 1" .62 cal that is 25"s long.

 

[FV Rago]

Here is my solution. I just cut my GPR barrel down to 23". I only shoot patched balls and this here gun is super accurate.

Do kinda get a little flack at the rendezvous as they call it a half gun. They usually shut up after the first three shots.

Then it's "Wow, that shorty sure does shoot good".

Since I cut the barrel down so much I switched over to 3F and am shooting 70 grains to get a full burn.

I set her up to shoot two inches high at 50 and dead on at 100.

Short barrels can be very accurate.

One note when getting your rifled barrel cut down. Make sure the gunsmith knows how to crown the barrel correctly.

Cost. Cut the barrel down, crown, and new dove tail was 70 bucks. The gun was 55 bucks and sent to me in pieces. I lucked out.

Frank

 

[BS]

I like SHORTY , nice rifle!

 

[FV Rago]

Thanks.

Who makes your underhammer? I have always wanted one and yours looks awsome.

I have 3 GPR's; shorty, an old standard length one and I am currently waiting for on in Flint.

They are all 50's, kinda keeping it simple. But a 54 underhammer hmmmm.......

Frank

 

[BS]

Thanks.

Who makes your underhammer? I have always wanted one and yours looks awsome.

I have 3 GPR's; shorty, an old standard length one and I am currently waiting for on in Flint.

They are all 50's, kinda keeping it simple. But a 54 underhammer hmmmm.......

Frank

I make my own.[none for sale] You can see more of them on my site:
Link to Bruce's Black Powder Page

 

[FV Rago]

Wow!

Beautiful rifles.

Frank

 

[jim gray]

Have you seen ERA's German short rifle?

 

[BS]

Do you have a 'link' to a picture of one?
Thanks,
No-BS

 

[jim gray]

Try this ERA's Guns

And here's a project I've been working on.
This was going to be a blanket gun, but I'm hesitant to start cutting up the stock.

I also have the original 24" barrel, although I never shoot this one anymore.

 

[BS]

I found them! Thanks!

A 20" 58 or 62 would be a 'dandy' short rifle!

 

[ronrryan]

Some years back I purchased a .58 cal short rifle called a "Buffalo Hunter" which derived from the Zoave type rifled musket. Mine is rifled for the round ball and does not shoot minie or other such projectiles accurately, but is quite good with prb. This makes a nifty short hunting rifle, and -- of course-- is not period correct for any time except right now, I guess. Ron in Fla

 

[vautrain]

Yes, I have seen the ERA Jaeger-style, that was the first one I ran across when I started looking. The pic and description is most impressive. I've heard his tunraround right now is about a year, which I suppose I could live with.

I think I've decided no matter what I get, it will have a swamped barrel.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

You've gotten a lot of good advise, 10 minutes with a hacksaw was especially good, but let me add another.
Have that barrel lathe turned round with a taper from forend to muzzle. That will remove weight where it is most objectionable and still leave an adequate length for balistics and sight radius.
Solder the rib back on, brown the whole thing and you'll have a neat, handy and unique GPR. :grin:

 

[vautrain]

Interesting suggestion. I'm not sure how the original rib would fit back on the barrel, once a portion of it had been tapered like you suggest.

 

[john12865]

Nice, sawed off :grin: . Next step is to cut the stock to a pistol grip and your good to go. Wouldn't want to get caught with it. :hmm: At least in NY state :grin: .

 

[Rabbit]

Since I am not quite sure just what your a looking for in a gun(period correct, hunting, target shooting, flint, caplock, caiber, etc), do not know how small you are or how much you want to spend, I can make a couple of suggetions.
1. T/C Cherokee (if you can find one) makes for a nice, light, short LOP gun. I have one that I used for my daughter and my wife. Great little gun to carry for hunting, nice and light
2. I built an Isaac Haines in .50 cal with a "B" weight swamped barrel. Weighs probably 6 to 6.5 lbs. Nice gun, shoots well, PC, but costly
3. I built for my daughter this winter a short fullstock caplock in .45 cal with a 30" swamped barrel. Except for the short LOP on her gun this makes for a nice light gun (5.5 lbs). You can even get the barrel in .50 cal. Check out Cabin Creek Boys/Ladies gun. Nice gun but again costly.
4. If price is an issue but caliber isn't, look for a short barrel .45 cal with a 13/16" barrel. This will be lighter than a barrel in 15/16" or 1".
There is so much out there. When I was looking to built a gun this winter for my daughter I needed something light. The other choice I was looking at before I decided on Cabin Creek was an Ohio style half stock.
Hope this helps.

 

[vautrain]

Since I am not quite sure just what your a looking for in a gun(period correct, hunting, target shooting, flint, caplock, caiber, etc), do not know how small you are or how much you want to spend, I can make a couple of suggetions.

Thanks for the suggestions. I did see that Cabin Creek site.

I am not necessarily looking for period-correctness, though I wouldn't be opposed to it. I do not re-enact, and probably won't. I mostly target shoot right now.

The GPR is a caplock, and that's OK, but I'd rather have a flintlock if the gun was originally designed as a flintlock. I have a whole bunch of .50 caliber accessories, and I like that caliber.

As for size... about 5'8", with arms that aren't too long. The 14" trigger reach on the GPR is a bit long, I think I'd be better off with something about 13.25-13.5".

I could spend $1000-1500 on a really nice gun that I like a lot, though I'd rather spend less.

I think the weight concentrated at the end opposite my shoulder is the thing that bothers me most about the GPR. A more balanced rifle in the 6-7 lb. range would make me a lot more comfortable.

I am also practicing shouldering and aiming the GPR (when I cannot shoot it), so I can feel more comfortable with it. It is helping, though the trigger reach is still long.

 

[Rabbit]

Vautrain, You are about my size. I found the swamped bbl, "B" weight barrel in .50 caliber fit me very well. To save money I built mine using Wayne Dunlap's kit. My deer rifle is a T/C New Englander. A little lighter than a Hawken style rifle and with a shorter bbl. Not PC but a god shooter. I didn't like the trigger on it so I put set triggers in.