Suggestions Please..

[54JNoll]

Hoyt,

I have been sporadically working an a rifle similar to what you are wanting. Using a Colerain 38" swamped octagon-round .54 cal barrel with round bottom rifling, Chambers Golden Age lock, simple trigger, sandcast brass, sliding wood patch box.

As you saisd this is not something available in kit form thus you will end up doing much of the work your self. I ordered my Blank from Wayne Dunlop and Fred Miller inlet the barrel for me and drilled the ramrod hole. For a little more he will rough shape the butt from just in front of the lock pannels back. You could ask about lock inlets but I think you would be better served by skipping that. The less pre-inlets you have the more control you have over placement.

The mid barrel underlug and front lug will have to be soldered on as well as the front sight/bead. The rear lug can be dovetailed or stappled as can the rear sight if you choose to fit one. Fowler sights are built low so if you choose to fit a rear sight you may find it easier to make your front sight as well.

Miller has several "patterns" so the butt can be rough shapped to match many styles of guns. Just tell him what you are looking for. I have never used Jack.

 

[Hoyt]

J..I had about decided to go the way you talk about..but just this morning I gave Pecatonic a call and talked with Dick and he had just what I wanted. An inletted Early Virginia #2 maple stock and a 38" 20ga. octagon to round barrel..(we decided to cut it down to 36" to be more hunter friendly). Most of all he would inlet it for Chamber's Siler lock..I wanted the Colonial Virginia lock..but no go. Anyway I'm happy with the Siler. Also going with single trigger and the front and rear sights that go with a rifled barrel Early Virginia..(I want a rear sight for those gobbler's heads) and since this is my first build attempt going to get him to cut for butt plate, cut all dovetails, solder front sight, front dovetails and install barrel lugs. The breech plug comes installed with barrel.
Said it would be about 3wks. getting to me.

 

[54JNoll]

Hoyt,

Congrats on finding a pre-carve to fit your desires. They are a good way to get your feet wet without a lot of undue stress. Ask for an extra tall front sight blade. You can always shorten it easy enough when sighting in. I made my front sight using a hunk cut from a brass bar which I then annealed and filed in the shape of a heart and afixed a triangular shapped silver blade such that the bottom of the blade lies even with the bottom of the base. Thus when installed on the barrel no gapping is present. I also filed the base concavity to match the profile of the barrel.

I wish you well with your endevor.

 

[ploeg]

I read most of the replys to your post and I think the best course for you if you are set on the parts you want to use is to get a stock inletted for the barrel you want, with ramrod hole drilled, and inlet the rest yourself. I had the some problem the second rifle I built, also a flint, and thats the way I did it. The only kit rifle I did before this was a Lyman greatplains percussion, and I still had to do a lot of work to inlet the parts. I've done one gun since that was inletted for the lock, trigger, etc., a 24ga Tulle, and that was more work than inletting it all myself. Also you are stuck with the placement of the lock, etc. If they are slightly off you have to deal with it, which at time can be a real pain. If I can do it you can. Just take your time, and get a good book on the subject.