Tn Bear pistol, this is going to be a long project.

[Eric Krewson]

I have never built a pistol; I decided my last build should be one but I didn't want to build something ordinary. I am from TN, I looked at a variety of southern pistols and settled on a TN bear pistol, something I could hunt deer with. I wanted the pistol to be a completely scratch build, I planned to do everything including forging the mounts which would include the trigger guard, nose cap, ramrod pipes, trigger and such.

I bought this stock blank for my project as well as a Kibler lock. Looks like I am not going to need this stock blank.

I ordered a barrel a year and a half ago but the maker had issues and got behind, no barrel was forthcoming.

I started looking for alternatives; a nice guy on the ALR site offered me his just started bear pistol project at a very fair price, he said he didn't have time to finish it. The barrel and stock came in yesterday.

The barrel is a Rayle swamped 15'" barrel in in .54. The barrel was inletted perfectly into the stock my Mark Weader, he drilled the ramrod hole as well.

This is going to be a winter project, a very long winter project.

Here is the original I will be trying to replicate but not too closely.

If anyone has bear pistol pictures they could put on this thread I woudl greatly appreciate it.

 

[DanL]

Looks like a fun and practical project. Please keep us updated with pictures.

 

[Collie]

I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this build, that's a nice looking piece of maple

 

[M. De Land]

I have never built a pistol; I decided my last build should be one but I didn't want to build something ordinary. I am from TN, I looked at a variety of southern pistols and settled on a TN bear pistol, something I could hunt deer with. I wanted the pistol to be a completely scratch build, I planned to do everything including forging the mounts which would include the trigger guard, nose cap, ramrod pipes, trigger and such.

I bought this stock blank for my project as well as a Kibler lock. Looks like I am not going to need this stock blank.

I ordered a barrel a year and a half ago but the maker had issues and got behind, no barrel was forthcoming.

I started looking for alternatives; a nice guy on the ALR site offered me his just started bear pistol project at a very fair price, he said he didn't have time to finish it. The barrel and stock came in yesterday.

The barrel is a Rayle swamped 15'" barrel in in .54. The barrel was inletted perfectly into the stock my Mark Weader, he drilled the ramrod hole as well.

This is going to be a winter project, a very long winter project.

Here is the original I will be trying to replicate but not too closely.

If anyone has bear pistol pictures they could put on this thread I woudl greatly appreciate it.

Whats the barrel pitch? Are you planning on shooting conicals ?

 

[jdw276]

Ok so "last build"?

 

[Dutch7]

?

 

[Notchy Bob]

Hey, @Eric Krewson

I hope this won't be your last build! You do some nice work.

If anyone has bear pistol pictures they could put on this thread I woudl greatly appreciate it.

I've been interested in these handguns for a couple of years, and have saved a few pictures found online. The Gillespie pistol you showed in your post is one of them and there's no need to repeat it, but I would like to say it's a very nice example of the type.

This next original was by John Bull:



It has double set triggers, like the Gillespie. This pistol is illustrated in Randall Pierce's book, Kentucky rifles of the Great Smoky Mountains, pages 49-50. A chart in the back of that book indicates this pistol has an OAL of 15.5" and a tapered .39 caliber barrel about 9.94" long, although it somehow looks longer than that to me.

This unsigned pistol that follows was also illustrated in Mr. Pierce's book, on pages 53-54. I would like to say that the photos in the book are much clearer than these that I found online. I have no doubt you would like the book. Anyway, this percussion pistol has a tapered .34 caliber barrel 14.875" long:



I don't remember where I found the photo of the next pistol, which is also unsigned. I believe it was featured in an exhibition of southern guns. It appears to have a single trigger, but the guard is long enough to accommodate double-set triggers and I wonder if the pistol is fully intact.



I found images of this interesting southern pistol on the Rebel Relics website. The pistol has been sold, so I guess we are okay to post a picture:



The pistol above was made by Albert Gross of Tennessee. I don't know the bore size, nor can I tell what that circular device is that is screwed onto the butt of the grip. I think this is an original percussion, and not a conversion. There are several more pictures on the Rebel Relics web page.

This next one belonged to Mont Plott (that Mont Plott, who developed the famous Plott hounds):


A Plott descendant was kind enough to share some additional photos and details about this pistol, which enabled John Bergmann to build a pretty close copy of it for me. It has a .47 caliber slightly swamped barrel 11" long. The tang extends almost all the way to the bottom of the grip. The Albert Gross pistol (above) also has a very long tang, but not as long as this one. If all single triggers were as crisp and clean as the trigger on this pistol, double set triggers would not be necessary. The apparent "ding" at the nose is a reflection... the stock is undamaged:



Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[BillyC]

So what makes it a bear pistol, the caliber?

 

[PathfinderNC]

So what makes it a bear pistol, the caliber?

Just that it’s a bear to hold up and aim

 

[Gtrubicon]

Hey, @Eric Krewson

I hope this won't be your last build! You do some nice work.

I've been interested in these handguns for a couple of years, and have saved a few pictures found online. The Gillespie pistol you showed in your post is one of them and there's no need to repeat it, but I would like to say it's a very nice example of the type.

This next original was by John Bull:

View attachment 245906

It has double set triggers, like the Gillespie. This pistol is illustrated in Randall Pierce's book, Kentucky rifles of the Great Smoky Mountains, pages 49-50. A chart in the back of that book indicates this pistol has an OAL of 15.5" and a tapered .39 caliber barrel about 9.94" long, although it somehow looks longer than that to me.

This unsigned pistol that follows was also illustrated in Mr. Pierce's book, on pages 53-54. I would like to say that the photos in the book are much clearer than these that I found online. I have no doubt you would like the book. Anyway, this percussion pistol has a tapered .34 caliber barrel 14.875" long:

View attachment 245907

I don't remember where I found the photo of the next pistol, which is also unsigned. I believe it was featured in an exhibition of southern guns. It appears to have a single trigger, but the guard is long enough to accommodate double-set triggers and I wonder if the pistol is fully intact.

View attachment 245908

I found images of this interesting southern pistol on the Rebel Relics website. The pistol has been sold, so I guess we are okay to post a picture:

View attachment 245911

The pistol above was made by Albert Gross of Tennessee. I don't know the bore size, nor can I tell what that circular device is that is screwed onto the butt of the grip. I think this is an original percussion, and not a conversion. There are several more pictures on the Rebel Relics web page.

This next one belonged to Mont Plott (that Mont Plott, who developed the famous Plott hounds):

View attachment 245909You never disappoint Notchy!

A Plott descendant was kind enough to share some additional photos and details about this pistol, which enabled John Bergmann to build a pretty close copy of it for me. It has a .47 caliber slightly swamped barrel 11" long. The tang extends almost all the way to the bottom of the grip. The Albert Gross pistol (above) also has a very long tang, but not as long as this one. If all single triggers were as crisp and clean as the trigger on this pistol, double set triggers would not be necessary. The apparent "ding" at the nose is a reflection... the stock is undamaged:

View attachment 245910

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[Colonial Boy]

This is starting out to be a “must follow” thread; the ‘wow’ factor is already high.

 

[M. De Land]

So what makes it a bear pistol, the caliber?

I think I'd go for a Walker if I was after bear with a black powder gun !
Actually I think the extra long barrel in a muzzle loading hand gun is what delineates them as a bear gun !
My longest barreled single shot is .54 cal and nine inches long with percussion ignition . I think of it as a horse pistol but not long enough to be called a bear gun.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

A bear pistol is the one you shoot your hunting buddy in the foot with so you can outrun him when the bear attacks.
Seriously, there are some beautiful pistols shown here. I have no doubt Eric's will be as nice.

 

[user 61262]

This pistol was in an online auction and sold for $800. plus buyer's premium of 25%... It has a 12 in. octagonal barrel with .45 bore...

 

[nick_1]

this is very interesting. I had thought that really long pedersoli pistol was just made up modern thing but it seems that there is a real tradition to these rigs.

 

[Gtrubicon]

I wonder how you hold to aim? There’s probably a few methods I’d assume

 

[SOLANCO]

I wonder how you hold to aim? There’s probably a few methods I’d assume

I would be wanting some sort of a rest.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Regarding aiming, my guess would be either to use a rest, if one is available, or assume a rifle-shooting stance, with the dominant hand on the pistol butt and the off hand supporting the forend and barrel. That might not work with most modern repeating pistols and is absolutely contraindicated for any kind of revolver, but there is no reason a long-barreled single-shot side-lock muzzleloader could not be fired that way.

Notchy Bob

 

[Eric Krewson]

I found that the rate of twist for these long barrels is 1 in 20 or 22, I am not sure what the rate is in the barrel I just bought.

Every time I say I have built my last another idea crops up. I have 5 deer rifles, 2 squirrel rifles, two fowlers and a gifted flint .44. The real problem that weighs heavily on my mind is where they will end up when I croak, I am almost 76, my son could care less. Right now, I don't want to part with any of them.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I don't know where I snagged this picture, it was in my gun reference folder, I love the lines and the nose cap.

I like the tang; i am thinking about doing a lollipop tang on my pistol because it is so common on southern rifles.

Of course, Mr. House's bear pistol is the best of the best.