I'm saving up to buy all the parts to build a southern mnt. style rifle. Log Cabin Shop has a pre-shaped, pre-inletted stock and they list all the parts(with part #s) needed to build the rifle. Question #1: How good is the stuff from LCS. I've never ordered anything this big from them and I want to know if people have had a lot of problems with them. Question #3: They list two choices for locks, a Siler and an L&R. Is there a difference in quality between these two makes of lock? DALE
Two ?s on rifle building
- Thread starter Dale D
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amccall
40 Cal.
I just finished a rifle from the parts that I bought from the Log Cabin. I thought that they were helpful and the parts were good quality. I am trying to save up money to build a smoothbore and will probably go with them again for the parts. Of course living in Ohio makes it easy, I can go up there to pick out what I want and see what I am getting.
I bought the Siler lock and am pleased. I heard that the L&R lock from others might not be as good quality, I am not sure but for $25 more I did not see it as a big deal. I do not know how experienced you are so I am not going to ramble on about things you can do. Overall The people were great and helpfull and I was pleased with what I bought. :thumbsup:
I bought the Siler lock and am pleased. I heard that the L&R lock from others might not be as good quality, I am not sure but for $25 more I did not see it as a big deal. I do not know how experienced you are so I am not going to ramble on about things you can do. Overall The people were great and helpfull and I was pleased with what I bought. :thumbsup:
Never built a rifle before.That's why I want all the inletting done(hate to spend big money on a stock and then ruin it).I have taken the DGW lock off the rifle I have and took it apart ,polished everything, and put it back together. I don't have any experience with Siler or L&R. By getting the parts with the stock all inletted it should basically be finishing the wood and metal and putting it all together. I think it should be OK as a beginer project. If anyone disagrees feel free to say so, I'd rather know now than later. I do plan on buying a video on rifle building before I get the kit so I'll be more informed when I do it. DALE
I've not used a L&R lock so I can't say but a Siler is the pick of the litter in my book. Unfortunantly the L&R lock is the more appropriate lock if you are concerned with being historicly correct. With that said I have a Siler on my TN and have been very happy. All the parts for my kit came from Tip Curtis's Frontier Shop. The Chambers "Late Ketland" is also an excellant choice for a TN rifle but I don't know of anyone makeing a preinlet stock for it. It looks like it has the same internals as a Large Siler but has a different pan and lock plate.
Dale: I haven't bought the materials for a rifle from the folks you'r talking about but I will make some comments about pre inleted stocks I have bought.
When they say the barrel, trigger, lock etc are pre inlet, it doesn't mean the parts actually fit.
All of the parts will require some hand fitting.
This often means removing just a little wood here, and a little wood there. It sometimes means removing some metal. It all depends on who is providing the pre inletting.
The method of removing the wood can be with a very sharp Exacto type knife or with a small file or with sandpaper. (Glueing a small piece of sandpaper to a piece of wood works pretty good.)
Whatever you do, avoid using power tools like Dremel high speed grinders. They can ruin the stock faster than the blink of an eye. The "One second it was good, the next second it was gone!" sort of thing.
Leaving this extra material by the supplier is actually for the best. I say this because all of the parts have tolerance, that is to say, they are not exactly the same. In order to have the parts fit exactly into the stock, the only way to do the final fitting by hand.
I don't mean to scare you off, but I also don't want you to think the parts will just fall in place. If you did, you would probably feel like you got the short end of things, when actually you got just what you need.
If you have any questions about what to do after you get your parts, just post them here and you will get more guidance than you can stand. :: ::
When they say the barrel, trigger, lock etc are pre inlet, it doesn't mean the parts actually fit.
All of the parts will require some hand fitting.
This often means removing just a little wood here, and a little wood there. It sometimes means removing some metal. It all depends on who is providing the pre inletting.
The method of removing the wood can be with a very sharp Exacto type knife or with a small file or with sandpaper. (Glueing a small piece of sandpaper to a piece of wood works pretty good.)
Whatever you do, avoid using power tools like Dremel high speed grinders. They can ruin the stock faster than the blink of an eye. The "One second it was good, the next second it was gone!" sort of thing.
Leaving this extra material by the supplier is actually for the best. I say this because all of the parts have tolerance, that is to say, they are not exactly the same. In order to have the parts fit exactly into the stock, the only way to do the final fitting by hand.
I don't mean to scare you off, but I also don't want you to think the parts will just fall in place. If you did, you would probably feel like you got the short end of things, when actually you got just what you need.
If you have any questions about what to do after you get your parts, just post them here and you will get more guidance than you can stand. :: ::
I agree with Zonie, but I do wish to mention this, after you build a few rifles and your confidence is up, it's not all that difficult doing the inletting of the lock, barrel tang, trigger so forth and so on. In fact, you may find that it is the prefered way to go. Good luck with the project, the Log Cabin people are great to work with.
amccall
40 Cal.
Dale D, since you say that you are a beginner and sanding and finishing is what you are looking at then you might be looking for a gun in the "white" instead. If you get a kit, say like a TC hawken, then what you are really getting is a disassembled rifle in the "white". If you just get the parts at the log cabin, and this goes for many places like them, then you will get just that, parts. You will have to install your breach plug, dove tail your sights and underlugs on the barrel, cut the stock to your pull length for you butt plate and the list goes on and on. Then when that is all finished you get to do the easy stuff and finish the barrel and stock. I do not want to discourage you but I do want you to know what you would be looking at. You could ask them at the Log cabin if they have or could make the rifle you want in the white and see how much that would be. There are other companies that make rifles in white and good mfgs. that make kits that are easier to put together and this site has many of the links for them. I hope you keep looking into this there is a great satisfaction making your own gun no matter if it is in the white or parts. 
eace: :thumbsup:
eace: :thumbsup:I didn't mention it but I was planning on having the breech installed on the barrel. They do it for on extra charge.As far as dovetailing, my uncle is a machinist. He has all the equipment to do it so I wasn't too worried about that.But you are right about it being "in the white " rather than a kit. I just didn't see a rifle in the white that was exactly what I wanted for the money I could afford right now.That's why I thought that this way would be the best.I could do the things I was comfortable with and either have someone expierienced do the other parts or wait until I was comfortable doing them myself. I plan on really taking my time with this and being meticulous. In fact, I originally thought about getting the Siler lock as a kit until I read a book that showed all that was involved in putting it together. After that I realized It would be better to by it assembled this time and maybe do the kit some other time after I've got more experience uder my belt. DALE
amccall
40 Cal.
Sounds like a good plan. If you read up on what to do and take your time, you should be fine. I bought a Siler lock complete for the same reason as you. If you are going to brown the lock you will have to take it apart anyways but once you get it apart you can see how everything moves and operates. Good luck and hope you do build the rifle, it is fun to shoot a flintlock that you built.
That's the main thing right there: Shooting a rifle I made myself. I hope someday I get a chance to build one from the ground up. I know damn well I couldn't do it now, but someday. I want to build something that can be passed down to my daughter when she's older, or if not her then her children.That's a long way off(she's only 4 yrs old). There's a special feeling taking a deer with a deer with a gun you built yourself.I've been itching to do this for a long time.DALE
brushbuster
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when i built my flinters ,i just about wore out my tape ,he takes you step by step on just about every thing.any time i would go to anuther step i would watch that tapeover and over until i under stood it.then if i dint under stand it or needed more info ,i would post it on this forum,and always got the help i needed .
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Even a lock that is complete, that is one that is already heat treated and put together needs to be taken apart to inlet the lock.
You would be doing yourself a favor when you buy the kit to also get a spring vise also. The cost is a few bucks , vs. the agravation takeing one apart and then putting it back together with out the tool is well worth the investment.
Woody
Guest
Right on Woodhick. I busted my Davis Jaeger mainspring with poor tool etiquette while using a vicegripe. Had to order a new spring and took my time using the visegrip making many minute adjustments and taking my time. Someday I'll get a proper spring cramp, maybe.
brushbuster
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he has two videos one for a wooden patch box and one for a brass patch box.
one bit of advise make sure you draw a line following the contour of your butt plate once you get your patch box in position.so when you put on the brass cap you cam hammer mould it to conform to the lines and make it matchwhen you lock it.
just remember to replay each step until you under stand it
if you get stuck stop what your doing and think it out or post it here
above all else TAKE YOUR TIME AND GO SLOW!!!!!
goog luck
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
one bit of advise make sure you draw a line following the contour of your butt plate once you get your patch box in position.so when you put on the brass cap you cam hammer mould it to conform to the lines and make it matchwhen you lock it.
just remember to replay each step until you under stand it
if you get stuck stop what your doing and think it out or post it here
above all else TAKE YOUR TIME AND GO SLOW!!!!!
goog luck
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
brushbuster
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that rifle is a n origional built by john trout circa 1855-1875.
it is a fixed breech double hammer in .44 cal.the top barrel is rifled and the bottom is a smooth bore and still shoots and the pride of my collection. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
heres a closer pic
p.s
i have only found two other examples of this rifle.one at collecters[url] firearms.com[/url].and gun[url] brokers.com[/url]
it is a fixed breech double hammer in .44 cal.the top barrel is rifled and the bottom is a smooth bore and still shoots and the pride of my collection. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
heres a closer pic
p.s
i have only found two other examples of this rifle.one at collecters[url] firearms.com[/url].and gun[url] brokers.com[/url]
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I borrowed a tape from a guy that was "Hershal House" builds a....can't remember the rest. In the tape, House makes his own patchbox, a "captured" lid patchbox at that. I found that to be interesting, and so one day....after about four attempts I had the idea down, confidence up and I put one of my own hand made patchboxes in a rifle...I even made the springs form an old washing machine spring clip. The thing works like a charm and I can launch Cheerios off of the lid.
I gave the rifle to my brother as a graduation gift...went to law school and passed the bar (I have a hard time passing a bar, buts that's a whole 'nuther story)
I reccomend watching ANY tape or video, everybody has their own certain way to do things and that's what I find most fascinating. So get a video, start making some some guns...and one more: don't be afraid of make "mistakes", that's the best way to learn. :imo:
Good luck, have fun, be safe.
