When building a rifle from a blank or kit, are there any steps U dislike?

[voltigeur]

all are very time consuming chores if you want do the things as the best you can ,but drilling ram rod give me a little stress.Everything 's not easy when you do this for the first time such as you harden the frizzen.

But when it's finished and you press the trigger and you heard the sound,smell the burned black powder,you
feel very well and relieved.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

I only have experience putting together a Lyman GPR kit, but I bought a stock from Pecatonica river to replace my TC Renegade stock. I wasn’t thinking to ask, but I received it without having the ram rod hole drilled. I haven’t started the project yet, but that’s got me nervous.

You didn't say if the RR channel was routed out. If the channel is in correct alignment and proper depth, drilling is no big deal, with a straight sharp bit. The drill just follows the channel. If you need to install the channel, take care to do it accurate and the drilling should be OK

 

[Jaeger]

Inletting the butt plate! Preparing sandcast parts for inletting! Drilling holes on centers! I learned to do this last item on my first and only build. It's a little nerve-wracking. The inlet on my stock for the butt plate on my Jaeger kit from TOW is even partially done, but I was dismayed to discover that both sides of the butt plate tang are assymetrical...part of the styling of the period I guess.

 

[Lippy984]

You didn't say if the RR channel was routed out. If the channel is in correct alignment and proper depth, drilling is no big deal, with a straight sharp bit. The drill just follows the channel. If you need to install the channel, take care to do it accurate and the drilling should be OK

Well it’s a half-stock. So I’m assuming I’m going to inlet the barrel first, then with the pipes installed I’ll be able to use them as a guide. That’s the plan anyways

 

[sportster73hp]

My least like part is always the part that i am doing at the time. Once its done i think “ that wasn’t so bad “. This would be the butt plate right now. The ramrod hole was easy once the channel forward of it was cut, use it as a guide. Buy or borrow the correct drill bit.

 

[old ugly]

i don't like the part when the inletted part is almost fitted, but it needs just that little bit more wood trimmed to make it fit. i hold my breath for so long i almost pass out.
ou
tom

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

i don't like the part when the inletted part is almost fitted, but it needs just that little bit more wood trimmed to make it fit. i hold my breath for so long i almost pass out.
ou
tom

Tom, I am no expert by a long shot. I either scrape or use a needle file to remove the perimeter outline profile of the object. If needed, I use lamp black to know the area. If you take the wood off a few thousands a fit/try, you can arrive at the inlet in good shape.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Inletting the lock plate seems to have given me the most frustration.
It had all kinds of bends and points.
The other thing was shaving the wood down so its paper thin. Good thing its pinned and fiber glassed in . Thats right glass bedded.

 

[Buckskinn]

Waiting for it to get delivered... The last 2 years I've ordered a kit from Chamber's as my Christmas present from my wife. Learned that it takes a lot more time that I anticipated to get it here, but both have been delivered a week or 2 after Christmas. This year I ordered much earlier, in September, but still waiting. I'm not complaining, I know the COVID deal and Barbie is having some health issues and that is a far more important matter than me getting my fowler kit and I'd rather her get well than me get my kit. But that is the hardest part for me all the rest is just part of the fun!

 

[Josh Sawyer]

Waiting for it to get delivered... The last 2 years I've ordered a kit from Chamber's as my Christmas present from my wife. Learned that it takes a lot more time that I anticipated to get it here, but both have been delivered a week or 2 after Christmas. This year I ordered much earlier, in September, but still waiting. I'm not complaining, I know the COVID deal and Barbie is having some health issues and that is a far more important matter than me getting my fowler kit and I'd rather her get well than me get my kit. But that is the hardest part for me all the rest is just part of the fun!

I am also waiting on a stock from Chambers but feel the same way. I know Barbie and Jim were having health issues. Good health and family come first. When I spoke with Barbie over the phone recently she told be there had been an issue at the place that profiles their stocks and it was causing delays. I’m okay with waiting if it means the +$200 piece of wood I bought is worth it in the end which I’m sure it will be.

Best Regards,

Josh Sawyer

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Having spent the last three nights fitting the ramrod entry pipe, I wish to nominate that as my second least favorite component. Got it pinned today.

 

[Pete G]

Installing buttplate and rear pipe. For those who don't like sand castings, try your scrapers.

 

[Mulebrain]

In the middle of one now, and so far the fun ended with the but plate.
I am using a steel one, and their aint no give. It's gotta be fitted really well.

I had to take a break

 

[oldwood]

If only a few guns will be built , most folks are stuck using the standard tools of the trade , but if building is a bit more serious , the right tools make the hard jobs doable w/less stress. Been enjoying the hobby for 50+ years and am just as lazy as when I started. Tooling is why I still do the m/l hobby. ..........oldwood

 

[Rawhide67]

So far, I have had the barrel channels and ram rod holes done by the stock supplier. The butt plates frustrate me. Still have to re do one on a beautiful piece of striped maple.

 

[LawrenceA]

Has anyone mentioned paying for it? Or is that saving for it?
Yes a necessary evil but, for me, often the hardest step.

 

[JL]

Working on my first plank. So, as a beginner, I think I'd have to say barrel lugs/loops/tennons. Glad I researched (first) barrel wall thickness in relation to the fat boy lugs I received (and which most would receive if ordering) etc... Some of the above is tedious and I'm still dreading the ramrod hole, but this has been my biggest eye-opener. A lot of ambiguous info out there too, when it comes to this.

 

[fishtails7]

Quit doing total "scratch builds" in about 1974. To me , hacking out barrel channels and drilling perfect r/r holes , is a bore , when I could pay a master stock shaper a $120 to mill the barrel channel , shape the stock to one of 50+ patterns taken from existing originals , and he would also drill a r/r hole to near perfection , all in 1.5 hours. The $125 just was added on to the price of the wood blank. Since I had a real job and a family to support , those three very time consuming chores on a gun , was money well spent in buying back a week of evenings plus time on weekends spent doing the three above jobs on a build. I enjoy all the rest of the procedures in building m/l rifles.
Butt plates are time consuming , but a chore I prefer to do myself , as an incorrectly installed butt plate can ruin the looks of a rifle. The tools used to simplify a mundane job are a band saw , 1/4" wood chisel , a "safed " wood rasp , 1/4" die grinder w/ 1/2 " rasp bit , and Dremel type tool with 1/4 " drum shaped bit. Also , to speed up and maintain accuracy in positioning the already prepped sand cast butt plate , I've made a portable slightly elevated platform on which are mounted two identical cheap 4" jaw rotating base vises to hold the partially assembled gun. The additional 10" height of the contraption above my work bench allows me to see the alignment of butt plate to barrel sight plain. To speed prep of rough sand castings , if b/p tang has flats a 4" x 36" belt sander cuts time filing flats to zero. 1" X 42" belt sander eliminates the rest of butt plate prep to minutes. As they say, time is money, or time out on the shooting range , is priceless.........oldwood

Oldwood, wish you would have posted a picture of you vice contraption. Sounds like something I could use. Anytime I can get my work a little closer to me it is of great help to this old head

 

[oldwood]

Fish.........Sorry , I don't have one of those fancy phones because I have no cell tower service here. Any way , ya need 2ea. pcs. of 2" x 8" or 2" x 6" cut to 36" each. Also two vertical pcs. 'bout 6" long are placed crossways 'bout 8" in from the ends of the long pcs.. Drill and 3 " drywall screw the pieces together. Mount the two cheap 4" swivel base vises about 4" in from each end of the top board. It's good to put a heavy 4" x 6" pc.of thick leather ,one in each set vise jaws to protect the work. To keep the work straight and aligned in the vises , always leave the swivel part of each vise loose until the jaws are closed on the work. A big "C" clamp or two , on the bottom board to your table or bench on each end your ready fir action. Don't remember from 40+ years ago , where or who I saw using this rig , so it wasn't my idea. I'll blame it on the m/l stock shaping legend , Fred Miller. He's to blame for the massive muzzle loading rabbit hole created in Central Pa. around 1971. Also , Dick Getz got me to wear a head mounted 2 power magnifier. That makes your mistakes easier for you to see , and less noticeable at least for the untrained eye.........Hope this helps...........oldwood

 

[old ugly]

ok i figured out what it is that is the hardest.

S Y M M E T R Y !!!