Workhorse smoothbore

[Innawoodsman]

Hello , this is my first post here. I am going to build a .62 fowler from a kit from trackofthewolf.com as I already have the lock intended for it an it is in my budget. I am going to use it as my main hunting gun, for upland game and deer in ohio.I like to spend weekends and when I have the opportunity more time living off the land in the woods with a modern rifle , I want to do this with the smoothbore.So my goal is to build the hardiest , long lasting gun that I can , I do not wish to reenact any time period. My questions are : Brass or iron furniture?- which will be more durable? . Walnut or Maple stock? Brass or Nickel front bead ? And how should I finish the metal and wood?

Thanks , and sorry for the long post.

 

[hanshi]

Welcome to the forum, innawoodsman. While I can't really help you with those questions objectively, I'm sure there are others who will give you the info you need.

I can tell you what I chose, however. Mine is .62x38" stocked in maple. I chose a Colonial VA. lock from Chambers. Brass was my choice but through a communications snafu I ended up with iron furniture by mistake. But you know, it worked and looked fine. I also had a rear sight installed to use for ball and shot - I don't do upland fowling, just deer, turkey, squirrels, etc.

Give much consideration to what you will be doing with your gun and order accordingly.

 

[Spikebuck]

Finishes on metal and wood are probably pretty personal, but for a pure hunting gun, my preference is browned steel furniture so as not to have shiny metals visible. That's just me. I really like brass, especially when it's patina'd a bit and looks "used" but personally I want as little reflection as possible, hence my selection of browned steel. I also prefer a "satin" type wood finish because it's less reflective.

Much game is taken with guns full of brass or "bright" finished barrels, etc, so I'm sure it all works just fine and comes down to what YOU want. Many guns are pictured on this forum, so look around and see what you like!

My fowler is pictured in the Smoothbore section under the "Overpowder Wad Needed?" question. I didn't build it, but it's available in kit or completely built gun.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Any of those options are fine and if kept clean the gun will be around long after you're dead. I hope you got a high quality lock for it.

 

[Innawoodsman]

The Lock is an L&R Queen Anne , good or bad?

 

[Gump9604]

My .62 Tulle is brown Iron hardwate and I like the looks. welcome from another fellow Buckeye.

 

[Mike Brooks]

The Lock is an L&R Queen Anne , good or bad?

I would have went with a chambers lock,the L&R's aren't known for dependability. Have a set of springs and internals on hand and you'll be ok.

 

[Zoar]

In---

Your questions were: Brass or iron furniture?- which will be more durable? . Walnut or Maple stock? Brass or Nickel front bead ? And how should I finish the metal and wood?

1) Iron.
2) Walnut most likely but any individual piece of wood can be flawed
3) Nickel. Definitely!
4) Finish? -- Well, that is so much up to your personal taste. I would sand it very smooth with the last step being with 800X. I would use a dark wood, likewalnut color, filler that is made for stocks. 2 or 3 applications. Next color it will dark red/brown Alkanet Root in alcohol. About 6 applications. And color it even darker with some dark walnut either alcohol based or water based do not use oil based. 2 applications. Then I would hand apply about 15-18 layers of modern Tung Oil based product, rubbed in by hand real good. Applied very thin each layer and as said hand rubbed in. Then pumice and rotten stone finish, to bring out the depth and get the gloss down.

 

[rabjr]

I don't think it matters a tinkers damn whether the furniture is brass or iron. I've got two smoothbores and both wear brass hardware, never wished that was different...As far as wood goes, I would think your best bet would be a good plain hard piece of sugar maple would be the most durable but your not going to get that from Track. All they offer is soft red maple, it'll make a nice gun no doubt but it will collect dents and dings like crazy...

 

[Stumpkiller]

Others have much covered it. If you finish it with an oil product, like TruOil or boiled linseed oil, it is simple to refresh it occasionally with a drop of linseed oil rubbed in by the palm of your hand.

My rifle has iron furniture and I think it's easy to keep - same as the barrel and lock.

 

[roundball]

I am going to use it as my main hunting gun, for upland game and deer.
My questions are : Brass or iron furniture?- which will be more durable? . Walnut or Maple stock? Brass or Nickel front bead ? And how should I finish the metal and wood?

I agree with the thinking about the versatility of a smoothbore for general purpose woods hunting.
As one reference, my .62cal has a Chambers deluxe siler, Davis triggers, and brass furniture including a full length brass ramrod...in almost 20 years of hunting with brass furniture which I keep polished showroom ready, I've never had a time when it kept me from taking game...for sure, these guys never saw the .62's brass:

 

[Zoar]

In --- I just went to track of the wolf and saw they want about $75 bucks more for the walnut over the plain maple stock for your fowler. In that case, go with the plain Maple and upgrade to a Chambers Lock!

I just like the iron furniture idea better for you since it sounds like you are on a tight budget and you titled this thread "workhorse", that's all.

A workhorse is a workhorse and will get dinged so maple is just fine and iron is just fine but go with the silver bead it will not tarnish like the brass and will show better in low light.

 

[Innawoodsman]

Thanks for all the replies , I already have the Queen Anne lock
So i am more or less stuck with it , why is a chambers lock superior? Track also says the English Fowling Gun Stock cannot be retrofitted to fit a chambers. Their Fusil de chase is fit for a R.E. Davis Lock . I am ordering from track specifically so that I can spread out the purchases of parts over a period of time.

 

[dd832]

In --- I just went to track of the wolf and saw they want about $75 bucks more for the walnut over the plain maple stock for your fowler. In that case, go with the plain Maple and upgrade to a Chambers Lock!

Unfortunately, the Chambers English style locks will not fit the pre-inlet English fowler stock from Track. The L&R Queen Anne lock is 5.6" long, the Chambers 6.07". Even the Chambers Siler gunmaker lock is too short at 5.3" to fit the inlet. I believe in Tracks' catalog they state the Chambers long doesn't fit that stock, the lock panels are too short....probably because they get that request a lot.

Since Innawoodsman might be a novice builder the change the lock advice would quickly get him in a bind. The other route is to look at the Chamber's smoothbores and pay more for an upgraded product. Just a thought. Mike

 

[Zoar]

Yes, I see. Lock will not fit. Okay.

In--I also wonder if you have called Tennessee Valley Muzzleloaders or Stonewall Creek to see if they would sell you the parts that you need and give you a better deal. All of these guys would sell you parts over time if that is how you needed to do it. I am not trying to take bizz away from TRACK but they are not the only provider in the US and the other companies have been very good to me, too.

Your 62 Fowler concept is a good one. It is so versatile and a useful survival/hunting gun. ...You have me thinking about this approach as well... hmmmmm.

 

[Innawoodsman]

How are R.E. Davis Locks , on par with a chambers? and does anyone have experience with fusil-de-chasse type guns , is the stock more comfortable than a traditional fowler.Also the only other gun i have built was a spanish .32 percussion pistol.

 

[Mike Brooks]

The davis early english lock is a good one. It's the same size as the chambers, so may not work on your stock.

 

[smoothy]

You may consider inletting the lock yourself. Get some information on how to do it and maybe you'll make that decision. If you do, you can get any stock you want that isn't already inletted for the lock. You can get a stock from other vendors like Pecatonica River Rifle Supply. They have a fowler stock with plently of wood to leave it beefy if you want or make it slender. There are other vendors, but this company is only 30 miles away from me and were easy to work with.

 

[123.DieselBenz]

Call Tip Curtis in TN ... He has everything in stock you could ever think of needing!

If your sure you want to go with Track ... Meme sure they have what you want in stock ... Just because it is in there catolog, does not mean that they can get it for you in less than six months, or more!

 

[Many Klatch]

Straight grained hard maple makes a durable stock. Curly maple is a pain to work with unless you have some experience working with it.

Many Klatch