York Rifle

[NORD]

Howdy from Wyoming everyone!

I am 'looking' at 'possibly' building the Jim Chambers Early York Pennsylvania Rifle. At least this rifle catches my eye on his website. Like any other good engineer I am researching this possiblity well before I make a move. Sooo...I am asking for photos of your York rifles: new, old, Jim Chambers kits, I want them all, so I can get an idea of what a York is composed of.

Thank you very much! :hatsoff:

 

[Slowpoke]

Here is my Chamber's York rifle.... but I didn't like the fact that Chamber's kit does not support double set triggers so I got a trigger guard from Cabin Creek. I also sent one of my stock off to be made into this kit, I say that because this stock is wormy with a lot of stains.
I have nothing but good things to say about this gun, it's well balanced with the 40 caliber Rice barrel and lock showers sparks. Now that said, there a tremendous amount of work that has to be done to make it look right. I had to take off a lot of excess wood and I raised the cheek piece.
I built it as a gun I could take into the woods and not worry that much about getting it dinged up, wet, or broken.
If you get one, you won't be disappointed.

 

[NORD]

I also sent one of my stock off to be made into this kit, I say that because this stock is wormy with a lot of stains.

Thanks Slowpoke for the photos!

What do you mean by "stock is wormy with a lot of stains"? :hmm:

 

[Slowpoke]

What do you mean by "stock is wormy with a lot of stains"? :hmm:

This was a nice hard piece of wood that had a lot of curl in it but no one wanted it because of all the worm holes and stains in the wood. I've arrowed a couple of the worm holes and around the holes you can see the stains.
Basically what happens is...some sort of boring insect/worm drills into the tree. Then over the years rain washes the tannin off the tree and fills the holes causing these streaks in the wood. These streaks and holes are undesirable to some.
I liked the stock, bought it for $45, and I sent it to Bob Lepley to have carved. I really didn't do a good job on the rifle as a whole. I was in a hurry to get it finished and just slapped it together over a 3 day weekend.

 

[NORD]

OK I see now...thank you.

It is a very beautiful stock!
How is fancy curly maple like to work with? Does it chisel and cut fine (like walnut or cherry) or is it hard to control with all the figure?

 

[NORD]

What tools did you use to do the carving in the stock?

 

[Slowpoke]

Every stock is different as far as how it carves but this one was pretty easy. I carved it with an X-Acto knife and a small shovel gouge.
I think it's pretty too.... you don't see that many stock like this because they usually get turned into pallets. They'd probably hang up on you if you called Dunlap, Harrison, or Tiger Hunt and asked them for a wormwood stock. :rotf:

 

[Java Man]

Slowpoke,

I really like that stock. Its got character. And we all know, character matters! :thumbsup:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

[

Here is my Chamber's York rifle.... but I didn't like the fact that Chamber's kit does not support double set triggers so I got a trigger guard from Cabin Creek. I also sent one of my stock off to be made into this kit, I say that because this stock is wormy with a lot of stains.
I have nothing but good things to say about this gun, it's well balanced with the 40 caliber Rice barrel and lock showers sparks. Now that said, there a tremendous amount of work that has to be done to make it look right. I had to take off a lot of excess wood and I raised the cheek piece.
I built it as a gun I could take into the woods and not worry that much about getting it dinged up, wet, or broken.
If you get one, you won't be disappointed.

I install the largest appropriate triggerguard with set triggers also, when hunting with gloves, I want adequate room to use front trigger only without it being set.

When I first started building, I installed patchboxes, now all my hunting ML's are sans patchbox, never used them for anything and have come to like the uncluttered appearance.

 

[szihn]

Here are some I have made with "York influence" in them.
Steve Zihn

 

[szihn]

here's a few more

 

[oldarmy]

Wow.... :bow: :bow: :grin:
Those are just great.
Love the wire work and the patch box inletting is just wonderfull.
How do you do stuff like that?????

 

[szihn]

Thanks Old Army

The secret is to get the hachet REALLY sharp................
:grin:

Actually, it's just like anything else. If you do it for 36 years, you get good at it. I made my first muzzleloader when I was 14. I have done it ever since.
I am now 50.
Someday I may get to where I am satisfied with my own work. Until then, I just keep trying.

Good shooting.
Steve Z.

 

[redwing]

Nice work Steve, I have always admired your guns. :thumbsup:

 

[szihn]

Thank You Redwing.

Steve

 

[NORD]

Thank you Steve for the photos! Very nice rifle, you have great talant!

Please keep the photos coming! :hatsoff: