Building the Bedford

[wolfchoker]

After years of putting it off, I am planning on building an early bedford Flinter. Do any of the builders out there have some good pictures of their builds? I want to stay as close to the original configuration as possible. Thanks to All

[Herb]

There are 20 flint Bedfords pictured in Vaughn Whisker Sr and James Biser Whisker's book "Gunsmiths of Bedford, Somerset and Fulton Counties".  I don't know if it is still in print, but you should be able to get this through an interlibrary loan (ask your librarian).  I built a Thomas Oldham Bedford, faithfully copied from pictures of three of his rifles.  Sterling silver inlays, .40 caliber.



These were Track of Wolf's parts, the entry pipe was too far to the rear so I pieced the stock to move it to Oldham's location.

[Old Ford2]

Nice rifle!
Old Ford

[roamer]

Morning, I to am enamored with the Bedford. Only  problem I am left handed and can not find a left hand lock. I"ve built left hand Lancasters and Tenessee"s. If anyone out their knows of anyone who makes a rattail left hand or will make a left hand lock I would appreciate hearing from you.

[jeager58]

L&R used to make a left handed lock for the Bedford  # 1150 ?     call them....phil

[roamer]

Thanks Phil,if that fails do you know of anyone who would build one

[Osprey]

Here's the one I built last year for a good friend.  I like the Bedfords, will probably do a few more at some point.  Find a copy of the Whisker/Yantz book that Track of the Wolf published, tons of photos but they've got it listed as out of print now... 

[Herb]

Some more photos.  I think that second tang bolt must have been for a tang sight, so I made one.

[ERH]

I built my dad a left handed bedford flint lock  a few years back had to customize a bails lock by welding a peace of steel to the back of the plate and filed it to the shape i wanted  it worked out OK .

[David Rase]

wolfchucker,
The Bedford County rifle I built is featured in Contemporary Kentucky Rifles Vol.II by American Pioneer Video.  Don't know if you have access to a copy or not.
DMR

[T*O*F]

This is my brother's Bedford built in the 70's.

[roamer]

ERH ,Where did you get the hammer

[ERH]

it was flint so i just used the hammer on the bails lock . but there is a few people making copy's of bedford percussion hammers but dont know about left handed

[g rummell]

If your building an early Bedford left handed flinter, you can use a small left handed Siler. Very few if any of the early Bedford flinters ( Peter White, Joseph Mills) had the classic rat tail lock plate. If you check out the Peter White in the Virtual Library of the forum you will see what I mean. All you would have to do to the small Siler is gently round the pointed tail with a file and your good to go. Joseph Mills used more of a John Bailes style lock.

[roamer]

Thanks you give me hope