Good day fellas, I don’t post very often, preferring to benefit from other’s knowledge and experience on this site which is extensive and for which I give all of you thanks. I’ve noticed a good deal of interest in English rifles which I have always admired. I thought I’d share my own experience in building a rifle but at the same time I’m like the father who wants to show off his newborn child but still apprehensive that some one in the back of the room is going to call out "Hey, the kid’s cross eyed and drools". Anyway, here goes.
I started shooting BP in 1962 when I was 14 with an original .36 caplock. By 1975 I wanted a flintlock and decided to build one. Of course I got it all wrong and it now occupies a place of honor in the deepest darkest corner of the safe. By 77 I had built two more benefitting from previous mistakes. In 78 I decided to build an English rifle. Now this was back in the heyday of the Hawkin rifle and not many parts were available for an English rifle. I had one of Jerry Cunningham’s Montana Rifle barrels in .50 x 35” x 7/8” and a maple halfstock. I bought the L&R Durs Egg which might have been the only English style back then and dug up what looked to me like a shotgun style buttplate that would be similar to what might have been used. A trigger guard rounded out the beginnings. I got the barrel, lock and buttplate inletted..…then I got married.
Two wonderful daughters later the rifle had been consigned to an upper shelf in the shop. I built several other guns over the years but this orphan lay on the shelf. This spring, the daughters having moved out years ago, the wife and I decided to look for another house and I began to clean up in case we found a house we liked. Since I’m now in my 71st year I decided I’d best get this rifle built or the grandchildren would have to figure out what to do with it. If I were to start it now there are several, no, everything I’d change. Walnut stock, greater depth from heel to toe, swamped barrel, hooked breech, buttplate, etc, but I had already made a start on it so like the song says, knee deep in the Big Muddy and the durn fool says push on.
I reshaped the cheekpiece to a rounded style with a shadow line, made and engraved a trigger plate, used a chunk of black horn for a fore end cap, and used a pinned wedge to retain the barrel. Wedge escutcheons were cut from German silver, screws were fire blued. Forward lug on the trigger guard is filed to a hook that fits in a slot on the trigger plate and is pushed forward to lock it in place with the tail of TG held on by two screws. Trigger is offset to the right for access to trigger finger as was done on originals. Lock was rust blued, stock finished with aqua fortis and BLO/turp with a dash of cider vinegar, courtesy of advice from local stockmaker. For some reason the vinegar seems to harden the BLO/turp finish. Catalyst maybe?
First test shots were not promising, groups were about 4” at 50 yds. Checking patches showed cut marks from sharp rifling so a few wraps of 0000 steel wool on a jag were run down barrel. Next range session gave 5 shots in one ragged hole at 50 yds. from the bench. I use 70 gr 3F Goex from 90’s production, .018 pillow ticking with mink oil and a .490 RB. I know its not correct for any known style of rifle but then I built it for me with what I had from years ago. It just might become my next deer rifle but the SMR I built in 77 has taken more deer over the years than my .243 has.
Now I’m considering doing another English rifle the right way. At Dixon’s this year I was fortunate enough to get a good look at Smart Dog’s fine Sporting rifle as well as his award winning fowler. Maybe I can do better next time using the proper parts.
Comments are welcome, I have a thick hide, a sense of humor, and a desire to learn. Fire away.
