• Select rifle style and components (lock, stock, barrel, butt plate and trigger guard).  Recommended reading helps here.  So does Track of the Wolf catalog.    
• Prepare full scale drawings with all details included.  This can be done on the lock side of the stock blank once it is planed.
• Plane the lock side of stock blank as a reference to keep the top and bottom of the stock square.   Until the lock is inlet,  you will work from the lock side of the stock blank as a reference for square.
• Layout rifle profile including actual barrel size and  shape; ramrod groove/hole (based on barrel size and shape); lock position (set by approximate location of touch hole/drum and ramrod hole); trigger/trigger guard position (set by lock position and position of sear); and castoff (0-1/4"; more for thick stocks, less for thin stocks) and butt plate position (trigger pull - curve of butt plate to trigger - 13 1/2" is average - actual based on shooter size and personal preference) on stock blank.  You need to layout all the major parts actual size in order to get the correct profile.
• Cut rifle profile out of blank cutting just to the outside of you pencil line.
• Re-layout barrel, ramrod groove/hole; lock position; trigger/trigger guard position; and castoff  and butt plate position on stock blank.  
• Breech barrel and crown muzzle (some better barrels come breeched and crowned).  Shape and bend tang.  Some barrels that are roughly milled will need to be draw filed before you begin to inlet them.
• Remove breech plug and inlet barrel.  Then, inlet tang.
• Cut ramrod groove and drill ramrod hole.
• Inlet lock.
• Make/finish and inlet trigger/trigger assembly.
• Make/finish and install butt plate and partially shape buttstock.  Make sure you establish the final line of the bottom of the buttstock and lower forearm in order to inlet the triggerguard.
• Make/finish and install triggerguard and partially shape lock mortice and wrist.
• Make/finish and install ramrod pipes
• Make, install, and inlet barrel loops.
• Install barrel pins or wedges
• Install tang and lock screws
• Finish shaping buttstock, lock mortice, and wrist.   Start at the lock mortice and work back to the butt plate.
• Shape forestock starting at the lock mortice and working forward to the muzzlecap.
• Make/finish and install muzzlecap
• Sand, scrape, or burnish stock to final surface finish.
• Make/finish and install side plate or washers and toe plate.
• Make/finish and install patch box and inlays
• Complete any desired carvings, mouldings, wire inlay or engraving
• Drill touch hole or install touch hole liner or drum and nipple.
• Make/finish and install sights
• Polish barrel, lock and other metal parts to finial finish.
• Tune lock and triggers if you haven't already done so.
• Brown or fire blue barrel  if desired.  Locks should be polished bright or color case hardened. All steel parts may be left white.  Some hunters may want all steel parts browned or blued although this probably happened naturally over time with exposure and wear.  
• Apply stain and final finish to stock as desired.
• Make ramrod
• Sight in, and start shooting.

This page was last updated on 04/01/05 .

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