AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: Pierce on October 16, 2025, 05:30:29 AM
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Hey guys, after my sucess with my first hardware store flintlock rifle I am going to build another one and do kind of a build along. I am trying to be a little more period accurate a little more traditional with it instead of completely going my own way with it hahaha. I really had no idea what I was doing the first time, just knew the concept and well that one turned out pretty good. I was gifted some drawings and literature by Gary so this time I have a little more to reference off of. Although I am still probably going to put my own little touches on it. It also may not be the most exquisite piece as I am only using a hacksaw, some files, and taps. I learned a lot from my last build and after close to 1000 shots out of that thing haha I know what I like and dont like about what I did.
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Here is the barrel breech plug and touch hole bushing. The barrel is .5in DOM tubing 1/4" wall. I tapped the hole for the breech plug with a 9/16" fine thread tap in about 3/4". I am later going to just be welding a tang onto the breech plug bolt but for now I havent yet.
Some may already know about this technique I used to rifle the barrel from the shooting BP section of this forum. Anyway I scratch-rifled it first with a 1:70" twist then I put a small metal chisel that I made on the side of a ram rod and then build up the other side of the ram rod with electrical tape and paper to push the chisel into the side of the barrel. The scratch rifling guides the chisel down the barrel to get fairly perfect rifling and then you just do that a bunch of times around the barrel, with a little finesse of course. All of those micro rifling grooves will grab onto that bullet and twist that ball downrange. You need a fairly tight fitting patch and roundball of course.
Anyway I used a 1/4" bolt to make the touch hole bushing. First I coned one end of the bolt with a drill bit that I modified a little to be more pointy ro make a deeper cone of course and then I drilled a tiny hole through it using the apex of the cone to guide the bit into the metal. I then cut it off from the rest of the bolt with a hacksaw, filed it smooth and finally used the hacksaw to notch a groove for a flathead screwdriver.
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Pictures
(https://i.ibb.co/x86ScDqL/20251015-211514.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k6Xgrx2B)
(https://i.ibb.co/vCWPLGSy/20251012-204531.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tw6sYt9j)
(https://i.ibb.co/sv9HcmHb/20251015-211848.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TBMLJvLY)
(https://i.ibb.co/1tB0KtYw/20251015-211949.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fzZXtzVP)
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I have already started the lock mechanism. And I have a very rough drawing of the design I am going with.
I already for the most part finished the tumbler. I used a 9/6" bolt and pretty much just filed and sawed it into my desired shape.
(https://i.ibb.co/QjqZMXJV/20251015-202437.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0VWkrQnL)
(https://i.ibb.co/HfpwQjXR/20251015-211407.jpg) (https://ibb.co/B5KWR9wv)
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Tumbler pic
(https://i.ibb.co/384M0mF/20251015-211350.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cpkCNh8)
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I commend you on trying to build one from scratch, while this sight is filling up with so many Kibler kit threads.
I am sorry to see you installed the touch hole line already. I never do that until the barrel is installed and pinned in place and tang bolted down to the trigger plate and the lock is inletted and bolted down. Then you know the exact position of the pan to the barrel.
Good luck and keep posting, you will learn a LOT through this process!
Tom C.
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I commend you on trying to build one from scratch, while this sight is filling up with so many Kibler kit threads.
I am sorry to see you installed the touch hole line already. I never do that until the barrel is installed and pinned in place and tang bolted down to the trigger plate and the lock is inletted and bolted down. Then you know the exact position of the pan to the barrel.
Good luck and keep posting, you will learn a LOT through this process!
Tom C.
Yeah it'll be alright as I can still weld the tang in whatever orientation I need. And if for some reason I need to move the tough hole back i can just remove material from the back of the barrel and rethread it. No big deal
But today I got the hammer roughed out and some more done on the tumbler. For this gun I want to have a hair trigger trigger so that is why I put that little stop lever thingy in it. Otherwise the search pin would just catch on the halfcock.
(https://i.ibb.co/fGC7scmn/20251016-131226.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cXNdjmzC)
(https://i.ibb.co/fVZhmCh6/20251016-135543.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0p1gPfg4)
(https://i.ibb.co/JWyLzV8J/20251016-140135.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MyGTRrK0)
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Tumbler
(https://i.ibb.co/6JJB2y01/20251016-160155.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bRRJx652)
public image sharing link (https://imgbb.com/)
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Hi,
Is that how thick your flint cock will be? It looks more like those on dog locks from the 17th century. Is there going to be an internal bridle for the tumbler? Also it is far better to shape and orient your mainspring so that the lower leaf is straight at full cock. See photo below.
(https://i.ibb.co/GQ3YTR3V/Kenny-G-s-Bernett-lock-5.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Zz14mx1h)
Let me help you by giving you some terminology so we all can be on the same page. The thing that holds the flint is called a cock. It has a lower jaw and a top jaw held in place by the top jaw screw. The thing the flint strikes to create sparks is called the frizzen but in the 18th century it was called a hammer, steel, or battery. The frizzen covers the pan where priming powder is put. It pivots on the frizzen screw. The spring below the frizzen is the frizzen or feather spring. It is held to the lock plate by the feather spring screw. Inside the lock, the cock is attached to the tumbler which has the notches and toe upon which the mainspring presses. The screw holding the cock to the tumbler is called the tumbler pin or screw. The little sliding neck tie looking piece of steel is called the fly detent. The "L" shaped part that has a tooth engaing the notches on the tumbler is called the sear and the screw holding it in place is called the sear screw. The sear is tensioned by a small spring called the sear spring which is attached to the lock plate by the sear screw. On all locks with fly detents, the tumbler is held in place on the inside of the lock by a bridle held on to the lock plate by a bridle screw and the sear screw. The big spring powering the lock is called the mainspring and it is either anchored to the lock plate with a screw or a tab that fits into a slot in the thickened section of the lock plate behind the pan called the bolster or reinforce
dave
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Thanks Dave and yeah kinda I'm just using a screw to hold the little lever thing down, I still dont know what its called haha. It's not the prettiest I guess but very functional and I guess I think it looks pretty neat.
(https://i.ibb.co/W4VgSX12/20251016-195403.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ksmQYTFS)
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That’s going to be a big lock judging by the size of that tumbler!
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Hi Pierce,
It is called a "fly' or "fly detent". It probably is not a good idea to hold it in place with a screw unless you can assure that the screw will not loosen or tighten during use. A better solution would be to insert a threaded pin into the tumbler that the fly can rotate freely around. Then cap the tumbler with a bridle that keeps the fly from falling out and also supports the inner side of the tumbler. You can see the bridle in the photo I attached above.
dave
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This is well on the way to becoming a most interesting thread! I hope all involved can stay the course as this project evolves. Thanks for the pleasant diversion. There is much to be learned here. I'm hoping for a slow burn, rather than a flash in the pan. Thanks, all!
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This is well on the way to becoming a most interesting thread! I hope all involved can stay the course as this project evolves. Thanks for the pleasant diversion. There is much to be learned here. I'm hoping for a slow burn, rather than a flash in the pan. Thanks, all!
I agree, keep going!
This is an interesting project, and you are going to learn a lot!
Try to use the correct terminology as smart dog has posted so we all know what you're talking about.
John
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Well dang, I might have to give a flintlock a try. About 5 months ago I started my first muzzleloader build, a .45 caliber long rifle. 42 inch barrel from track of the wolf, white oak stock, I made the lock from the JACO plans. It's *almost* done. I own a lathe now, could save some money on powder drums and nipples. I can't think of much else to make on one of these.
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Well I refined the Cock a little and added the key hole. I also drilled and taped the tumbler pin screw hole. It's all fitting perfectly.
(https://i.ibb.co/ShdFXsg/20251018-211616.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Xh3cZ2P)
(https://i.ibb.co/pB0wnQ8J/20251018-211520.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HfF4XCsn)
(https://i.ibb.co/sds6c8qH/20251018-211528.jpg) (https://ibb.co/YFfyJHhZ)
(https://i.ibb.co/sxypz48/20251018-211633.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wGMZjq5)
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Made the lock plate and slowly refining everything to make it look nicer. The Tumbler and the cock fit perfectly to the lock plate, no wobble and very freemoving
(https://i.ibb.co/MmLWSQ0/20251019-123603.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XqTNLMR)
(https://i.ibb.co/tw0r1KMP/20251019-123612.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wZnm2gNr)
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This is fun to watch. I like your can-do approach. On the cock, do you think you have enough vertical spur to allow accommodating flints of different thickness? Generally the rear of the top jaw needs to rest its backside against the top spur to stabilize the flint well.
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This is fun to watch. I like your can-do approach. On the cock, do you think you have enough vertical spur to allow accommodating flints of different thickness? Generally the rear of the top jaw needs to rest its backside against the top spur to stabilize the flint well.
Not entirely sure yet. I know the lower jaw on the cock seems to be a bit long but I'd rather it be a bit long for now until I tap it and put the top jaw screw in with the upper jaw. Also I knap my own flint so I can knap it however I guess
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So got a good chunk done on the pan and got it fitted to the lock plate. The place where the sharpie mark is is where I am going to put a counter sunk screw. To hold the pan to the lock plate. The other end will be key holed in with the frizzen screw.
On my last lock I made i welded the pan onto the lockplate and I found it to be very difficult to make that look nice at all. Having them separate makes it much easier to machine with hacksaw and files. On that note I'll post a photo of how I machine things. I mostly just cut slats with the hacksaw and then cut those off and file it smooth. It works suprisingly quick.
(https://i.ibb.co/fYJCp0ZG/20251020-111113.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bgtrBdYR)
(https://i.ibb.co/cX3ZYSwJ/20251020-111130.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zHxB6TFs)
(https://i.ibb.co/gM7c7wYS/20251020-111225.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DDbjbkd9)
(https://i.ibb.co/B2SKs1Jw/20251020-103330.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Qv1jm5VX)
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I put the screw in and then hollowed out the pan and milled away the material for where the frizzen will go and also drilled the hole for the frizzen screw.
Side note, I just love the way countersunk screws look. They look so very clean and elegant
(https://i.ibb.co/DgC0rQqW/20251020-184312.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wrW5c4vg)
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I made the top jaw and threaded the bottom jaw to recieve the top jaw screw. I also threaded the frizzen screw. All I need to do for the lock mechanism is make the sear pin, searpin spring, frizzen, frizzen spring, and the main spring!
(https://i.ibb.co/R4vDG4tx/20251020-211950.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Wpx2Np7b)
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I have the frizzen roughed out. I still have to refine it and make everything work properly but anyway I just took an old chisle and welded it to a piece of mild steel that I cut out to the desired shape.
I think I'm gonna do some engraving on everything to make it look prettier. Any tips on polishing the steel up and getting scratches out of it?
(https://i.ibb.co/Gf4ftSSS/20251021-211433.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mrVrXWWW)
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I am trying my hand at engraving. I took triangle file and sharpened one end into a chisle shape and it seems to be working pretty good. I want to try to engrave a grouse in that section where there is no engraving yet. Its pretty fun and satisfying!
(https://i.ibb.co/TBfwz8sz/20251022-134734.jpg) (https://ibb.co/RpFgL0qL)
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Interesting posts. Good job learning to engrave.
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I also decided to file the barrel into an octagonal shape. It was a lot of work but I think it definitely looks better
(https://i.ibb.co/cSggbDFZ/20251022-163501.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JwBBx57G)
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Well done. Did one way back in the 70's. Even for a strong lad (back then) it was a LOT of work. I don't remember how.log it took, either, but came out with more even flats than a normal Bauska barrel. Maybe I was just unlucky with those.
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Thanks Daryl! Yeah it took me a little over an hour and a half. Its only a 20" barrel tho so thats probably why it went so quick. Im excited to finish this one. The short barrel is gonna make it so much easier to use. And I'm putting in a little more attention to detail than my first one so I'm also excited to see how it looks even.
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Scratch building a flintlock rifle is an admirable project and it is entirely possible. There are numerous books full of pictures of rifles made from tree trunks and raw metal. Most of those guns were made by men who were trained as young boys, and they knew all of the secrets and the reasons as to why things were built the way they were built. When I was14years old I attempted to make a hatchet with a large piece of angle iron and a hack saw, Fortunately my grandfather caught wind of if and stopped me, "You need an anvil and a forge for that kind of work" was his only comment and that started a blacksmithing project that lasted for over fifty years.I have made probably 30 locks from scratch and thousands of other things. Athough I will not say that lock makeing is an easy job, it is not all that difficult. Locks are four basiic parfts which need to interact nearly perfectly. There are many posts on this forum about lock geometry and many shooters have owned commercial flintlock rifles that refuse to discharge properly without some major rework to the lock and touch hole. A good drawing of a real flintlock is very useful, a rough sketch is nearly worthless. Do a little research on this forum on lock making and don't stray from the old prototypes, There is a reason that each part of a lock is shaped and sized the way they are and you don't need to get too far from the proper form to get a half pound collection of springs, screws and gizmos that does nothing at all. If I had no drawings or measurements for a real lock I would buy a Siler lock and reverse engineer it. Looking at the pictures on your post leads me to believe that you are fully capable of this kind of work and with a little bit of study You will complete the project and want to build more.
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Thanks Clint! And yes this one should work pretty good, obviously its a tiny bit different than a traditional lock but the geometry all lines up and once I get those springs made and harden the frizzen it should spark pretty good! My last one works very good, that one is wayyyy different than traditional locks as I used a tension spring hahaha. But I mean it works and you can't argue with that I guess.
I had my wife draw a ruffed grouse on the lock plate and I engraved it out and I am very pleased with how it turned out! The engraving really makes it look like a finished product.
(https://i.ibb.co/n8wP16Gq/20251022-205137.jpg) (https://ibb.co/G3dHMn6f)
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Well i got the frizzen spring and the main spring made and also hardened the frizzen and she sparks! I just have to make the sear pin spring and then of course make that frizzen spring look prettier and then its done!
(https://i.ibb.co/dw4yW0kx/20251023-194658.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0Ry3DjYv)
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Here's a link to a video of it working, I still very much need to make the search pin a little easier to pull. I had to take a darn hammer to get it to go off haha
https://quickshare.samsungcloud.com/jUdEuWfhE9d7
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You seem to have ability. I would suggest getting some original parts and using them as patterns and prototypes. I’d bet there are people here who would give you good parts to study. Though it may feel good, trying to rely on your own designs will not get you all that far.
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This is awesome. Thanks for sharing. Do you have any pictures of the first one you built?
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You seem to have ability. I would suggest getting some original parts and using them as patterns and prototypes. I’d bet there are people here who would give you good parts to study. Though it may feel good, trying to rely on your own designs will not get you all that far.
Thanks Jim, means a lot coming from a legend! And yes I agree very much, I need to get ahold of some original parts. I just dont have the money to spend right now. I also dont really have access to my forge so I've been having to get creative with flatbar to make stuff work. I've just been kinda working with what I've got! But when I get those things I feel pretty confident that I could do a pretty okay job replicating them! This probably is not going to be the last gun I make haha. It is very fun and very satisfying.
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This is awesome. Thanks for sharing. Do you have any pictures of the first one you built?
Yes I have pictures! Haha last time I posted it on here people thought it looked ugly
(https://i.ibb.co/LXj1QjF1/20250414-175423.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Q3SM8SgM)
(https://i.ibb.co/VWvMjtDG/20250414-175552.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kghqHx0T)
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No disrespect but it does look like something Yosemite Sam from Outer Space would carry, but probably 99 percent of us in this world darn sure couldn't make one like it. Imagine years from now after an Apocalypse and there are no regular guns or ammunition left. Someone with your talent could come in handy.
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That's pretty cool, Pierce. It might not have... the "look" of a traditional gun, but it's better looking than I expected! Pretty impressive. I've thought of scratch building one a couple of times if I don't have the patience yet. Maybe I'll get there. Good work and thanks for sharing.
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it sparks nicely. That's the most important thing. The cock on it looks super heavy and thick though. You could definitely slim it down some.
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Pierce,
In the photo it looks like you had your flint in there without any leather around it, and without it touching the shank of the jaw screw. Most of us get our best sparks if we use a piece of leather with a hole in the middle, with the leather wrapped around the flint, and the flint slid back so that it rests against the screw shank. The leather helps the jaws grip the flint. The hole in the leather allows the flint to directly contact the screw shank. If the flint is not sitting directly against the screw shank, then the leather just becomes a shock absorber, preventing the flint from digging in adequately.
You may also want to file the front edge of the jaws, especially the top jaw, so that the metal of the jaws slope down to a thinner edge. That helps keep the top jaw from hitting the frizzen as the flint slides down the face of the frizzen.
The stiffness in the release could be because of one or combinations of things. Common problems include:
1. the angle of the full cock notch,
2. the full cock notch is too deep,
3. the face of the notch is not adequately smooth, such that the sear gets stuck in the rough surface,
4. the tip (nose) of the sear is too flat (A thin, rounded sear tip will work more smoothly, as it allows the face of the notch to slide over the tip as if moving through a series of tangents. In contrast, a flat edge will require the tumbler to be pushed away (rotated away) from the tip as the sear is released.)
5. a poorly fitted sear screw, such that the sear doesn't pivot efficiently on the screw,
6. two strong a sear spring,
7. the tip of the sear spring isn't polished, or the top of the sear isn't polished, so that the spring is grabbing or digging in rather than sliding as the sear is raised,
8. the lower arm of the sear spring is too long, so that as the spring is compressed it binds against the sear. (The lower arm should have some length, as that contributes to a smoother action, but that length has to be positioned correctly. A V spring normally has a downward curve added to the lower arm--that's called a "pre-load". As the spring is compressed that bend straightens out, effectively making the spring slightly longer, straight line measurement. So, if the tip of the spring is already sitting right against the bump in the sear body where the screw passes through, then there is no room for that added length when the spring straightens. So sometimes it's necessary to file a few thousandths off the end of the spring, and polish both the bottom edge of the spring that rides on the sear, and also polish the top of the sear at that engagement area.)
(There are a few other issues that sometimes cause trouble, but these are common.)
Regarding the angle of the notch, here’s a link and excerpt from an old post discussing full cock notch geometry. You may want to read that thread, but I wanted to show you the diagram from Acer, in particular.
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=20505.msg193894#msg193894
Here's what I'm trying to say, in picture format.
A will pop right out of cock without a sear spring to hold it in.
B will require lots of effort to trip the sear.
C is neutral as far as angles. It's what I try for when I tune my locks.
(https://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a246/Tom45-70/Breech%20Designs/Triggers/NotchesandSears.jpg)
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Yeah I fiddled with it some more already and got it pulling pretty smoothly. And about the flint i literally just took a rock from the ground and threw it in hahaha was only half expecting it to work didnt even put any effort into getting it knapped or placed properly.
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I can imagine comparable work done in remote regions of the world where the indigenous people had no access to gun parts but who made and cobbled functioning firearms much the way you are doing here. Even to the decorations you added on the first one. The Vietnam Montanyards come to mind.
I am very impressed.
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Nice try. Look at original work and report back.
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Nice try. Look at original work and report back.
Wooooaaahhh what's with this comment? Thats the old flintlock I made. That isn't this one. The one I am currently making is more aligned with "original work" the only thing that doesn't really align perfectly is the cock on my new one...but I cant help that right now because I dont have access to my forge. I can always make a new cock. Honestly I'd like to see you make a functioning flintlock from scratch without much tools.
And honestly I do not see why everyone gets so offended by my first one. Its not absolutely perfect but its pretty darn good and yes it does look like a flintlock. Why are there so many up in arms about it not being "exactly like how they were made in the 1800s" like honestly neither is your kibbler kit. Its made with cnc machine tools, which is totally fine! Absolutely nothing wrong with that, Jim's stuff is top notch! I just dont get why one would come at me for my interpretation of a flintlock. Im not using it for reenactments. I use it for hunting and its pretty darn effective.
Also if I show my old one to any person off the street they wouldn't be able to tell much of a difference between the one I made and "original work" . I have people come up to me all the time when I'm at the range and say that its a cool old gun and then I tell them I made it. And others that do know what flintlocks are are fooled as well! Why get so weird about something that is functional and beautiful, maybe a little less refined but beautiful in its own right.
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Pierce,
Just keep at it. You are making good progress and we are all enjoying your sharing it with us.
Whetrock
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You seem to have ability. I would suggest getting some original parts and using them as patterns and prototypes. I’d bet there are people here who would give you good parts to study. Though it may feel good, trying to rely on your own designs will not get you all that far.
Thanks Jim, means a lot coming from a legend! And yes I agree very much, I need to get ahold of some original parts. I just dont have the money to spend right now. I also dont really have access to my forge so I've been having to get creative with flatbar to make stuff work. I've just been kinda working with what I've got! But when I get those things I feel pretty confident that I could do a pretty okay job replicating them! This probably is not going to be the last gun I make haha. It is very fun and very satisfying.
Send me your address and I’ll see if I can gather up some parts to send that you can look at and use as guides. Keep going!
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Woahh thanks Jim! That would be super helpful. I send you my address through a PM.
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You're building a tool to take game with. I don't ever recall a deer's dying wish saying to me "Ghee....I wish it would have been something other than that non-historic, big, ugly T\C Hawken with modern open sights!"
Have at it. Take your time. Enjoy the process and keep us posted. 8)
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I imagine there to be an interesting discussion to be had, lying just barely beneath the surface of this thread, on the relevant drive that motivates you, Pierce, as opposed to the drive that I and many others drawn to this site have, to create a black powder rifle.
Clearly, you are unencumbered by whatever force speaks to me, saying to me, "I need the closest representation of that vaunted firearm of our frontiersman forefathers, and recognizing that due to its rarity, I will not likely or easily own the actual unique antique." So, all my dreams and efforts center blindly on obtaining the most exacting copy possible.
My hat is off to you, as you seem to be of a small subset of talented craftsmen, gifted in mind and hand, but not yet burdened by the need to meet the demanding criteria of "original work." How irreverent to those of us who cannot easily see outside our chosen, distinct perspective. I am making an effort to allow that our tent is big enough to accommodate the journey you are taking, possibly influenced by this group who tend strongly toward orthodoxy.
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There is an allure to Folk Art and Craft.
This, to me, picks up on that.
Original, practical and unencumbered.
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This is the kind of thing magazines like Mother Earth News would love for an article. A real do-it-yourself story of self reliance. Different audience. Many here like to see this project and your ingenuity. But given the core interest of this forum - historical long rifles and their re-creation- it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Obviously you’re not trying to replicate original designs beyond “make a flintlock that functions.” Folks will try to “convert you” because they see a lot of skill, ingenuity, and drive.
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"But it doesn't look like one from 1778!" Balderdash! I admire your creativity and ability to make things that, though they might not look like 18th century, nevertheless - it functions just the same!
Some of the hints and suggestions are really good - but you use your own judgement. A 2025 Corvette does not look like an old Model T, but they both drive and steer.
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Well i shortened the jaws on the cock a bit and also rounded them, to make it look more historical, reduce weight, and improve where the flint strikes just a bit. I also blued it. It all functions very smoothly and gets very good spark. Im going to start working on the stock today.
(https://i.ibb.co/Gv51cF3h/20251025-101802.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6RWpgNJd)
(https://i.ibb.co/G4FjZ4JD/20251025-102039.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LXvfTXPy)
(https://i.ibb.co/VWdf234T/20251025-103127.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ccP4DxnQ)
(https://i.ibb.co/N6S8dppc/20251025-112121.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mC8LVttf)
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Is this an acceptable side profile?
(https://i.ibb.co/tMb8qnwN/20251025-130834.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Y7tpcJ4K)
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You need a wider board like a 2 x 12 to get more drop and a more comfortable cheek weld. That is why the older rifle in your other picture has such a high rear sight. It was probably needed to get it to shoot comfortably.
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No I made that rear sight like that on my old one to use as a long range sight. Its a long v notch with multiple tic marks going down it so you can be consistent with elavation at distances. That one shoots very comfortably. Also the funny thing is that with that side profile I drew on that wood was dang near an exact copy of a historical drawing I was given. It has the same amount of drop, I pretty much traced it haha. This is a smaller gun. It is only going to have a 20" barrel so I guess that may be why it seems so low.
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I finished up the main trigger on the trigger assembly. All I've gotta do now is make the set trigger and the set trigger spring
(https://i.ibb.co/qYRqZL1V/20251027-201045.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zVS9kWfD)
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You have some skill in fabricating parts and pieces for your rifles, but I wonder if you have a reason for straying so far from the traditional and historical shape and form found on the original rifles?
John
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You have some skill in fabricating parts and pieces for your rifles, but I wonder if you have a reason for straying so far from the traditional and historical shape and form found on the original rifles?
John
I guess I dont understand what you mean. The lock and the trigger mechanism is pretty close to what was made historically. Also there were very large variations from gun to gun. Each gunsmith had their own personal touch. I guess I'm not necessarily trying to copy someone else's work entirely. Why not make it my own? Its beautiful and it functions. Also I dont have access to my forge so I do have to get creative with some of the parts. I have to work with what I've got....which was very much so done historically. To argue my work isn't historically accurate is nonsense. Sure I'm not copying someone else's work entirely, but if you have ever made anything you would know that you cant possibly copy someone's work entirely.
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Well thanks for answering. And if you see your work as historically accurate, more power to you.
Click on the link below to go to our library of original rifles here, and see some actual historic long rifles for comparison, and consider how they might help you in your work.
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?board=111.0
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Keep up the great work. I appreciate everything you are doing. Don’t care what “school” it fits in or doesn’t. I don’t post my work for that very reason. I create not copy.