Small Stuff

[JCKelly]

Back in the last century when I still had some skills I made me a Frederick Sell, copied mostly after the one on page 75 in The Kentucky Rifle . . . a True American Heritage in Pictures, KRA 1967 but with a different cheek inlay.
Had a 14-1/4" barrel and 4-3/8" pull - not made for "today's larger shooters"

Sold it, of course. Recently we just became Reunited. Kids can sell it when I'm cooler.

Lock sparks. Damnifino how I made the patchbox latch to work.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

What a cool story, and beautiful work.

Coryjoe

[Dennis Glazener]

Nicely done, good looking little rifle.
Dennis

[Randall Steffy]

I returned my mouth from agape to closed and can now write "amazing." Making that small lock spark would be more than sufficient challenge.  Thanks for sharing.

[LynnC]

Its a miniature beauty Mr Kelly    Very realistic.

I'm compelled to ask....Does it shoot?

[cheyenne]

 

[JCKelly]

LynnC - Barrel is properly breeched & touch hole drilled, lock made at least one spark.
I never fired it.

Did make a 1/3 scale .25 cal matchlock musket a year or so earlier, sold too cheap. Some genius shot it. he had a lot of faith that I breeched it well!

[LynnC]

A great lil gun Mr Kelly.....Just "Had" to Ask 

[Acer Saccharum]

NAwww.... That is a huge arrowhead, not a tiny gun. I am amazed. Especially that you got scaled down curly maple (must be super fine curl).

I am really impressed. Thanks for posting.

Tom

[Ryan McNabb]

Yeah, well, people were a lot smaller back then.     

Would love to see some photos of the lock internals.  If there's a fly on the tumbler I'm going to break your thumbs.   

[JCKelly]

Thumbs safe. Not even a bridle.

[Larry Luck]

When I first skimmed the post, I thought 14 1/2" was the LOP.  Then I read the other comments and went back to the first post.
Wow!

Larry Luck

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

Mr. Kelly, I truly admire your skill and patience.

What caliber is it and is the barrel rifled? We've got roaches here in Georgia the you could consider large game with that rifle.

These miniature rifles blow my mind. I can understand the large parts (large, right!) but what about things like the hinges on the patchbox, and simple things like the barrel pins. Your level of patience must be incredible.

I've met another gent who lives in the Georgia mountains area that does miniatures as well, still freaks me out.

[Jeff Peters]

Wow

[JCKelly]

Micah - who is that man in the Georgia mountains who makes miniatures? I might like to chat with him.
The guy that made this Sell rifle would sure appreciate all the comments. We have the same signature, still I'm not sure about taking credit for this thing. I don't even know that young man anymore.
OK, I will admit to lack of symmetry in my lock panels.

I do have one unfinished rifle, here are some of the parts. The patchbox is pretty straight-forward, just bend the hinge as you would on a normal box. For pins I am a fan of music wire, this is actually the strongest metal that you & I can buy. Available in hobby shops, 36" lengths.  Outside these widgits look like this:
Insides, and of course I needed a mainspring vice:

The Sell is about .13 cal. I recall Dad & Mom had to team up to get one of them there Jacksonville, Florida roaches. Still a well-placed shot should take 'em.
.

[Bob Roller]

 Load that "Roach Rouster"with a long bullet,hollow pointed
and aim between the eyes as they will charge if only wounded.

Bob Roller

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

James, His name is Paul Hamler and he is a member here, so you can look up his profile to get his email address.or send him a PM.  You guys with miniatures are amazing!

Here is his blog/website http://hamlertools.blogspot.com/

[JCKelly]

I know of Hamler from the Miniature Arms Society & seen some of his work at our North American Model Engineering Show here in SE Michigan. He does wonders, investment casting 1/3 scale locks copied from a Siler, makes quite a number of rifles. I can't even claim amateur status. Wayne Driskill, the dealer from whom I bought this rifle, said he had Hamler make a new sear spring for it. Someone had broken the original & replaced it with a coil spring from a pen.