Looking for ideas

[B.Habermehl]

I have a Pete Allen box lock percussion action. I'm thinking about using a .58 or .62 cal barrel. Maybe octagon to round or straight tapered. Maybe 32" or 36" length. Possibly with a rear peep sight. The purpose for this rifle will be for the use of my wheel chair bound Son and I in a ground blind deer hunting, during Pa's earley muzzleloader season. I hopeing to see a finished weight under 10 lbs. preferabably under 9. Yes I do like large calibers for deer. Any body built some thing similar?   BJH

[Acer Saccharum]

BJ, my gut says .58 and 36", if that's what my choices are. Something mid-19the century in style. Maybe shotgun butt instead of the crescent for comfort.

What kind of distance will you be shooting at? I'd go open sights if relatively close, and peep if longer range, and lighting is good.

[Rasch Chronicles]

BJH,

Shooting from a blind, a seated position, and 58 to62 bore might indicate a heavier rifle for recoil management.

Best regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch
Don’t get Snake Bit!!! But if you do…

[B.Habermehl]

The ranges will be under 50 yds., probably more like 20-30. The loads I am expecting to use are around 80 gr. ffg with either caliber. Yes I was envisioning a shot gun butt. My shoulder will be the one dealing with the recoil. Brian will be responsible for the trigger. We did this before with a breech loading gun successfully. He can't take the cold during the regular firearms season, so the genisis of this idea...    BJH

[Mark Elliott]

I don't know your son's abilities, but did you think about a heavy cross sticks or chunk type gun that you could shoot from a rest and its mass would absorb the recoil.   If your son could hold the butt in his left hand and pull the trigger with his right, leaning into the gun then he could have the experience of shooting the gun by himself.   You could even possibly have a harness that holds the butt to his shoulder and set triggers would make the trigger pull easier.   Just a thought.    I am building myself a chunk gun because of my physical limitations, and I have been in a wheel chair before, paralyzed from the chest down.   

[B.Habermehl]

Yes I did have cross sticks or a "safari" 3 stick rest in mind. Brian has cerebral palsy, similar to a person having had a severe stroke. He has rather severe motor control issuues. Intellectually he kicks MY butt! Forsome years now, since graduateing from colledge in the top 20 of his class he's been working with the special needs pupulation. Whenever I have "confuser" issues I differ to him to help me out as he uses computers as a necessary tool of buisness. We have continued to work on specialty gun and cross bow mounts for his electric wheelchair. Lots of issues So far the two man team on the gun has worked best.  I refuse to use a commercial -----line gun. So a side hammer percussion gun gets the nod, flintlocks are out of the question due to our extremely close proximity in the blind. I want to combine utility with tradition and build something that dosenot hurt my eye so to speak. Thus the request for ideas.  BJH

[Pete G.]

I'm thinking the shorter barrel to make the piece a bit more mobile in the close quarters of a blind. I would also go with the peep and a large aperture for a ghost ring effect. There is hardly any better sighting arrangement for close range hunting.

[Lucky R A]

Hey B.J.
      I have an English sporting rifle in 62 cal. w/ a 32" long 1" full octagon Orion bbl.  It weighs in just over 8 lbs.  I use 90 gr. of 2F as a hunting load and find the recoil to be no more than my little Model seven in 7-08.  When I shoot it in a mountain man or trail walk I usually only load w/ 65 gr. and it is real mild.  I am sure your shoulder would handle it.  Good luck with the project.  Ron

[Don Stith]

Did you get the small" or Large action?  One has extended tangs and one is a butt socket mount for the butt stock. I think I still have a stock or two laying around from when I use to make them for those parts.  I'll give you one if you like. I did both a shotgun butt and a Hawken style butt for them.
Don

[KLMoors]

Way to go Don. Bravo!

[B.Habermehl]

Thank you kindly Don, I sent you a P.M. Thanks, BJH

[smokinbuck]

BJH,
I don't know if you've found anything yet but I've got one that might work. I have a Sharon barrel that is straight octagon, 1X33 in .62 caliber with a 1-66 ROT. It is factory breeched with a touch hole liner and barrel tennons in place but no sight dovetails. Never been mounted, new old stock. PM me if you are interested.
Mark