Track Of The wolf John Rigby kit

[jumpy33]

Hi Guys,
Am new to your forum so have not had time to search past topics all the way back.
My next build is TOW John Rigby Style English Sporting Rifle. It will be in 54 cal.
Sure would appreciate comments from those who have experience with this kit or with this style. I have no specific questions but am beginning to give some thought to barrel and lock finish.
My last build was a Hawkins/ plains style percussion from a nicely figured maple blank. The Rigby kit is preinletted so I can spend a bit less time in that activity. It will be my first walnut stock work which will require a bit of change in finishing technique. Am 80+
years young so this rifle may go to my grandson.

[T*O*F]

This gun is problematic.  It in no way resembles a John Rigby rifle, that's just the name they hung on it.  They say it's patterned after English long range rifles, yet its offered with a straight roundball twist barrel.  The fact that is has a one inch barrel is problematic too, which is why they had to use the L&R lock which is a shotgun lock.  The more proper Davis Alex Henry lock won't work with a 1" barrel.  It is possible to assemble this gun but the combination of parts preclude incorporating the features which actually comprise an English rifle.  In other words, the architecture will suck.

As they say, it is a fairly complex build and doesn't come with instructions.  You always have to be aware that what you are doing now will impact what you do later.  Also, you must be capable of drilling precision holes.  The tang screw must thread into a post on the trigger plate and a screw thru the front tang must be centered and threaded into the standing breech.

[E.vonAschwege]

TOF - What about the lock and 1" straight barrel combination with the Alex Henry lock won't work? 

For sure the "kit" requires a lot of thinking ahead in order for it all to come together right - as all English sporting guns do.  TOF is right about making sure all the parts are laid out and you know where each part is going before you begin to drill and tap.  Still, with some forethought and accuracy a nice rifle can be made, even if it's not exactly what an original English sporting rifle would have been like. 

If you haven't already bought the parts Jumpy, take a look at Jim Chambers' "English Sporting Rifle" on his site.  It's a flintlock, but it has excellent architecture and similar size.   Good luck with your build,
-Eric

[PPatch]

Welcome to the site Jumpy33 - I hope I am thinking on the "next rifle" when I am 80 years young. Good luck and you've came to the right spot for solid information. I am not up on English Sporting rifles but I second Jim Chambers and his kits one-hundred percent.

dave

[eddillon]

Built an English sporter from TOTW plan.  Used a tapered Colerain .54.  1 1/8" at breech down to 1" at the muzzle.  Worked out quite well.  No problems with proportions or placement.  I screwed up an Alex Henry drip bar so I had to order another one.  The rifle now resides on Cape Breton Island.

[Bob Roller]

I have profiles of the Rigby lock and they do not in any way resemble
the Alex Henry locks seen today.I can make these locks as well as a scaled down version
as seen on a Whitworth boy's rifle but they are not production locks and are priced beyond
the level of interest of most builders today. A lock for a one inch Henry style breech is not a
problem if you can make your own locks.
Daryl sent me close up pictures of a 14 bore English style sporter  and he had to use a Hawken breech
and it did not detract one bit from the appearance of that rifle.

Bob Roller

[T*O*F]

Ahhh.....where to begin.

This is the Davis vs L&R lock.  This why they use the L&R for their kit.  The Davis is too high for a 1" breech.



The upper reveal of the lock panel is determined by use of the proper breech and is cast into the standing breech.  Many people think this small line is a casting flaw and file it off before they start building the gun.  Fatal mistake.



The L&R drip bar has to be used with the L&R lock because it has a long bolster and won't work with the Davis bar.  However, it has to be located after the lock is inlet and ends up like this.



In doing so, one must be aware of the depth of the nipple hole because you can't just lay the bar on the barrel and solder it flush with the bottom of the snail bolster.  Metal may have to be removed from the bottom of the snail to adjust the lock.  Results can vary with a dangerous condition occurring if too much is removed.



You can also see that the lock is not a good match with the standing breech at their intersection.  In this case, the lockplate has to be fitted to the standing breech.  This causes to lock to be moved forward slightly and can change where the trigger hits the lock's sear bar.  There are many other little details to pay attention to and I see no way a proper gun can be built with all the components pre-inlet.

To further add complications, the breech/tang combo is cast off center with one side being thicker than the other.  If you just face them off smooth, this is what you will end up with.  These castings are not fitted, you must do it yourself.



There are numerous small details which have to be worked out in advance or they will bite you in the butt.

[jumpy33]

Many many thanks to all for your kind and insightful response.  Thanks especially to     T O F for you most helpful pictures and facts. Of course hindsight is a perfect science. Had I known the short comings I would have chosen another build. At any event , I will try to " make a silk purse out of a sows ear"
Some items were back ordered so won't start the work for a couple of weeks.
Will try to post my progress and rely on all the vast knowledge available in this forum.

[Pete G.]

TOW has a good return policy. Much better to return the parts and head down a different road before you get in too deep.

[jumpy33]

After all the excellent forum input and my own research it was decided to return the kit and regroup. I could have built the kit but the finished gun would not have been much like an English Sporting Rifle should look.
Back to the drawing board