lock choice

[Richard Snyder]

I am planning on building an east Tennessee squirril rifle using some of Myron Carlson's forgings, and and old 32 caliber 13/16ths inch douglas barrel.  I also have an L & R Durs Egg lock that is about 15 or 20 years old.  Do you folks think I should go with the old L & R lock I have or buy one of Jim Chamber's late Ketland locks which I know would be good?

Also, do you think I should shorten the 44 inch straight barrel to about 39 inches to improve the balance of the gun?

Richard Snyder

[J. Talbert]

I can't tell you what you should do, but I can tell you what I would do.  That is, go with the Chambers.  That's from someone who is still shooting his first rifle (1978) with a L&R Durs Egg lock.  It's been significantly tweaked over its lifetime but has always performed well when in good condition. 
But back to your choice; I just think that the late Ketland is aesthetically so much better for the gun you are building.  I especially like them with the tail rounded off on that style rifle.

And Oh ya,  It's a Chambers.

Jeff

[G-Man]

I'd leave the long barrel - most east Tennessee guns were long barreled and actually the 13/16 in a 32 is relatively light compared to many originals.  I've seen some original 32's with massive swamped barrels that were almost an inch at the muzzle.  The long barrel is generally going to make a gun with better proportions, I think. 

Guy

[Ezra]

There are certainly some real experts here (I don't consider myself one...) but I make my Tennessee/North Carolina mountain guns with the Chambers Late Ketland flintlock exclusively.  I am about to start a Gillespie North Carolina rifle in .32.  I am using a Rice 1" straight 44" barrel and a Chambers Late Ketland flintlock.  I have in the cue a Bean or Bull style Tennessee with a 48" .25 caliber (slight swamp .85"-.80"-.83" breech-waist-muzzle).  And finally I have a Bobby Hoyt .46 caliber 50" barrel going into a Gillespie.  1.02"-98"-1".  Hope this helps.  44" was sort of on the short side for these rifles, IMO.


Ez

[chuck c.]

I sure would like to see some photos of Myron's forgings. I've heard that they were very good, but I've never had the opportunity to see any. I've been trying to teach myself how to forge butt plates and trigger guards and I'm really interested in viewing other people's work.
Thanks
Chuck

[Richard Snyder]

Thank you all for your advice.  Chuck, I have not figured out how to post photos on this website, but I will try to take some and e-mail them to you.
Richard

[rich pierce]

Hey, I built a rifle with a 1978 Durs Egg too and it's still a great lock; fires fast.  They were well-made then or I got lucky.

[PINYONE]

2 more cents on the pile. If you are going flintlock, either will work. What I would do, for years Dixie Gun Works has made the same lock for 50 years, not the high style locks as you mentioned - they are cheaper and spark from here to well. They actually look more like the original;s that I have seen then the other 2. Dixie has lasted longer than anyone else for a reason. Now do not cut the barrel, if you are worried about weight , pump some iron man, eat Wheaties old rifles are generally heavy, most people say how did they ever carry that ? Wheaties, The Great Pinyone or Pinyone the Great

[Dale Halterman]

I regularly shoot a rifle with a 42" 13/16" barrel in .45 caliber and it is not at all muzzle heavy. I wouldn't bother to trim yours to save weight.

The first rifle I built had a 13/16" barrel and a Durs Egg lock as you propose. It worked fine, but I thought that the lock looked too big for that skinny barrel. So I "recycled" it into another rifle with a 15/16" barrel. I am much happier with it there.

The Durs Egg did eat flints at an alarming rate as received from the dealer, but after some minor tuning it is now fine.

Dale H

[roundball]

"... .32cal...Rice 1" straight 44" barrel..."

First of all, let me volunteer that I know nothing about ML history, gun building, etc.

But I just have to ask...isn't a 1" x 44" straight barrel with a tiny little .32cal bore going to be terribly heavy?

[ptk1126]

Chuck C
Here are some pix of Carlson's parts:















All the best
Paul

[Ezra]

"... .32cal...Rice 1" straight 44" barrel..."

First of all, let me volunteer that I know nothing about ML history, gun building, etc.

But I just have to ask...isn't a 1" x 44" straight barrel with a tiny little .32cal bore going to be terribly heavy?

Yes, yes it is.  But so were many of the originals.     By the way, how does one contact Myron Carlson?


Ez

[Randy Hedden]

Ezra,

Myron Carlson passed away about three years ago.

Randy Hedden

www.harddogrifles.com

[Ezra]

I am sorry to hear that. 


Ez

[chuck c.]

Thank you very much for posting the pictures of Mr. Carlson's work.

[frenchman]

Ezra, 25 cal? what's the velocity and what distance is this little cal able to shoot is this an old caliber?
Denis

[Ezra]

Velocity on the .25?  Not really sure and it will depend on the load, but my plan is to use it for squirrel and crows.  Did I mention I really do not like crows?  But I digress, whether the .25 is an "old" caliber is a rather subjective question.  I am sure they existed, I just can't quote you chapter and verse.  I don't plan on using it at more than about 50 yards, generally less.  Ed Rayl and Bobby Hoyt will make .25 caliber barrels if you so desire.  I plan on using a .250 ball (#3 buckshot) as the bore is .257.


Ez

[G-Man]

I've used several sets of Myron's hardware over the years - amazingly he used to sell it for anywhere from about 115 to 150 for a complete set - that is triggerguard, buttplate, thimbles, sideplate, nosecap, patchbox (if the original had one) AND handmade double set triggers copied from the original so they fit the guard perfectly - all handmade, brazed together etc.

I have one more set of his "Rowan County" hardware that is for the third piece in line on my bench.  It was one of the two last last complete sets he had the last time he set up at Friendship.  He was a true gentleman and a wealth of knowledge.  When I built my first gun, it was a precarve Tennessee from Pecatonica but I used Myron's hardware.  But it was already inlet for L&R triggers so I didn't know which guard would fit.  Myron sent me 4 guards in the mail and said "just send back the ones you don't need and $20 for the one you keep"    When none of them seemed like they would work, he made me a special pattern that he didn't normally offer - a beautiful piece with a closed loop on the grip rail, like the Bean gun in Foxfire 5.  He also gave me a lot of advice and tips - when I had questions on the patchbox, he wrote me a three page letter with hand drawn diagrams of how to install the spring properly.

Sure wish I had the money and the sense to have bought about a 6 or 7 more sets of hardware - I would like to build one of every set he copied.  And I sure wish I had more time to spend with him at Friendship - I learned a lot from him but so little of what he knew...

Guy