Modified Bucks County rifle kit - Posts 1 and 2

[moleeyes36]

Some time ago I purchased one of Tip Curtis' Bucks County rifle kit to make a new hunting rifle.  Having failed to check on just how generic the kit was, I got just what I should have expected.  A nice components set that would build a nice generic rifle that didn't much resemble a Bucks County rifle.  Nothing against Tip in any way, his kits are good quality but like Pecatonica, TOW, and most of the other kit makers they are all pretty generic and not very historically correct to the school they claim to represent.  At the urging of some of the ALR members I decided to take what I had and see how close to a HC Bucks County rifle I could get.  As it turned out, much of the original kit was replaced or modified.

I have to call out Ron Luckenbill and thank him for trying to mentor me through the process.  He's sent me many pictures of original rifles, ones that he's made, and answered countless emailed questions from me.  I went up to PA in the spring and spent an afternoon in his shop with him where he showed me how to do a lot of things including making the correct ramrod pipes and the hidden toe plate release for the patch box.  He even made an entry pipe for me on the spot that I took back to FL and used as an example to make one myself.  When Eric Von Aschwege has his plans ready for a Shuler style rifle I'm going to buy a set and scratch build one.  At Ron's suggestion I bought a Rice 44" "B" profile .50 barrel for it and I'll use the entry pipe he made for me.  He may deny he ever heard of me when he sees all the pictures of my rifle I sent him  .

I retained the kit's barrel (38" GM "B" profile .50 Cal.), double set triggers (not HC), large Chambers lock, and trigger guard.  Though I also kept the stock, there was a lot of reshaping done.  I replaced the butt plate with the correct one from Dave Keck, the wooden patch box cover with a side opening one with the correct finial and side pieces, the nose cap was modified (including making it open ended), and I made the pipes, side plate, the inlay and a correct ramrod.  The rifle isn’t really as dark as it appears, I just can’t get decent lighting in the house and it’s raining cats and dogs outside.  I’m not able to get more than one of the pictures attached to the post so I’ll include one with this post and another of the other side in a following post.  


Mole Eyes

[moleeyes36]

Okay, here's a picture of the other side.

Mole Eyes

[rich pierce]

Looks good from here.  You sure had a great mentor.  Get us some close ups!

[moleeyes36]

Thanks, Rich.  I emailed a set of 9 pictures to Ron and surprisingly he's still speaking to me .  I'd love to post some of those close ups, but I can't seem to master getting multiple pictures in a post, however. 

Ron is going to critique my "kit modification" attempt and give me some pointers on how to make a scratch built rifle that's better.  I love the lines of Bucks County rifles and though I'll never get one even remotely as nice as any I seen from Ron, Flehto, and others on the forum, I'm going to try to steadily progress with each rifle.  One step at time.

While I'm gradually getting parts for the Shuler rifle as I can afford them, I'm going to attempt to teach myself to do some basic engraving.

Mole Eyes 

[flehto]

Nice work! Lately all my BC LRs use the Rice "B" weight in .50 cal X 46" long. The longer bbls surely do add to the BC's slimness. You had excellent mentoring in Ron....his BC LRs are an inspiration to all who attempt these "addictive" LRs. Looking forward to seeing your Shuler.. the style which style is  my favorite.....Fred 

[Dennis Glazener]

  I'd love to post some of those close ups, but I can't seem to master getting multiple pictures in a post, however. 

If you can do one photo you can do several. Just paste the URL of the photo in the post and put "[ img ]" in front of it and "[ /img ]" (WITHOUT the spaces between the [] brackets. Have to put them here to allow the img to show) at the end. You can actually just highlight the URL and click on the picture icon in the "add BBC tags:" just above the smiley faces. Just be sure to put each URL on a new line in the post. I like to put a blank line between the photos but that is not necessary.
Dennis

[moleeyes36]

Okay, thanks Dennis.  Here are the other pictures I sent to Ron.  I wanted a dark color on the stock, but this is about one shade darker than I planned on it being.  I'd never used Chambers oil finish before and didn't realize it was so dark in its self.  I really like it and will use it again, but I'll back off on the stain a little next time.  However, for a hunting rifle a dark stock is a good thing.  Hunting here in FL is why I wanted a 38 inch barrel on this one to use in the thick cover where I hunt.

Mole Eyes

[rich pierce]

That's an ambitious build!  There are so many features of the full-on Bucks County rifles that are challenging.

[moleeyes36]

That's an ambitious build!  There are so many features of the full-on Bucks County rifles that are challenging.

Rich,

Trying to make something halfway HC from a kit was a good learning experience.  One of the things I've learned is that if you want a HC rifle, you aren't going to get there with a kit.  The effort expended and additional expense incurred by trash canning so many of the supplied parts in attempting it is a bad proposition.

Mole Eyes 

[Virginiarifleman]

Looks Great, you did a fine job.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Don't worry if the rifle is not everything you wanted...every thing you did to create this rifle will make your next one easier and better.  Working from a 'kit' has its limitations for sure, but a good part of the architecture that is hard to get on your own is already present in a precarved stock.  Believe me, starting with a photograph, making a blue print, and cutting out a blank will be a arduous and scarey experience without the experience you gained here.
And I agree:  getting help from Ron was a good move, and good on ya' Ron for helping him along.  Wouldn't it have been nice if there had been someone like Ron around when we first started?  In years gone by, I and Cody Tetachuck would build a rifle, take it to the BC Rendezvous at Heffley Cr. and over a cup of Bacody we'd critique each others work.  That was it.  The ALR and two trips to Pennsylvania have changed all of that.  Getting to spend time with many of the contributors to this site, and quite a few more renowned builders who do not, has made a profound influence in my own work, and I heartily recommend anyone who is serious about this stuff, to attend Dixon's Fayre, and the KRA events.

[moleeyes36]

Thanks, Taylor.  I'm off early in morning for a trip up to the Suwannee River for a long hunt and with luck I'll get a chance to make some meat with the rifle.  It certainly is a shooter, especially with the little time I had to work on the best load for it.  Talk to all of you in a week or so.

Mole Eyes

[Don Getz]

In order to build this rifle, you had to look at a lot of pictures of Bucks county rifles.
A few things that jump out at me.  I noticed that you had a screw in the tail of the
entry pipe....in that area of the foregrip there should be no more than an 1/8th inch
of wood.   Another thing that bothers me is the cheek piece.  I know you must have
spent a lot of time looking at that "star" on  the cheek piece.  What I don't understand
is how you could ignore a simple moulding on the edge of the cheekpiece, it would have taken all of 15 minutes to do one.  When I do a barn gun, which are about the
simplest gun out there, I cannot do one without a moulding on that cheek piece....
it just looks unfinished.  I sincerely hope that you enjoyed building this gun and will
most likely will want to build another.  Each gun should be a learning experience and
if someone doesn't point out things that should be done differently they will all look
the same..........Don

[Tom Currie]

I applaud you effort to modify the kit build to add more Bucks County details.

I'll mention a couple things that you could do on your next Bucks County Gun.

Your lock and side plate panels are quite large. Look at photos of original Bucks guns and you will see very minimal panels. Also the wood on either side of the barrel tang could angle down more steeply on both sides ending just above the lock and just above the side plate bolt. You'll get a much slimmer effect as you carry that through the wrist. Try to reduce the overall volume of wood on your next build.

[moleeyes36]

Just got back in from a hunting trip and read all the comments.  Thanks for the inputs.  I've noted them and will use the data when I have a go at making a Bucks County rifle rather than trying to modify a kit.  Thanks to all.

Mole Eyes