Lets see your rifle/pistol flintlock kit builds

[saltland]

 As a new member to the site and somebody for about 20 years has admired flintlocks at museums,living history encampments and shows such as History Meets the Arts in Gettysburg among others.I thought I'd immerse myself as a beginner and buy a kit later this year.I've trolled the site trying to find others such as myself and read their experiences.I thought it may not be a bad idea to maybe have a thread dedicated kit builds..where people can show what they did and if those choose to...talk about the process/tips/mistakes etc.Even show how may they "customized" the build.I think it would be a great resource.
  Anyways I hope you guys like this idea and add on to this thread.I echo the sentiment of other beginners in the help/advice is invaluable.
 Thanks...and lets see some kit builds.
  Scott
 

[smylee grouch]

Welcome to the site. The gun builders forum on this site is a good place to ask any of the questions that a kit builder asks. You can get a lot of varied opinions on just about any aspect of building, from kits to from the blank. Good luck, ask questions, and enjoy.

[Chowmi]

Welcome to the forum, you will love it!

I was just about to start a thread with pictures of my .36 Cal Southern Mountain Rifle, so your post is fortuitous.  It's a Jim Kibler kit, and would make a great build for a new or first time builder.  The parts are of very high quality, and the stock is CNC machined to amazing accuracy/tolerances. 

I ended up keeping mine pretty simple, the only addition I made was a chevron patterned pewter nose-cap. 

Thanks to Jim and Katherine for the wonderful curly maple stock!

IMG_3567 by chowmif16, on Flickr

I still need to do a bit more cleanup on a few areas of the rifle, to include the lock and the trigger guard.  I also need to file the butt plate screws as well.

IMG_3564 by chowmif16, on Flickr

Here is the nose-cap (the good side...) 
I had poured one pewter nose cap on another rifle and was overconfident on doing this one.  I think I cut too shallow when I relieved the wood for it, which made it difficult for the pewter to flow to all the right spots.  This is the result of at least two attempts, and several attempts at filling voids, gaps, etc. etc.  The gun took me about 2 days of light work to assemble.  The nose cap took me over a week. 

IMG_3565 by chowmif16, on Flickr

Here is the lock.  Still a bit of cleanup left to do.

IMG_3573 by chowmif16, on Flickr

Another view:

IMG_3574 by chowmif16, on Flickr

You may see that the front finial of the triggerguard is standing a bit proud of the wood.  That is another issue I need to sort out.  It fit perfectly before finishing, so I think the inlet may have expanded a bit when the finish was applied.  Same with the tang extension.   I have scraped the sides of the inlet, but need to do more. 

Stain was simply Ye Olde Aqua Fortis from TOTW, Permalyn Sealer, and then Chamber's Traditional Oil Finish. 

I haven't shot it yet, but the lock throws the most sparks I've ever seen.

Cheers,
Norm

[moleeyes36]

Saltland,

A lot of the folks here have built the Jim Kibler SMR, like the nice looking rifle that Chowmi showed.  Many have been customized by things like nose caps, patch boxes, toe plates, some have a little incise carving.  You can find several of them, as well as other kits, shown on the forum if you take a look.  The Jim Kibler SMR has been a popular project for both experienced and new builders.  Here's the one I built recently that shows a little customization http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=41781.msg406580;topicseen#msg406580  Welcome to the ALR.

Mole Eyes

[tlallijr]

Here is a Track of The Wolf "classic golden age" kit. I like the plain style of a barn gun so I went that route, plus it made it easier for a first build. As far as changes I would have used a different trigger guard, slanted the trigger toward the butt instead of the muzzle and would have made the lock panels much smaller. That said, I still love it the way it is !

 



Here is the link to my original post with more photo's and some critique I received. http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=30873.msg295956#msg295956

[oldtravler61]

   Saltland welcome to the ALR. Mole Eyes nice rifle! Going to have to quit dragging my feet an order one. Just stubborn. Like building from a blank.  But for just under a grand. It's hard to beat an everything is there. Plus a beautiful piece of wood to boot!  Guess I better get my pennies together! Oldtravler

[PPatch]

I too built a JK SMR fairly recently. Jim's offering is first rate and the kit comes with everything you need to finish it. The pictures tell the story, it is a .45 caliber and quite accurate:





















A fun build and took about three days total.

dave

[Daryl]

Really elegant, Dave - special!

[tlallijr]

Holy Smokes Dave, That's beautiful !

[saltland]

Thanks everybody for the responses and nice builds.Moleyes...question about your rifles finish.Is the "striped"..for lack of a better word a product of the wood or the method of staining.I've seen many with this look and I love it.
Scott

[moleeyes36]

Thanks everybody for the responses and nice builds.Moleyes...question about your rifles finish.Is the "striped"..for lack of a better word a product of the wood or the method of staining.I've seen many with this look and I love it.
Scott

Scott,

The wood is an especially nice piece of curly maple that Jim Kibler picked out for the stock.  I generally use iron nitrate for the stain, but this time I used Curly Nut Brown from Muzzleloader Builders Supply put on heavy and rubbed back.  This is essentially the same stain as Laurel Mountain's Nut Brown.  Iron nitrate will really bring out the curl in the wood, and is what I nearly always use on curly maple, but I thought I'd try something different this time.  The finish is a few coats of Chambers' Traditional Oil Finish, I love that stuff.  So, in answer to your question, the curl is in the wood, but the finish really brings it out. 

The patina is from brass antique solution applied to the steel, which Jim Kibler sells on his site https://kiblerslongrifles.com/

Mole Eyes

[Ky-Flinter]

Here's one built from a Dunlap kit.  Final fitting was required for all components.  The following was posted on the old ALR Board in December 2007.

 I have a few things left to complete on this rifle....  still need to install the sights, then put some blue on the barrel and replace some garfed up screws....  but heck after 18 months, I couldn't wait to see how she looked.....She started as an Issac Haines pre-carve from Dunlap, 38 Rice B barrel in .50 cal., Siler lock, Davis set trigger, iron furniture.  Wood was stained with home-made AF (what a trip) followed by very diluted LMF Nut Brown with a few drops of LMF Cherry added, finished with Chambers Traditional Oil.  I feel so fortunate to have found ALR in the early stages of this project.  I have learned so much and yet there's so much more to learn!  I will forever be indebted to my masters here.






































-Ron

Experience is something you get right after you needed it.

***Created by
KyFlinter on 12/27/2007***

[Kingsburyarms]

One of my Three Jim Kibler Kits....

[ltdann]

Kingsbury,

Great piece of wood with a great finish.  What was your process to get such nice curly to pop?

Dan

[moleeyes36]

Ron,

Nice rifle.  I especially like the carving behind the cheek piece; understated but just right.

Mole Eyes

[Kingsburyarms]

Kingsbury,

Great piece of wood with a great finish.  What was your process to get such nice curly to pop?

Dan

Jim's Iron Nitrate and then a coat of Laurel Mountain Honey Maple stain over the most insane Curly Sugar Maple Jim could possibly find for me.

[sloe bear]

Wow, that is a great piece of wood and I love the finish a really great job!

[TMerkley]

If you go to the Topic Search and type in "Showing of first rifles" by Tmerkley.  I started it several years ago, and many folks chimed in on that one.  It may be of some insight towards what you are looking for.