Mike's English park rifle

[Justin Urbantas]

English Park rifle. .58 cal swamped Colerain barrel 29" . Built this for myself to hunt deer with. Nice iowa walnut stock with some figure. No buttplate or sideplate. 13 3/4" pull Chambers early Ketland lock. Nice light weight hunting rifle.

I would love to hear all about this rifle Mike. What did you base this one on?  What did you do for the lock bolt? It's very unique.

[Dave Patterson]

I've been scheming on a foray into SE Texas to do some hog hunting with the in-laws:  if that hunt was a little closer to being fact than dream, that rifle would have sold within minutes. 

[Mike Brooks]

It all came about because I needed a deer hunting gun real quick. There is an English gun in "Great British Gunmakers" with an abbreviated trigger guard like mine. Also there are several guns with the lock bolt going from the lock and threading into the breech plug with a hook in the front. You'll occasionally see English coach guns with out a buttplate but mainly I didn't want to take the time to put one on this gun.
 I would in no way say this is a 'normal" English rifle. It's a "one off" that suited my needs for a hunting rifle that could still be acceptable as an 18th century piece. "Would'a , could'a , should'a" sort of thing. Anyway, it turned out as I had envisioned and serves it's purpose well. I'll be having shoulder surgery again this fall and won't be hunting, so Thought somebody else might get more use from it than I.
 I'll be building another for the same purpose for myself  in the future with the same lock bolt set up etc. but it will be all wee wee'd up with wire.

[Dennis Glazener]

I would love to hear all about this rifle Mike. What did you base this one on?  What did you do for the lock bolt? It's very unique.

The lock bolt is threaded into the breechplug bolster, many higher grade English rifles were done this way. You will also see this done on a few American rifles. I have a half stock that is done this way, I have been told that it probably was built near Troutville VA.





Dennis

[Justin Urbantas]

very interesting. I have seen a similar thing done on double barrel flintlocks to hold the locks to the stock

[smart dog]

Hi Dennis,
I am not sure many higher grade English guns were made with the lock bolt threaded into the bolster. Most high grade guns had hook (standing breeches) not simple bolsters and tangs. There may be some guns with the bolt threaded into a patent breech or there certainly are a number of fine English rifles based on the Ferguson breech screwplug system with the lock bolt threaded into the barrel behind the pan.  It should be understood that deer park hunting was not a game for the average guy in England. The hunters were wealthy land owners or their guests. There were game keepers that may have had simple rifles but I have never seen an example.

Justin, British flint double guns also usually had standing breeches.  The locks were held in place by a bolt entering the lock on one side and threaded in the lockplate on the other side, not a breech plug bolster.

dave 

[Dennis Glazener]

Hi Dennis,
I am not sure many higher grade English guns were made with the lock bolt threaded into the bolster. Most high grade guns had hook (standing breeches) not simple bolsters and tangs. There may be some guns with the bolt threaded into a patent breech or there certainly are a number of fine English rifles based on the Ferguson breech screwplug system with the lock bolt threaded into the barrel behind the pan.  It should be understood that deer park hunting was not a game for the average guy in England. The hunters were wealthy land owners or their guests. There were game keepers that may have had simple rifles but I have never seen an example.

Justin, British flint double guns also usually had standing breeches.  The locks were held in place by a bolt entering the lock on one side and threaded in the lockplate on the other side, not a breech plug bolster.

dave

I really don't know, I was told that when I told others about the half stock  (should have said I have been told rather than making a statement). They told me that it was a feature from higher grade English guns. I think I may have seen one or two photos of English guns with the lock bolt going thru from the lock plate/no side plate but never paid any attention to what type of breech set-up they had.
Dennis

[Mike Brooks]

Yes, technically with English guns in the 18th century the lock bolt threaded into the standing breech on this type of application, which was by no means common. Since I have no standing breech on this gun the breech plug was used.

[Canuck Bob]

This rifle is simply a cut above.  The blend of utilitarian design and elegance is breathtaking.  I'll leave the HC questions to those qualified to discuss it.  I still know a fine hunting rifle when I see it.

It all came about because I needed a deer hunting gun real quick. There is an English gun in "Great British Gunmakers" with an abbreviated trigger guard like mine. Also there are several guns with the lock bolt going from the lock and threading into the breech plug with a hook in the front. You'll occasionally see English coach guns with out a buttplate but mainly I didn't want to take the time to put one on this gun.
 I would in no way say this is a 'normal" English rifle. It's a "one off" that suited my needs for a hunting rifle that could still be acceptable as an 18th century piece. "Would'a , could'a , should'a" sort of thing. Anyway, it turned out as I had envisioned and serves it's purpose well. I'll be having shoulder surgery again this fall and won't be hunting, so Thought somebody else might get more use from it than I.
 I'll be building another for the same purpose for myself  in the future with the same lock bolt set up etc. but it will be all wee wee'd up with wire.

[looper]

Nice gun, but with that grain, I bet it wouldn't take much to knock a chip off the toe, or break it through the wrist.

[Mike Brooks]

Nice gun, but with that grain, I bet it wouldn't take much to knock a chip off the toe, or break it through the wrist.

There are wood screws through the thumbpiece and through the rear of the trigger guard, both go with in 1/8" of going all the way through, it's not going to break.
 The toe isn't going to break off either unless you take it out on the concrete and beat it straight up and down on the toe with all your might.
 I wouldn't bother to build a gun if I thought it was going to break, it's too much work.