Grease Hole and Brass?

[Smokey Plainsman]

I am soon to commission a percussion long rifle from Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading.

I would like to have a southern mountain style "grease hole" added to the stock for patch lube, but also am leaning toward brass furniture for the gun.

Did any original percussion rifles have brass furniture and a grease hole, or did they use plainer browned iron only?

Thanks!

[Dennis Glazener]

Sure, my Gillespie family made western NC mountain rifles with brass furniture and grease holes.
I have seen others but right now I can not recall who made them.
Dennis

[Smokey Plainsman]

Awesome, thank you!

The grease hole seems really convenient, so you don't have to tote greasy patching material in one's shooting bag.

[Nordnecker]

One guy I know had trouble with his dogs licking the grease out of his.....

[moleeyes36]

Awesome, thank you!

The grease hole seems really convenient, so you don't have to tote greasy patching material in one's shooting bag.

Just one bit of advice, use a grease that has a high melting temperature or ugly things can happen on a hot day or if the rifle is in the sun.  Don't ask me how I know 

Mole Eyes

[Cades Cove Fiddler]

  ...The Gillespie family of gunsmiths of Henderson County NC did make mountain rifles using their own pattern cast brass trigger-guards and butt-plates,...also used a distinct shaped oval taller hole,... these are screenshots of a circa 1820  Matthew Gillespie rifle, marked (M.G) from the disc of the KRF display  in Townsend Tennessee ... rifle owned by the National Park Service, Great Smoky mountains National Park and on loan for the exhibit,... Matt at TVM will do a great job of recreating this rifle,...However, I suggest you contact Dennis Glazener to obtain the proper style fittings and any advice,... He is "the man" for Gillespie rifles,... good luck, and post pix and info on your project,... Regrds,... Cades Cove Fiddler,..... (left click over image will enlarge for detail)




Edna St. Vincent Millay

[moleeyes36]

Some of the Gillespie rifles also had rectangular grease holes.  Dennis Glazener's web site http://americanlongrifles.org/gillespierifles.com/index.html shows a Matthew Gillespie rifle (circa 1810) at the top of the first page with a rectangular grease hole, no butt plate, and iron trigger guard and side plate.  Other than using curly maple rather than walnut, I'm working on a rifle that is as close to that one as I can get, which hopefully isn't too far off.  Dennis' book, "The Gillespie Gun Makers of East Fork NC" is a great read for those that haven't already read it.

Mole Eyes

[Smokey Plainsman]

Thanks, all!