This is a story of my experience as a first time builder of a muzzleloader from a plank. While I have done a good bit of stock work, repair, and bluing on lever actions, revolvers, even a Martini action, I had never attempted a muzzle loader from anything other than a kit. I originally started writing this to share with some distant friends as a way to let them know what I was up to. When I neared completion, my wife suggested I post it for other first time builders to read. I hope that this build along will prove useful to others.
A bit of background is in order.
When I was fifteen, the only thing in the world I wanted was a Jeremiah Johnson rifle. I had seen a CVA mountain rifle kit in the store and told my parents I wanted that for Christmas, or nothing. The kit was affordable, looked easy enough to a kid, and my parents just might think it safe if they believed I would never finish it. I got it, I finished it, I shot the snot out of it over the next several decades.
That rifle became my “try gun”. Try this finish, try that stain, try a new browning solution. I tried everything on it, including lock tuning. Over the years it began to show it’s age and the abuse it had taken. At one time, the barrel had finally fallen victim to thousands of rounds fired and a teenage cleaning regimen. I had replaced it with the only thing I could afford, a free and used CVA Hawken barrel. The stock was shortened and the “new” barrel installed. Ready for more abuse. I shot that barrel a lot too.
After several years of sitting in the corner, after my interests changed to other shooting disciplines, I began to wax nostalgic about that old rifle every time I looked at it. I had been wanting to build a new LRML rifle for some time as I have a good Bauska fast twist barrel, a Roller lock, and I used to have the skills to do it. It had been a long time since I had pushed a chisel through wood and I decided I could refresh that old CVA and regain my building skills. The rifle has many good memories and I wanted to not only keep it, but shoot it again.
While I hope that reading all of my experiences may prove worthwhile to others, there are some things worth pointing out before we begin. Important lessons I have learned on this project.
- I know my way around both soft and hard walnut, but curly maple proved to be a far different wood to work with. If your tools are sharp enough, hone them again. There is no such thing as too sharp when working with curly maple.
- You need a decent place to work, and good lighting is important. Neither of those things is expensive to do and they can be made possible within any budget.
- Stocking up a Marlin lever gun is child’s play compared to the complex shapes involved in a American Longrifle. Pay attention to the little things.
- Look at lots of photos of the rifle style you are trying to build. Search out and study photos from oblique angles and especially those taken using raking light. See, and even handle, originals if possible.
- When someone tells you to buy a book and read it first. Don’t think, don’t hesitate, buy the book. I bought three ALR recommended books and I will never regret it. They solved many problems before they happened. They are the best tools you will buy. They never rust, they never need sharpening, and they are good for any rifle you build.
- Contemplate every thing you do carefully before you do it. All the parts of a muzzleloading rifle are placed carefully, if it is a good rifle. The size, position, shape, all matter if you want a balanced and pleasing rifle when you are done. Putting a part where it doesn’t belong will show itself here more than any other style of rifle. When I began laying out my parts, I would step away for a few hours, come back and immediately see something that didn’t look right. When I got everything arranged and the stock profile fit the parts, it “just worked”.
- Do NOT be afraid to try something you have never done. When I felt unsure of what I was doing, I grabbed a piece of scrap wood or scrap metal and tried it out, solving any problems as I went. When I did not do that, I made mistakes on the rifle. I may fix those mistakes someday, I may just grin at them in 10 years and marvel at what a chucklehead I was. It takes less time to do a practice piece and then do the job right the first time, than it does to fix a mistake later.
So, I have a worn out CVA Mountain Rifle in parts, some reasonable tools (it does not take many to build a rifle), and a desire to preserve a part of my youth. I have each installment as I sent them out saved as PDFs. You may download them below.
http://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%201.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%202.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%203.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%204.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%205.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%206.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%207.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%208.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%209.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%2010.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%2011.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%2012.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%2013.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%2014.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%2015.pdfhttp://pixelhammer.com/Dan/plainsrifle/installment%2016.pdfMaybe these will save another first time builder from a mistake, or provide experienced builders with a laugh. Everybody wins.
DAve
