Planning a big Hudson Valley fowler- drop at comb and heel?

[rich pierce]

I’m planning a HVF based mostly on HV 1 from Grinslade’s book. I’ve got a nice 12 gauge barrel 54” long and put a big Dutch lock together from TRS castings. I’ve got a long curly maple blank and ordered a buttplate from TRS. I’ve got a couple HVF guards in stock. My barrel is not as massive. The barrel on HV1 is 1.75” at the breech! Mine is 1.2” at the breech. So the gun should come in at about 8 to 8.5 pounds. Maybe 9. I’m working on a blueprint. It looks like drop at comb and heel are about equal but the actual drop from line of sight is hard to calculate/guesstimate because there is a hump in the tang. Right now I’m guessing drop is in the 2-2.5” range at both comb and heel. That makes me nervous. Guess I will try to dummy one up from a 2x8 and see what I see. Anyone have dimensions? PM sent to Mike Brooks and I’m asking Ken Gahagan as well but the more input the better.

[Rick Anthony]

Rich,
I built myself a Hudson Valley Fowler about 3 years ago, based on Grinslade's ,number 21 which is also the one on the book cover. I , too used a 54" barrel, 1 1/4" breech. I made it with 3 3/4" drop at the heel, 2 1/16" drop at the comb and a length of pull of 13 3/4". It points very natural for me. Hope this helps some.

                                  Rick

[rich pierce]

Rick, #21 is a real beauty. I think it’s about 30-50 years later in styling than HV1. I know the measurements you used would probably work well. Thanks for sharing those specifics. The earlier ones as well as some club butt fowlers seem to have an almost horizontal comb with what looks like less than an inch difference between drop at comb and heel.

[Rick Anthony]

Rich, I think that you are correct in reference to the earlier HVFs having a lower comb line, in fact, if you lay a straight edge on the picture of HV1, pg 133, It appears that the comb is in line with the bottom of the lower forestock, as apposed to the comb line on HVF 21 which intersects the top of the barrel about halfway between the breech and the entry thimble area. On a side note, I had my gun at the CLA 3 years ago and I showed it to Mike Brooks on the premise that he wouldn't make me go out and pull weeds! His comment was that the hardest thing for most people to get right on HVFs was the buttstock architecture and that I had gotten it right. Made my day!

[rich pierce]

Rick, if Mike thinks mine looks right when I’m done I’ll be satisfied. Your point about lining up the comb with the lower forestock is something I’d not have considered but it sure works on this one. Thanks!

[Mike Brooks]

I sent you a PM. Also, I have a buttplate if you get tired of waiting on TRS

[k gahagan]

Rick, These dimensions were copied directly from an original I had loaned to me a few years ago. I have other patterns as well that I'll check on for you. This one is 3" at the back of the comb and just under 2 1/2"at the front of the comb.

[rich pierce]

Nice. Thanks, Mike and Ken!