Building a Melchior Fordney...

[monro1066]

I havent ever handled a M.Fordney ...So I ask can someone advise how far up the side flats does the forewood
go....from images Ive seen it appears to be about half way..this being my second build .
...and using a Fred Miller Lancaster Stock from Knob mountain.
Thankyou in advance .Don Goulter

[jerrywh]

It probably varied on each gun he built.

[smylee grouch]

In that these guns were hand made they probably did vart like Jerry said. I like to end up below the half way point as it seems easier to make the forend  less slab sided.

[Not English]

I've had the good fortune to take apart a Fordney. They're magnificent guns. I wouldn't worry too much about how far up the side flats the forestock goes. Halfway up will do just fine. It's just a Lancaster built by a very good gunsmith. The barrel on the one I got to take apart was originally white. It had browned where not protected by the stock over 200 yrs. of exposure. Melchoir very obviously liked to engrave. In my opinion, his engraving was better than his carving, but both are really good.

[monro1066]

To the above answers .Thankyou all .
Don

[bama]

To recreate a M. Fordney rifle is quite a undertaking. His style is very different and so bold compared to his contemporaries. He was quite bold in his lifestyle also from what I understand. He marched to a different drummer and is probably why I have always liked his work. If I remember correctly Bill Shipman built one and posted it here a few years ago. Bill does great work and I hope your project turns out as well as Bill’s.

[Tim Crosby]

 Jim, is this the one? P-bucket buggered it up but they can't take away the spirt or the workmanship.

  Tim

  https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=25371.msg242891#msg242891

[bama]

Yes Tim that’s the rifle and what a dandy. I have never seen another contemporary copy of a Fordney that is any better than this one. Bill truly did a great job.

[heinz]

You can see clean pictures of that Shipman rifle here
http://www.billshipman.com/Fordney_Gallery.htm
http://www.billshipman.com/Fordney_Gallery.htm

[Not English]

Jim, Fordney was killed with an axe by a religious zealot who took exception to his living with a woman without the benefit of marriage.

[Hungry Horse]

 One of the finest flintlock rifles I ever saw out here on the left coast was a Melchior Fordney marked gun. An old timer had it, and it was his pride and joy. He entertained himself by wrapping it up in an old ragged hand sewn quilt, and taking it to gun shows. It was excellent craftsmanship from end to end. But, it alway started a big argument among the gun bugs at the shows. You see it was full stocked, but only had a 32” barreled , exquisite wrist checkering, a  and was equipped with a fine lock, with a sliding safety. The owner had bought it from the family that had it built originally, which swore it was built as a buggy rifle. When he died, the gun disappeared, and has not been seen since.

  Hungry Horse

[JTR]

Jim, Fordney was killed with an axe by a religious zealot who took exception to his living with a woman without the benefit of marriage.

I heard someplace that Fordney was killed by the axe wielding nut, because the nut wanted Fordney to shoot a horse that had climbed up in a tree. When Fordney didn't shoot the horse, the nut axed him! 
M. Fordney was truly an exceptional gun maker!

[stuart cee dub]

There is a Fordney rifle in the ALR library not his usual fair.
It’s worth looking at ;built for taking West or maybe restocked?
An amazing marker and a favorite of mine in any case.

[BarryE]

I took these photos at the James Buchanan Museum in Lancaster, PA.  Sorry, but it was in a case and I couldn't photograph the cheek piece side,  Very typical of his work.