Pecatonica rifle re-build finished

[Bob Gerard]

I finished up my Pecatonica River "Lehigh County" rifle re-build today. I am pretty happy with it.
My challenge was to use as much of my original Pecatonica River Lehigh County longrifle parts, (which I built in 1986) and re-use them on a new Pecatonica Lehigh County stock. I re-used the Green Mountain .45 cal barrel, the lock, butt plate and side plate. The other parts just didn't make it so I bought new ones.
The original patchbox had a slightly wider lid, which I filed the butt plate for. However the new patch box lid is a bit narrower, so there is a little gap there.
I also could not get the old Durrs Egg lock apart and feared damaging it if I tried to force it, so I did my best to carve it into the stock as a unit. It was a chore but it turned out OK.
Rebuilding this rifle was pretty enjoyable. I will be shooting it in a few days, but first I want to work several more applications of boiled linseed oil into the stock, which is still pretty thirsty.
As I remember, and if the sights didn't move, this barrel is dead-on. Time will tell!

[LilysDad]

Nice! Great color!!!

[Bob Gerard]

Thank you 

[Daryl]

Well done, Bob.
The only thing I dislike about it, is the slotted vents - they give me trouble.
Other than that, should be a good shooter.

[flinchrocket]

Daryl what kind of trouble did you have? I used the T/C slotted vents for years without any problems.

[duca]

Nice!! I have one i built in the late nineties. Great company

Anthony

[Notchy Bob]

Nice work, Bob!  I particularly like the incised carving... Crisp and precise, and understated.

I'm curious, though.  What happened to the original rifle, that it required restocking?

Thanks for showing your work!

Notchy Bob

[Bob Gerard]

Thanks for looking and commenting, Notchy Bob. The original one fell from against a tree I leaned it against. It landed across a log and the wrist cracked straight through at the back of the lock mortise. These 13/16" barrel breeches don't have much wood there, and it just didn't survive the trauma :-(    I purposly did not do much molding in the back portion of the lock mortise so I could keep what 'beef' I had there.
It was an amazing shooter in it's day- fast as lightning and dead on. I will be re-christening it in a day or so, and hope it does as well.

[Bob Gerard]

Well done, Bob.
The only thing I dislike about it, is the slotted vents - they give me trouble.
Other than that, should be a good shooter.

Thanks Daryl. That slotted vent came from Pecatonica when I bought the component parts. It has never been any problem at all. In fact until now I never even paid it any mind. Seems to do the trick quite well!