What to build next..

[Ohioan]

I haven't even finished my first build yet (I have to put in my vent liner then I'm done) and I'm already trying to decide what to build next. 
The first build is a Chambers York in .50.  I like the light weight and relatively heavy caliber for woodswalks that I compete in occasionally.  Some of the gongs and steel plates are pretty heavy.  If you're shooting a .45 or smaller, you have to hit them in just the right place to get them to fall over.  And the light weight is just nice to lug on the path.

My muzzle loading holds target shoots once a month.  I'd like something smaller, and a little heavier in the barrel for punching holes paper offhand.  I'm thinking about a "B" weight .40, or possibly a straight barrel. 

A chunk gun would also be fun to build.


Forgot to mention: I had a Curly Maple blank given to me by an elderly former gun builder, Vince Scott.  He said he'd help me inlet the barrel, so I want to get started on this soon so I don't miss out on his mentorship.

I'm not sure what style to build.  I thought about building a Barnhart rifle (Ross Co., OH).  That would be a straight barrel with a cap lock more than likely.  But I worry about the availability of proper hardware.

 The Ross County Historical Society museum has several Barnharts on display.  I talked to a curator there and he said they would let me handle the rifles for pictures, measurements and such things.  This sounds like fun.  Plus, the origional workshop of said gunsmith was about 2 miles up the road from my family homestead.  My great, great, great, great, great grandfather, whom I am named after, more than likely carried one of these rifles.

Who makes straight oct. barrels?  I saw where you can special order them from Rice.  I know Green Mountain does.  Anyone else?

After sitting down, and typing up this post, I think I've decided to go with the Barnhart.  I need to get in to the museum sometime.

Thanks for all your help!

[B Shipman]

I'd go with the Grn Mtn.  A 13/16 th chopped to 40 in. is really nice.  There's lots of late hardware around. If you could get a pic, I bet somebody could find it or something close.

[don getz]

My favorite off hand gun was a plain type gun with a 13/16" straight oct. barrel, 42", in 40 cal., 1/48" twist.   Won a lot
of stuff with it......failed to mention that it was a flintlock.    If you are planning to copy an old rifle, make sure it fits you
well.    Some old guns do not necessarily have good shaping for off-hand shooting, for instance....BEDFORD's.   Don

[Birddog6]

As Mr. Getz said, not all of them fit well for offhand shooting & that is sure correct. What fits me or him or anyone else, may not fit you right.  Go shoulder some & FEEL the fit & etc.  Looks doesn't mean anything if it doesn't fit.   
After that, if it is a percussion the lock maker doesn't mean allot as all it has to do is snap a cap & just about all of them will do that reliably.   However, if it is a flintlock, the lock maker IS most important as you want a reliable lock & one that requires little to make it function from the get-go, especially you being a new builder.  You will have enough to contend with building the rifle, you don't need to add to that rebuilding a lock to make it work reliably.  The only lock maker  I know that you can just buy it & it works right from day one is a lock directly from Jim Chambers Flintlocks. And I can truthfully say that from trying all 3 of the most popular makers in the past 10 years & of the last 30 locks I have bought from him, every single one of them were exceptional from day one.....  (not counting the fact they have a  Lifetime   warranty on them, and none of the others do that I know of.)

So, that being said, I would lean towards rifle styles that he makes a lock for if that is possible, as it can save you allot of aggravation........