Early Virginia LR

[flehto]

Started  building MLers in 1976 and I think it was 4-5 years later that I wanted to build something different so looked in RCA 2 at the Southern LRs and somehow decided on my version of  an early Virginia. Drew the stock free hand and went to work. Used a Rice "C" weight swamped bbl  X 44", a Davis Twigg lock, forgot the set triggers brand and also forgot who made the  Bplate which has a shoe width of 2-1/8". The blank came from Freddie Harrison. The Pbox, sideplate and RR pipes were made by me. I think the stock design looks "Southern" and it definitely doesn't  look "Northern". Bought the Twigg lock because it had older  English features.  The Pbox and other hardware are all  browned steel.

Shot it quite a bit and then sold it. The cal. was .54 and the rifle was very comfortable to shoot.

  Later on I read where the Twigg lock was lacking and did notice that the mainspring did flex, but it operated fine when I shot it. A simple LR w/ minimal carving......Fred

[BOB HILL]

Nice looking work. Looks like a good shooter.
Bob

[bama]

It is hard to go wrong with an early styled Virginia rifle. My personal hunting rifle is based on the F. Klette rifle and it is a wonderfully balanced and good shooting rifle. You did a great job on this rifle. I have always liked you style of carving, it's a little different and there is nothing wrong with being a little different, or so I have been told! 

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Really pleasing rifle Fred.  The stock architecture screams "shooter"!  I like this rifle a lot.

[flehto]

I truly enjoyed building this LR but there aren't many originals that one can use as a model. Shot a few "big" loads and it was very comfortable....the stock design  was "loosely" based on a Virginia shown in RCA2 in the Southern rifle section....forgot which one.

I always look forward to your posts because they display your  skillful work w/ many different styles as opposed to mine which later on were all Bucks County LRs....a style that really "grabbed me".....Thanks for your kind words.....Fred

[flehto]

Thanks Taylor for your remarks.....I did shoot this LR a lot and even the big loads were comfortable ......but my main reason for this build was to have it look like   a Southern LR and in particular, an early Virginia LR. In retrospect, possibly a better choice  of  lock would have been one of the early English locks,,,,but the present owner has had no problems w/ the Twigg. Arriving at a  stock design took awhile because of a lack of published original early Virginia LRs so I just went ahead and very loosely used one of the Southern  LRs in RCA 2. One thing certain...it surely doesn't  look like a Northern LR. Did show this LR on ALR very early on and the main criticism was that the hardware should have been brass and can't argue w/ that....Fred

[smart dog]

Hi Fred,
Beautiful rifle!  I love your carving style.  It will always be one of your signatures.

dave

[flehto]

Thanks Dave.  I started building MLers to hunt with and didn't care for embellishments, but some of the spaces needed something so I started carving and  knew nothing about style,  carving tools, history or  technique and the carving on all my LRs is like that shown.....should have delved into other styles, but never did.

You build LRs of many styles and are a true artist.....Fred

[yip]

  beautiful rifle and that p/b is great look'n

[Spalding]

Along with the rifle, that is one beautiful piece of wood, too.

Bob

[heinz]

Nice rifle Fred.  I am working on an early southern mountain gun now with a Twigg lock, but it has Bob Roller internals.

[JohnnyFM]

Wow, I’m really digging the profile and that curl is 1/1000.  Well done!

[Bob Roller]

Nice rifle Fred.  I am working on an early southern mountain gun now with a Twigg lock, but it has Bob Roller internals.

I said I'd  make 10 of these Twiggs and made 14. The last 4 were from customers that furnished the requested parts and the very last one went to South Africa.I thinkI got $300 each for these and $105 was for the external parts I bought from R.E.Davis when Tim Tressel owned it.
Bob Roller

[Tacksman45]

The Pbox, sideplate and RR pipes were made by me. I think the stock design looks "Southern" and it definitely doesn't  look "Northern". Bought the Twigg lock because it had older  English features.  The Pbox and other hardware are all  browned steel.

I really like this rifle, especially the furniture! Is the sideplate based on a specific example or it your own design?

[flehto]

Thanks to all for your kind words. The side plate's design was somewhat changed from the original to fit the allotted space a little better, I think it still looks Southern.....Fred