Halfstock Bedford County

[okawbow]

Hi All
I am getting ready to build a Bedford Co. rifle. I happen to have a very good, tight curl hard maple stock blank; but it is a halfstock. I have the crazy idea to build a halfstock Bedford. Has anyone ever seen an original Bedford halfstock? Was it built as a halfstock or made that way later as a repair or cut down?
Any one have pictures?

[tooguns]

Maybe the top gun in the  group of 4 is original, hope these help

[okawbow]

Thanks Tooguns!
That looks like a Bedford or Somerset Co. rifle. I suspect it was originally a fullstock that was cut down later.

I have seen a picture somewhere of a Bedford that was halfstock, maybe from the start. Can’t seem to find it any where online.

[stuart cee dub]

Some years ago I handled a half stock custom build built back in the late70’s or early 80’s . There was a brief trend locally anyway in MN to build muzzleloaders as if they had been cut down fullstocks and also guns that appeared to be converted from flint showing last period of use. The rifle in question I handled was both . It was a handsome rifle and handled very well. Whether you can find a precedent or not it would in no way dissuade me from building a half stock Bedford .
 
The same sensibility has many makers artificially aging new builds . Personally I think it’s a cracking fine idea to make a half stock Bedford . They tend to be too nose heavy with straight barrels anyway and you would be fixing that issue .

[tooguns]

Here's a double rifle on gunbroker maybe

[okawbow]

Found a picture in one of my books. 42” barrel, so maybe always a half stock? A John Amos rifle.

[scooter0393]

While there may be a late maker (e.g/. David Defibaugh, Stekinus) who made an original 1/2 stock, in over 1400 Bedford long rifles I have seen (and photo'ed most) I have never seen an original 1/2 stock. The VERY few had broken fore-stocks and were made into 1/2 stocks.

[okawbow]

 I’m ok with the thought that few Bedford rifles were converted to halfstock. Here’s the one I made.