Forarm length

[A.Merrill]

    Is there an average lenght for forarms, say from the breach to the RR hole?    AL

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

probably an average can be computed, but,......... seems it depends on the barrel length and the balance point.....It should be proportionate to the upper forestock and to the buttstock...... seems to me.... if it is going to look right.

[erdillonjr]

Usally its about 12 in. Ed

[blunderbuss]

probably an average can be computed, but,......... seems it depends on the barrel length and the balance point.....It should be proportionate to the upper forestock and to the buttstock...... seems to me.... if it is going to look right.

would that be because of the golden mean???

[omark]

OH NO!!!!!   NOT AGAIN,,,,     mark

[rich pierce]

Wallace Gusler noted that this dimension and placement of the rear lug varied from school to school.  If you look at fowling pieces, nobody tries to make the fore-arm extra long just because here's a 52" barrel instead of a 42" barrel, so forget about using proportions in a strict sense.

[whitebear]

If you use the conventional hold, right hand on the wrist and left hand on the forearm somewhere about 1/4 of the length of the barrel, pick up your stock and adjust your left hand until the stock holds comfortable.  Where your left hand is will be about the end of the forearm and start of the ramrod grove.  At least that's the way that I do it.  Which as already mentioned will be roughly 12".

[okieboy]

 I think that relating the fore arm length in proportion to the barrel length would work out about as well as proportioning the lenth of pull based on the barrel length. I use 12" because it is long enough to give my hand a place to grip and 12" is deep enough to be drilling a ramrod hole straight, at least for me.

[Dphariss]

    Is there an average lenght for forarms, say from the breach to the RR hole?    AL

11-12". Probably 11" more than 12....

Dan

[David Rase]

    Is there an average lenght for forarms, say from the breach to the RR hole?    AL

11-12". Probably 11" more than 12....

Dan

I concur with Dan as long as we are talking about longrifles.  Hawkens/plains rifle halfstocks are a different story.
Dave

[Acer Saccharum]

Here is a forearm so short, I considered briefly gluing in some wood after I made the cut for the Rear Pipe. When all was said and done, I like how it came out. Short barrel, 32", needs a short forarm, otherwise it looks dorky. (pure opinion)

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VQ2vLX90CrY/TXA6xuanDmI/AAAAAAAAjDQ/3Z4u4Mjsr1Y/s1600/Unknown-7.jpeg

[Long John]

I have never measured a fore arm length because I don't know where you happen to be measuring from.  I just make them so they look nice.  To my way of thinking a long rifle looks best when the distance from the trigger to the butt plate and the distance from the trigger to the entry pipe are the same.  So, that's the way I build them.  Maybe I will have to adjust that design habit if I ever get to building a jaeger or blunderbuss with a runty barrel. 

Holy Guacamole! I see here on this 1/2 done pistol that I broke my own rule!  Oh well.

Best Regards,

JMC

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

It seems that for the most part, I prefer forearms to be a little longer than you guys.  Here's a list of a few of mine, measuring lop and forearm length from the trigger...

Jacob Kuntz - LOP 13 3/4"  forearm 14 1/4"  bbl 44" (documentary copy)
A. Verner     - LOP 13 1/2"  forearm 13 3/4"  bbl 48" (documentary copy)
Jaeger         - LOP 13 7/8"  forearm 10 1/4"  bbl 31" (my own design)
P. Berry       - LOP 14"        forearm 12 1/2"  bbl 42" (Berry influenced, but not a copy)
Mark Silver Virginia - LOP 14"  forearm 13 1/4"  bbl 42" (Chambers' parts set)
PA Fowler    - LOP 13 3/4"  forearm 16 1/8"  bbl 46" (Chambers' parts set
Ketland fowler - LOP 13"  forearm 19 5/8"  bbl 47 3/4" (original and half-stocked)

Except for the last, the Ketland fowler, all these guns look quite in proportion. I think that a shorter forearm would make a big difference in the architecture of the thing.  In the end, I suppose it's a matter of personal preference.  But one should study originals for the answer to this question.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Lots of opinions and facts...course the question is does it look right...for the gun you are building..................

[A.Merrill]

    Thanks to everybody, I was looking through a book when I noticed diffrent length forearms and thought I would ask. Just started a new build and was thinking ahead.
    Acer, I never would have imagined a forearm that short would look that good but it looks great on that gun.
    Taylor, thanks for the info, I'll save that.
    Dr. Tim, I think your right.
                                                     AL

[Acer Saccharum]

With a long forearm, the gun would have looked stupid with two thimbles, and crowded with three. I did it by eye. No measuring.

Taylor, I think you are predisposed to make you forearms around 14" from trigger. You even pick guns to copy with that length, just to prove your theory.

The long rifle is an animal unto itself. It follows few laws, is highly independent, and is one of the earliest forms of American man-bling.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Tom, you are probably closer to the truth than you might think.  In studying longrifles, either by book or hands-on, naturally I favour certain styles over others.  The longer forearm may be one of those features.

[Acer Saccharum]

I have no complaints with your rifles, Taylor. Your eye for proportion and grace in rifles is of the highest order. Your taste in friends is questionable. 

[Pete G.]

The forearm should be long enough to extend past the balance point. I've also noticed that quite a few rifles have the rear sight very close to the thimble entry, which places it ahead of the balance point.

[Acer Saccharum]

Nothin worse than a rear sight in the balance zone. Fortunately, with the old eyes, the rear sight keeps moving toward the muzzle.