In Major Ned Roberts book,The Muzzle Loading Caplock Rifle,he writes of a visit to a man called Hacker Martin in Virginia to see how a full stock rifle was made. Martin started with a blank,no precarving or anything else done to it and then rough sawed it into a shape useful for a rifle. Then he gouged and scraped a channel the length of the barrel and then using different scrapers, made the channel more or less octagonal enough to seat the barrel. I don't remember the sequence he then used for the ramrod groove or the lock inletting. Maybe someone who has a copy of that book can continue this thread. Major Roberts himself disavowed any knowledge of long rifles and round balls because he grew up under the guidance of an uncle that was a Union Sniper in the Civil War and the percussion match rifles with their long bullets,cross patches and fine sights were his orientation but he was curious enought to include the making of a long rifle in
this book. I have an original edition given to me by E.M.Farris in the early 1950's and it was given to him by Major Roberts. I will admit that while admiring the art and stunning craftsmanship seen in the long rifle,I am like Major Roberts and prefer the precision match rifles of the American Northeast along with the superb English long range rifles with their over done locks and elegant looks.
Bob Roller
