Antes Ramrod Pipes

[Long John]

Friends,

I am making slow progress on a rifle inspired by RCA 53, a William Antes rifle.  Does any one have any photos of the ramrod pipes on this or any other original Antes rifle?  I want to know how the end rings are done on the fore-end pipes and how the tang is shaped on the entry pipe.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,

John Cholin (JMC)

[JCKelly]

All I can find is a pistol, Plate 86, The Pennsylvania-Kentucky Rifle, Henry Kauffman. simple entry thimble. The KRA Bulletin Vol 6, No. 3, Spring 1980 shows a nice Antes rifle but photos of thimbles too small to see. Would like such information myself.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Wm Antes Rifle #54 in RCA 1 shows the entry pipe of this wonderful swivel breech gun.  There appears to be a wedding band with thin round moulding lines either side of each, and the pipe between is filed octagonal.  All in all, a lovely pipe, and I don't think you'd go wrong using it for your inspiration.  When John gets my barrels done, I'm going to build this rifle for myself.  I'm stocking mine in English walnut.

[Long John]

The image of RCA 53 in Johnston's book seems to suggest that the entry pipe had a fleur-de-lis shape at the aft end but the photos in RCA don't show the fore end.  Taylor, I suspect that a gun maker probably stuck with the same general geometry for ramrod pipes through his career so I might just use the image from RCA 54 as my guide.  Thanks for your response; I appreciate it.

JMC

[B Shipman]

John, I agree with Taylor. In my mind, if you find one example, it's fair game. If Antes used it once, he probably used it again. You can't make an exact copy of a rifle without it sitting in front of you anyway.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Bill, I think that the reason some (most) of us build these rifles as close as we can to the information that we have, is to get the FLAVOUR of the piece.  I for one will never be able to own an original longrifle of the quality that turns me on, so I have to be content with trying to replicate them. 
Advice...take every opportunity to examine and if possible, handle every original you can.  Having that opportunity graciously extended during my last adventure to PA was an epiphany.  I'm so looking forward to this summer and perhaps another such opportunity.