Help with building a copy of a family heirloom

[JPMarks56]

I would like to build a copy of a Long Rifle that belonged to my Great Grandfather.  He born in 1865 and was from Nelson County Kentucky. He shothunted with this rifle as a youth.

My previous building experience consist of a 28 gauge shotgun kit from Dixie Gunworks when I was 12 years old (46 years ago) and a half stock 54 Hawkins kit from Pecatonica River about 20 years ago.  I was enjoyed building the Hawkins and was pleased with the results.

The rifle is a simple barn. It is a 32 caliber, 13/16" across the flats.  Barrel length is 45", drop is 3" and the pull is 13".  All the furniture is brass.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Some of my questions are:

Should I use start with a blank stock with barrel inletted and ramrod hole drilled, or could I find a precarved which might help me?

How do I go about finding buttplate, triggerguard and lock that are similar.  My concern is the hammer style.  I have not seen that style in any catalogs.  I assume I could fabricate a hammer.

I have reason to believe the gun was built in Kentucky as I found a rifle on the web which had a very similar lock and lockplate carving outline which was similar. The picture said it was built by Jacob Rizer of Bardstown Ky.

I could not successful attach a picture to the site so I have attached a link to my Smugmug website which has pictures of the gun. 

http://jpkp.smugmug.com/Other/KY-Long-Rifle/47222222_sNKD9j

I am looking forward to some guidance.  Though this isn't a fancy gun, it will be a real pleasure to be able to have the actually original gun in hand to be my guide.

[Bob Roller]

I would like to build a copy of a Long Rifle that belonged to my Great Grandfather.  He born in 1865 and was from Nelson County Kentucky. He shothunted with this rifle as a youth.

My previous building experience consist of a 28 gauge shotgun kit from Dixie Gunworks when I was 12 years old (46 years ago) and a half stock 54 Hawkins kit from Pecatonica River about 20 years ago.  I was enjoyed building the Hawkins and was pleased with the results.

The rifle is a simple barn. It is a 32 caliber, 13/16" across the flats.  Barrel length is 45", drop is 3" and the pull is 13".  All the furniture is brass.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Some of my questions are:

Should I use start with a blank stock with barrel inletted and ramrod hole drilled, or could I find a precarved which might help me?

How do I go about finding buttplate, triggerguard and lock that are similar.  My concern is the hammer style.  I have not seen that style in any catalogs.  I assume I could fabricate a hammer.

I have reason to believe the gun was built in Kentucky as I found a rifle on the web which had a very similar lock and lockplate carving outline which was similar. The picture said it was built by Jacob Rizer of Bardstown Ky.

I could not successful attach a picture to the site so I have attached a link to my Smugmug website which has pictures of the gun. 

http://jpkp.smugmug.com/Other/KY-Long-Rifle/47222222_sNKD9j

I am looking forward to some guidance.  Though this isn't a fancy gun, it will be a real pleasure to be able to have the actually original gun in hand to be my guide.

 That hammer may be available from Reaves Goering in Columbia,Pa.I have one here I got from him
 at Friendship and it can easily be altered to that odd configuration.It has no number and the only way
 to describe it would be to call it a small,flat faced percussion hammer with a border engraved on the
 face. The one I have is committed to a lock for a customer or you could have it.

 Bob Roller

[flinchrocket]

By having the original,you can make a paper pattern and lay it on a stock blank with the barrel channel cut
and rod hole drilled, then cut it out. In the long run you will be closer to the original with less work than
trying to reshape a precarved.

[Mark Elliott]

I looked at the photos of your rifle, and I don't think you should have too much trouble finding a butt piece or trigger guard on Track that you could re-file to match.   There are plenty of sand cast guards and butt pieces that have plenty of extra material to file.   The same goes for a lock.  Just find a lock with a plate a bit bigger than you need and file it to shape.   The Siler Mountain Percussion lock would probably be plenty big to re-file a bit.   As to a hammer,  you could just cut and file one from 1/4" - 5/16" weldable steel plate you can buy at Lowes.   

[FALout]

I would build from a blank.  You don't mention if the barrel is straight or tapered and flared, if you opt for the straight, you will need to shape the front of the stock quite thin as it looks in the pics or it will be muzzle heavy.  The "search" function on this website is a great tool for doing research for your build.  I have even gone back page by page to read posts that I thought would be of help.  Good luck and have fun.

[Dave Marsh]

Very nice rifle.  I wish I had a family heirloom like that.  Nothing got passed down in my family.  You should be very pleased as I am sure you are.  Good luck.

Dave

[Pete G.]

I had a similar project several years back. Unless you have experience in sculpting wood I would start with one of the Leman style pre-carves. The outline is close to what you have and there is still plenty of wood left to remove to get to your final dimensions. Handle your original and your replica quite often and pay close attention to areas that are different. When you get to a point where they feel the same you are there.

This type of project can be a lot of fun because you are really building a time machine that will take you back to your grandfather's era.

[Longknife]

Order a Track of the wolf catalog, they have actual size pictures of the brass hardware and locks that you can compare your parts to. You are probably going to have to get a custom barrel made as I am not aware of any production barrels being made in that 45 inch length. Same on the stock, no precarves in that length also.....Ed

[Dennis Glazener]

Order a Track of the wolf catalog, they have actual size pictures of the brass hardware and locks that you can compare your parts to. You are probably going to have to get a custom barrel made as I am not aware of any production barrels being made in that 45 inch length. Same on the stock, no precarves in that length also.....Ed

Ed is right about the Track Of The Wolf catalog but you can go to their website and get a pretty good idea of whether they have usable parts. They give the dimensions online.

He is also right about the 45 inch barrel not normally available as a pre-carve but you might find a pre-carve that has the forearm left unfinished/squared up that will handle a 45 inch barrel (mine will, but wrong styles for your rifle) or at least for a 44 inch which you could glue a 1 inch extension on the end which would be hidden by the nose cap.
Dennis

[JTR]

I'd start with something like this Lancaster style. The butt stock shape and drop are similar to your rifle, etc.
 http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/901/2/STK-LA

This still needs a lot of wood removed, so your rifle is in there someplace!

True, this is for a 42 " long barrel, but if you can find a 45" barrel, one of the wood suppliers will certainly be able to sell you a stock to fit it.

Your G grand dads rifle is a nice looking gun, and probably very close to what most guys shot back then.

John

[gunmaker]

Thats a project well worth doing....Tom

[WadePatton]

If you care to post photos here, you can click the "share" button at that hosting site, select a size by hitting the "copy" button next to the list it will provide you.  THEN post that link here in message, HIGHLIGHT that link by double clicking it, THEN tap the "image" button above (second over, second row) to add the "IMG" tags before and after.

(i found another option, select the the "embeddable links" tab at your photo host, then paste a link from second group "Forums" and no need to "IMG" tag it manually.) 

then hit the "preview" button to see if you did it right and chose a good size. Fix errors or start over if necessary...then bizango!







As to the rifle, do it right.  Some folks offer a 46" that could be cut-but the contours should be reasonably close.  I'd much rather have one made to proper length and contour, which will take a little while.  Order it now and spend the rest of the time sourcing proper mounts and wood, fixin' up the lock/triggers, etc.  Also, a good blank stock will provide LOTS of material for patchwork, practice, and experimentation.  Blank stock wood is practically always available for a 45" bbl.  Nevermind the contours comments if the bbl is straight.

You've already built "compromise to others' decisions" guns.  Make this one a genuine representative copy.  

[okieboy]

 Did anyone else notice the spurs on the bottoms of the triggers? Very nice.