Another Tennessee Rifle Question

[Daveco]

Not to derail the recent other Tennessee Rifle thread, but along the same lines....
   In my ignorance, for my first build attempt I bought a precarved stock for a Tennessee Rifle that was inlet for a Small Siler. Yeah, I know now!    So what options are there at this point to steer the project toward a more correct build?  There is a little room for change on the existing lock panels around the existing inlet, and the existing trigger mortice is very shallow and way undersize in both width and length for the trigger plate that I plan on using. Would a Late Ketland cover the the Small Siler mortice? Or would another lock be a better fit? Or is it too late and I have the makings of a good squirrel rifle that is built sorta like a Tennessee Rifle?
   
  I would appreciate any and all ideas and suggestions!

  Dave.

[WadePatton]

I'd buy the lock that's closest, and patch the hole cut by the inletting machine, let in the preferred lock.  Of course once you patch the hole, any appropriate lock should fit up. 

Personally, I have a Nock, Roller Ketland, Roller Manton (L&R externals), L&R Manton, & Durs Egg-one in use, the others on deck. That gives you an idea of what i like in TN-style locks.  I'd not hesitate to try a Chambers Classic Ketland either.

TOW's life-sized pics may help you match things up.  You can do tracings* or photocopies to compare. You might just have to patch the back end a little.  You don't have to fill the whole void, just a good substantial "slab" up top.

So many originals were/are converted/reconverted or repaired/patched that a decent job of patching up and re-inletting will impress folks more than a "drop-in" fit.  Maybe some folks "in-the-know" will understand right off the bat, and be thankful of your diligence.  I know it would impress me.  Patching holes is a stockwood-working fundamental, as my first stock taught me (over and over).  

Have at it, show 'em what you can learn and do!  


*remembering "typing paper" and how we did all that tracing as kids...wonder if they make that anymore?

[Dennis Glazener]

David, check your email, I sent you a full size photo of a Late Ketland. Cut it out and see if it covers the small Siler inlet. I feel sure it will.
Dennis

[Maalsral]

I can tell you from personal experience that what is different with the other locks is the relationship between the sear and the pan. If you can put the small siler internals on the other lock plates, then it would be much easier.

[Bob Roller]

I can tell you from personal experience that what is different with the other locks is the relationship between the sear and the pan. If you can put the small siler internals on the other lock plates, then it would be much easier.

Relationship between the SEAR and the pan?? The sear and tumbler come to mind
but sear and pan? Please enlighten us.

Bob Roller

[Daveco]

Thanks for the ideas and info!
  Wade, I can appreciate what you are saying about well executed repairs and modifications. A good repair or replacement job may be obvious, but should be as well done as possible. Functional, stable, and blend to the rifle as well as possible for the circumstances. 
  With the picture that Dennis was kind enough to send me and the Track pictures on the internet I should have enough info to make an educated guess and then figure out what patches it will take (if any) to make it work.
  Maalsral, I think that I still have enough wood since the trigger mortise isn't complete that I can get by with quite a bit of movement of the trigger plate to engage the sear. Thanks for pointing that out! I see that the rough center of the pan to trigger sear is at least a half an inch longer on a Durs Egg than a Small Siler....
  It looks like I've got lots of tracing and measuring and a whole lot of head scratching to do! I'll let y'all know what I decide to do about this.
  Thanks again!
   Dave.

[Maalsral]

I am talking about where the sear bar is inlet into the stock. If you compare a Chambers Late Ketland to a small Siler, the sear bar is further away from where the pan is inlet into the stock. Thus if you are going to put a Late Ketland into the inlet for a small Siler, the sear bar must inletted further back and the trigger inlet further back than the inlet for a small Siler.

[WadePatton]

Oh the hassles of pre-let boards of wood. 

[case42so]

My problem is the same as Daveco.  Already purchased the TVM kit with the stock with partial inlet for the lock so I will be looking for the best lock to correct the problem.  I am a pretty competent wood worker so filling the  inlet will not be a problem, due to my lack of experience I am most concerned with finding the best lock to align with the barrel properly.  Thanks to all that have offered advise. 

Brian

[Daveco]

  Dennis was right on the money with his suggestion of a Late (Classic?) Ketland.   It looks like it will sit right over the inlet for the Small Siler and not require any gluing in of filler wood. It's kind of hard to do precision measuring with paper cutouts and pictures from the internet, but it LOOKS like it ought to work pretty darn good. I'll see if I can get one ordered this week.
  Thanks again for the help! If I ever get this thing finished, I'll post pics for a critique and pointers.

Daveco.

 Wade- I remember calling it "tracing paper" or "onion skin paper".  That was a WHILE back!!   

[Gaeckle]

Oh the hassles of pre-let boards of wood. 

So true....I refer to those as the hardest way to build a rifle. It's much, much easier from a blank.

[olie]

Like good old Hackberry.

[ShutEyeHunter]

One of my friends restores and sells big buck (1/2 as much $ as my house..) 17th century antique furniture.

He told me that when the old masters had a slip and had to patch something, they would use artist's oil paint to faux grain over the seam.  He showed me one he did and it blended in flawlessly.

Works for him--I'm going to try it on an 1835 rifle I'm restoring.

[Daveco]

  That's a good one ShutEyeHunter! I'll try to write that one down in my "notes and ideas" book. Keep us posted on how well it works for you.
 
  My Chambers Late Ketland got here today from ToW, but I haven't got it disassembled to find out how well it's going to cover my lock mortice.

Daveco.