measurements

[MontanaFrontier86]

I have a appointment with the missouri history museum next week to take pictures of the philip creamer rifle. What measurements should I get off the rifle? This will be my first build from a blank and only my second build over all. I know this will be difficult but I feel if I don't challenge myself and pick the hardest projects that I won't learn. Any help on what measurements to take would be appreciated.

[L. Akers]

Measure everything.  The more measurements you have, the easier it will be to duplicate.  The measurement you DONT take will be the one you need.

[okieboy]

 Regardless of the measurements that you take (with a caliper?), what may be a real benefit to you is to take easy to read 6", 12" and 36" rules to lay by the rifle as you photograph it. These will give you answers to questions later, that you didn't have at the time of photographing.
 You may want to take and view some photos of your rules before you go to judge how well they photograph. For instance, some  bright metal rules reflect too much flash.

[Curtis]

+ 2 on what Okieboy said!

Curtis

[rich pierce]

I'd use all the measurements Shumway used in RCA.
Barrel length, caliber, diameters at breech and muzzle.
Length of pull, width and height of buttplate.
Width at cheek piece or widest part of the buttstock.
Width and height of wrist.
Width at rear of lock.

Stuff like that.

[Jerry V Lape]

I would bet the museum would appreciate your bringing plastic calipers instead of metal ones.  And you might as well use plastic rulers too.  Prevent scratching.  Might also take a small roll of stiff paper plus blue tape.  Tape the paper down and draw around the rifle.  Plus you can write your dimensions right where you took them on the paper.  Some a long time ago put a photo on the sight about how to make a drawing block with a pencil through it so you could trace the outline very precisely.  Just a rectangular block about 4 inches tall with a hole drilled through at an angle so a pencil could be inserted  -  the point coming out exactly in line with the bottom corner.  Then slide the block along the rifle keeping the vertical side against the rifle and the point on the paper.  Works great. 

[RAT]

I don't imagine you'll be allowed to post the photos here... but could you post your list of measurements? I'd be interested the height of the upper and lower forestock, width to the buttplate, barrel dimensions, does the forestock come to the mid point of the barrel? etc... etc... etc...

I'd also be interested in any descriptions or details you have. Maybe a sketch of the patchbox engraving and a sketch of the release, catch, and spring. Are the escutcheons silver or iron? Are they engraved? What about the engraving on the cheekpiece inlay. Etc... etc... etc... 

[ddoyle]

how to make a drawing block with a pencil through it so you could trace the outline very precisely

This device was "posted" on page 8 of Recreating The American Long Rifle  Buchele and Shumway. The drawing is worth the price of the book.

super useful tool, kind of like a depth micrometer once you make one you wonder how you lived with out it.

[mark esterly]

borrow the cloth tape from your sweety's sewing box or hit walmart for one.

[Curtis]

I think this is the post that Jerry was referring to.
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=21112.0

Curtis