Colonial Fowler Kit

[t.caster]

 I don't build kits anymore! Let me get that out of the way first. That's what I thought until one of my best friends brought this kit over to me with his tail between his legs. He started by savaging the breech tang inlet and realized he didn't know what he was doing and didn't have the proper tools for the job. So I gave in.
 It is a ______ ___ Colonial Fowler kit with 20 ga. x 42" round smooth barrel and R E Davis Early Fowler lock. Couple problems right off: I had to move the barrel back .39" and down about an 1/8" so the touch hole would line up with the center of the pan and not be drilled into the breech plug threads. Typical for every kit I have worked on. Also the stock was pre inlet for oct-round barrel which this is not. It has cast-on as well so I massaged the stock as best I could to straighten it out. Oh, and the lock bolt holes were pre-drilled & tapped....not the same spacing as the side plate. The back screw would have to go thru the plate on an angle. So I ordered a new lock plate from Tim At Davis Locks and put the bolt holes where they needed to be.
I will say the parts were all top notch and the wood is a very hard piece of moderately curly maple.

I finally got it all together and embellished it with a little carving here and there for good measure. I don't know how Brooks built his Lehigh in 80 hours....I got 85 hours in this kit!

Specs: wt.=8.2#, LOP= 13" Drop at heel= 3"  Trigger pull= light & quick. It was not pre positioned, so I could locate  it where I wanted it.
Here's a few pics:















This week was finally able to start the 1699-1708 French Fusil Fin I previously inquired about. Got the barrel inlet and rr groove & hole done already.

[jerrywh]

 How much did you charge your GOOD friend??

[Craig Wilcox]

Lovely color on that rifle.  May I ask how you stained it?

It is a pretty neat longrifle!

[oldtravler61]

  If Tom is like me. Probably very little if anything. It's called friendship.
To the right people it's not always about money. Imo      Oldtravler

[Flint62Smoothie]

... just a “little carving” ...

Looks beautiful Tom!

[t.caster]

Oldtraveler is right, it's not always about making money.

Craig, I skipped the Aqua Fortis on this one and used Laurel MT Forge's Honey Maple, Cherry and Nut Brown for stain. Then a little of Kibler's Bone Black. A lot of the guns shown in Shipper's engraving book had this dark red color and I thought it would look good on this one too.

Flint62, Thanks, I've seen some fowlers with every inch decorated. That wouldn't fit this fellows persona, but I didn't want it to look like a factory that he currently shoots with. Funny thing is, he's been borrowing another smoothy that I built for another friend, on and off for about a year now, and he loved shooting that in our smoothbore matches at rendesvous.

[Craig Wilcox]

Thanks, Tom.  For some reason, I really like reddish colors on longrifles.  Just appeals a bit more.

You took your friend's turkey and turned it into a soaring bird.  Fit and finish are one thing, but the simple, un=overdone carving really sparks some life into the old girl.  I do understand why the limited carving - each customer is an individual, with their own likes and dislikes.  I'd say you hit this nail squarely on the head!

[Mike Brooks]

You did a good job on the tang carving and the comb moldings, very nicely designed and executed.

(It was 75  hours, not 80. But I thought it might have been almost 3000 for a while )

[Mike Brooks]

  If Tom is like me. Probably very little if anything. It's called friendship.
To the right people it's not always about money. Imo      Oldtravler

I used to do that years ago. Finally stopped when my "friends" started selling the guns I built them for 4X what I charged them then bragged to me about it.   That was the end of my being a gullible idiot. Well, maybe not the idiot part.

[BOB HILL]

Love the carving. Thanks for sharing.
Bob

[oldtravler61]

   Mike that's how you find out "Who your friends really are "
   Yeh old learning curve....!!! Sometimes it costs a little to learn a lot..
    Oldtravler

[n stephenson]

Nice Job!  I like the tang carving!  Nate

[Mike Brooks]

   Mike that's how you find out "Who your friends really are "
   Yeh old learning curve....!!! Sometimes it costs a little to learn a lot..
    Oldtravler

Hmmm, I guess I never had any friends... I built two for one "friend" for $300 each, he supplied the parts. He sold them both and never paid me a cent. I confronted him after he sold them and asked him when he was going to pay for his guns. He said "I'm not."  And that was the end of that! Sometimes I wonder If I have lost more money doing this than I have made!

[t.caster]

Oldtraveler is right, it's not always about making money.

Before anyone starts lining up for free stuff, I must add, I don't give nothin away.
I'm sure he will try to give me more than I ask for and we will work something out. He hasn't even seen it yet.

[Mauser06]

Well done!!  Very nice looking Fowler and well executed carving and finish!

[JB]

beautiful Fowler for sure.  I'd be proud to own something like that..

JB

[stubshaft]

Beautiful fowler.  Love the color of the wood and carving.