Author Topic: question on style  (Read 824 times)

Offline Daniel

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question on style
« on: February 06, 2020, 08:10:11 PM »
  I have been eyeballing a Lehigh style stock for a while.
My question is how well do they shoulder? My pull is 13 1/2" and best drop is 3- 3 1/2 "
I am thinking about building one.
Daniel     Ecc.4:12

Offline E.vonAschwege

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Re: question on style
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2020, 09:05:41 PM »
I love building them, so I'm biased...   

I find for my build that a straight-stocked gun is more comfortable to shoot, but I enjoy building and looking at rifles from the Lehigh region.  Many contemporary builders will add drop to the wrist, which in turn lowers the comb, making it less apt to hit your cheek bone.  It's not necessary to lower the drop in order to make them shoot comfortably, I find that it just takes a little finesse when you bring them to your shoulder.  There are exceptions to this generality, but most well published Lehigh guns come back from the breech with a fairly straight wrist and then slowly drop from there.  The tail of the lock is tilted up in some circumstances, with a slightly dished wrist underneath, to achieve a slim but wide wrist.  There's also good discussion going on this subject here:  https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=57956.0 

There's not a straight line on them, except perhaps the cheek molding, and some people find them challenging.  The best resource you can buy is the KRA CD with Lehigh valley rifles - best photos of a variety of Lehigh guns, including well known Rupp, Moll, Neihart, and Kuntz guns - which are all different unto themselves. 

Eric Kettenburg can hopefully chime in as well, as he is the authority on them, especially their history & makers.  Just posted a beauty in the for sale section too! 
Former Gunsmith, Colonial Williamsburg www.vonaschwegeflintlocks.com

Offline Daniel

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Re: question on style
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2020, 10:07:30 PM »
  Thank you. I saw his rifle. Slobbered all over myself. I can't afford that though.
Daniel     Ecc.4:12