Southern Mountain Rifle Entry Thimble-Pictures of rifle added

[Randall Steffy]

I find a different style entry thimble in Randal Pierce's book, Kentucky Rifles of the Great Smoky Mountains for which I could use some help. It is on page 42, rifle #20 by Isaac Messer. I cannot see whether the apron or skirt is a totally separate piece of sheet iron, pinned in place to add protection of the wood, with wood exposed between the skirt and the thimble tube or whether the tube and skirt are one piece and held in place solely in the traditional manner. I would have attached a picture but have not asked permission of the author. Thanks for your replies.

[canadianml1]

Looks like a separate piece to me, but the view makes it difficult to say for sure. I don't know why it is made so wide... maybe to allow pinning it on because it is a separate piece?

[Scota4570]

"I would have attached a picture but have not asked permission of the author."

I doubt any one could possibly care if you are not using the picture for commercial purposes.  Copyright infringement only applies to plagiarizing or reproducing without giving credit.  A single photo with credit given is not a problem. 

 Bottom line without seeing it nobody can help you. 

[Randall Steffy]

I am hoping that one of you southern rifle aficionados can give a confident answer to the question how this thimble is constructed.

[Randall Steffy]

If anyone is willing and able to let me know Randal Pierce's current email addy, by PM if that is most appropriate, I will contact him to see whether he can answer my question. I don't know whether he is a member here on ALR or not. Thanks.

[Adrie luke]

http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2018/10/kentucky-rifles-of-great-smoky.html

Adrie

[dstock]

I am going to add my opinion and it is just an opinion. I think I see a joint in the front causing me to believe this is a three piece assembly. You have the top piece attached to a vertical piece which is attached to the thimble. (looking down at the picture.) If you have Dave Byrd's book East Tennessee Hog Rifles look on pages 39. Alfred Duncan used a similar entry thimble. Samuel Glover (page 63) and Alfred Gross (page 72) also used similar Thimbles.
I handled a rifle in Knoxville that had an entry thimble of this sort on it and it was three piece so I made a couple of these and used one a rifle I built a couple years ago. Yea one didn't make the grade.
Good luck and when you find the answer please let us know because I am as curious as you are.

GOD bless
Doug B

[mountainman70]

Hello all . I was fortunate to buya set of Myron Carlson Bean rifle hardware and it includes this part.
Iwill post pics this evening.
Skirt and pipe are separate
Have a goodun. Dave

[Randall Steffy]

Thanks, Dave and all. I have snail-mailed this question to Randal Pierce and will reply here with his response. If others have thoughts or answers, please add them here.

[mountainman70]

Ok. Here we go. Hope these pics help. Best regards, Dave

Please excuse the upside down pics. Phone hasnt figgered out it is in West Virginia. RR and pipe is 5/16 id
 

[flinchrocket]

Thanks for the photos Dave. I had wondered about this very thing me own self.

[Randall Steffy]

I thank ye kindly, Dave. Most generous of you to pull those pictures together and post them here.

[mountainman70]

Y'all very welcome bro. The late Mr Carlson was a gifted craftsman. These parts are as delicate as the trigger guard and buttplate are robust. I am honored to have them to build with
Merry Christmas to all
Dave

[Randall Steffy]

I haven't heard back from Randall Pierce regarding the construction of that thimble I pictured earlier, but I did proceed based on Dave's posted design. It was not difficult to construct and I am pleased with the end result.



post picture

[mountainman70]

Nice job bro . Nice loooooong slim gal coming along nicely
 Best regards Dave

[flinchrocket]

May have to ding that up and make it look authentic.  Really nice job.

[Carper]

Looks like you got it…..1850’s East Tenn

[Randall Steffy]

I finished this rifle, Based on the Messer rifle addressed above. It is 36 cal and I hope a squirrel getter, if I do my part. Randal Pierce did get back to me with additional pictures of the entry thimble and they showed the construction just as Mountainman70 Dave shows. I am quite pleased with the end product. Now I await warmer weather to sight her in.

[Mark Elliott]

When I made one of these,  I made it up out of three pieces soldered together with different hardnesses of solder.   The lug on the tube held mine in place.

[Craig Wilcox]

Nifty way of making an entry pipe, and fairly easy to do.  Same technique as a muzzle cap.

[Spalding]

Beautiful job, Randall. What barrel did you use if you don’t mind me asking?

Bob

[hawkeye]

How do you attach the piece to your stock?

[Randall Steffy]

The barrel is a Rice 44" A weight, I believe. My memory is not the greatest.

In answer to the entry pipe attachment, the thimble itself is traditional with a pinned tab and the silver soldered 2 piece skirt or apron has a pair of small countersunk nails, riveted into the sinks and filed flush. I did this attachment prior to finishing and browning the apron and preventing blackening of the wood next to the iron is a challenge. I am not sure if I would wait until the finish is complete to install the apron next time, or not.