My first build... attempt...

[Freipo1985]

Howdy all.
So a little back story. I’d been shooting muzzleloaders since I was 6 and I’d always wanted to build a longrifle. I do some living history and shoot regularly. I’d price a kit out, get flabbergasted at the cost, and push it off for a later date. When I was younger my father and I built a northwest trade gun and a full stock Hawken.

I was perusing a local gun/reenacting/junk shop that sells muzzle loading guns and supplies and I spied someone’s start at attempting to build a longrifle on consignment. So I was able to pick up a walnut stock inlet for a barrel, 50 cal GM barrel, triggerguard, set triggers, thimbles, buttplate, nose cap, sights, and a bunch of inlays, patchbox, screws, books, etc. for 100 bucks. Basically everything except a lock.

All the inlay work looked like it was done with a flathead screw driver except for the barrel. The patchbox was a disaster and the lock inlay wasn’t far behind. So I bought a lock, side plate, and a patchbox blank from MBS and went to work. About a year later - raising 3 little kids, and working offshore in the maritime industry- this is what I came up with. I know it’s nothing near the quality of work that most of you guys are capable of, but I learned a lot - especially about what not to do and now to fix others mistakes - and I feel I came out with something decent looking and serviceable

Looking forward to your critiques and inputs.
 

[Cory Joe Stewart]

First off good job staying at it and finishing the build.  I cannot critique anything that you yourself have not already noted. 

Cory Joe

[DavidC]

Well, how much is your doing and how much the consignee? The inletting might be  a bit "oof" but at least you spelled liberty right! 

Kilbler kits go together well but a lot of the pre-milled stuff can be trouble, especially if it has time to sit and warp.

[Freipo1985]

Thanks for the replies. There’s a lot of “oof” but for a 100 bucks I reckon it’ll do.

The consignee did the lock inlet. It looked like he did it with a flathead screwdriver. After a lot of measuring and going back and forth between a couple different locks and trying some different ones I went with a chambers large siler. It seemed to fit the route job best. Hindsight I should have filled it and started over. Better yet just started over with a whole new piece of wood. Everything lined up well. I’ve got no idea where the kit initially came from.

Most of the inlay work was done in some manner, mostly hacked or dremeled, except for the side plate and ramrod thimbles. I finished everything up and smoothed it over as best as I could, replaced some wood here and there, mostly underneath inlays to level things out. The wonky patchbox covers a crazy inlet job of a daisy style patchbox that ran kind of pointing down towards the triggerguard.The triggers were the only things installed decently. The triggerguard was nailed in with finishing nails from the right side of the stock. There were no lock panels. The lock panels were non existent - rounded and sanded smooth. 

[Daryl]

The rear sight appears to be on backwards, is all. Otherwise, for a first attempt and finishing an already started gun, looks just fine. The finish is really nice.

[BrianS]

I was just about to comment on the rear sight, but since already mentioned... I won't. 

My first build (from a Dixie kit in the 1970's) is rather ugly compared to what these guys do on a daily basis. Nonetheless, it's a ton of fun to shoot. So here is my profound suggestion: get out shooting now. It really doesn't have to look like an art piece to be a whole lot of fun. Congratulations on finishing up your rifle!

[LynnC]

Enjoy your rifle for the time being. I would only suggest that as you become familiar with truly slim rifles that you not be afraid to make changes to your gun. The price was right. Use this gun as a learning opportunity.  I kept my first couple of rifles and used them to learn stock shaping. I can assure you i had plenty of wood left on them to remove to find that slim rifle within. Keep at it and shoot it!

[Daryl]

I did exactly the same thing, LynnC.

[mikeyfirelock]

Ya’ done good !   Now on to the next one.

[Bill Raby]

   The whole purpose of building a rifle is to enjoy the time that you spend building it. How it turns out in the end is not the important part.

[steven baker]

Hello , great to see your project rifle ,that looks to be a fine shooting iron.Reading the text that you wrote reminds me of the first gal that I kissed, she  wasnt pretty, sure was a gal though. On with your next build. Take care Steven.

[smart dog]

Hi Freipo1985,
You did pretty well for your first gun and correcting the mistakes some else made to boot.  Here are some suggestions for the future:
1.  The stock has too much wood left on.  For example, the muzzle cap determines much of the shape of the fore stock and its dimensions without tapering down of the stock to meet the cap.  Here is an example
 


As Allen Martin would say, "take off wood until you are scared and then take off a little more."

2.  Lock panels should be formed naturally as you shape the wrist. A mistake most new builders make is to cut them in  too early in the process creating a hard and awkward  "picture frame" like appearance around the lock and side plate.  Look at the examples below.





The gun is brought to almost final shape before the panels are cut and the molding is just an extension of the contour of the stock rather than looking like a separate piece of wood glued to the side of the gun. A subtle and low shoulder is all that is needed to form the edge of the molding. 


















3.  Do more cutting, chiseling, rasping, and scraping and less sanding to shape the stock.  Sanding tends to round corners and loose precision.  It has its place but at the very end and done carefully.  A good example is how your cheek piece is rounded over.  Here are some examples that were mostly cut and scraped to shape preserving clear edges and lines.
 






4.  I assume you did not have much choice about the patch box but the butt plate needs to be better fitted and the upper return installed in line with the comb.  Use inletting black or smoke to bring the plate in tighter to the stock and correctly positioned.  Here are some examples.












Like I wrote previously, you did a good job on your first gun and the suggestions I provided should help you on the next one.

dave

[DavidC]

For 100$ and your time you've gotten great advice (not anything of mine    ) and a functional gun, That's a pretty @!*% good deal. I got a partial kit on eBay for 350$ as my first gun and completed with zero advice and no knowledge of this forum. If you ever need entry into a butchers guild I can send you that gun as an entry badge.

Maybe consider getting a blank and using some of those parts to make something truly yours, then you'll know who's to blame!

[LynnC]

Fripo1985,

You have been provided expert advise.

Dont be overwhelmed. Ive been making guns for 32 years and mine will never look like smart dogs or any of the other top end gunmakers on hear but I have learned a Ton from them over the years 😉

Keep at it and enjoy

[Ed Wenger]

Can’t really add to what’s been said, but I think you did a really nice job with the “LIBERTY” carving.  That’s not easy to do, good job!   Best,

       Ed

[Freipo1985]

Man, thanks for all the replies and comments.
Thanks especially to smart dog for the pics and everything. All of you guys have shared a wealth of knowledge.

 The cheek piece and lock panels were already sanded round when I got ahold of it. The stocks actually really skinny horizontally, it’s just fat top to bottom.

I’ll be sure to turn the rear sight around. I’m back at sea and only finished it up a couple days before I left, so as soon as I get back home I’m going to shoot the $#@* out of. But for the next few weeks I get to contemplate what I want to build next.