Gun building -Feather rifle details wanted

[Rick Rhodes]

What was the barrel length  and caliber  of the "feather" rifle?  Thinking of building one .

[Mike Brooks]

The barrel is 43", I didn't record the caliber. I have the buttplate and triggerguard castings.

[Eric Kettenburg]

And the lock on that rifle is awesome.  Pay very close attention to that lock.

[Dennis Glazener]

The barrel is 43", I didn't record the caliber. I have the buttplate and triggerguard castings.

I think that is the one where Reaves Goehring owned the original, if so Fred Miller made a pattern of the stock and Ed Rayl has the barrel template/ specs I think it was 54, maybe 58 cal but not sure. Reaves also had casting for the BP, TG and lock, I built a copy and got the casting from Reaves but at the time the only lock castings he had was a lock plate casting. I used the lock plate to modify an early Ketland to look close to the original. The plate length falls between an Early Ketland and a Siler lock. I chose the Ketland because it was an English lock like the original while the Siler is Germanic. I had to really thin the bolster on the Early Ketland to be able to use it with Fred's pattern! I had to take some off the main spring AND mill the barrel in order to get enough clearance. Realy made a nice handling rifle. I wish I had kept it but sold it to a guy in AZ.

Knob mountain has the stock pattern now, assume Reaves daughter still has all the castings.
Dennis

[Eric Kettenburg]

ummmmmm...  The lock on the Feather gun is about as German as it gets.  In fact, it's really what the Siler "should have been."  You can use a Siler kit as a base to get the Feather lock out of it, mostly, but you're going to have to do a lot of reshaping and also a couple of replacement parts.  It's not clear whether it's a German import lock or an American-made copy.

I'm pretty sure there are pictures of the lock 'out there' somewhere.  I might have some, will have to go check.

[Mike Brooks]

Was guslers woodsrunner the one with the English lock? I believe that's the one I have a pattern for.

[Dwshotwell]

Feather Rifle lock pic.

Here’s a link to the thread where I found this:
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=49261.msg488005#msg488005

[Ian Pratt]

Was guslers woodsrunner the one with the English lock? I believe that's the one I have a pattern for.

Yes

[Mike Brooks]

Feather Rifle lock pic.

Here’s a link to the thread where I found this:
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=49261.msg488005#msg488005

I made a JP Beck copy using that lock plate. Siler internals. Works great. Customer furnished the finished lock.

[Dennis Glazener]

ummmmmm...  The lock on the Feather gun is about as German as it gets.  In fact, it's really what the Siler "should have been."  You can use a Siler kit as a base to get the Feather lock out of it, mostly, but you're going to have to do a lot of reshaping and also a couple of replacement parts.  It's not clear whether it's a German import lock or an American-made copy.

I'm pretty sure there are pictures of the lock 'out there' somewhere.  I might have some, will have to go check.

Then the one I am talking about was not the feather rifle. If I remember correctly Reaves thought his came from the Shenandoah Valley area of VA.
Dennis

[Rick Rhodes]

Thank you for all the input,very helpful

[Mike Brooks]

ummmmmm...  The lock on the Feather gun is about as German as it gets.  In fact, it's really what the Siler "should have been."  You can use a Siler kit as a base to get the Feather lock out of it, mostly, but you're going to have to do a lot of reshaping and also a couple of replacement parts.  It's not clear whether it's a German import lock or an American-made copy.

I'm pretty sure there are pictures of the lock 'out there' somewhere.  I might have some, will have to go check.

Then the one I am talking about was not the feather rifle. If I remember correctly Reaves thought his came from the Shenandoah Valley area of VA.
Dennis

I have a pattern from the one with the english lock, I was confused about what pattern I had. The guns look incredibly similar in architecture.

[Eric Kettenburg]

Oh now I know what you're talking about.  I don't think I have pics of that one but everyone I've ever talked to about it seems to think that it and the Feather rifle were clearly made by the same guy.

[Jim Kibler]

Follow the link above and it will show the original that is often referred to as the "Woodsrunner".  This is the one Wallace owned.

Jim

[c deperro]

Rick I built one years ago off of Fred Millers Pattern. I think Dave Keck at Knob Mountain Muzzle loading has the pattern.