Finally... Finished...

[Rootsy]

Not quite sure what "school" it fits into.  More of a mish-mosh type of gun.  I received the stock from Pecatonica (what they call their Pre-Rev Kentucky in CM-3 grade) Jan 2008 and it's been a "Winter" project more or less as my summers are consumed by my day job + farming.  It has been a real learning experience, one I have enjoyed immensely.  So much so that I am already planning my next.  I have learned so much during the past 2 years that this gun has gone through some evolution during the build with respect to design and architecture.  LOP is 13 1/2" and it points and shoulders like a dream.  I truly built it to fit me and when shouldering I can open my eyes and be looking down perfectly aligned sights.

I specifically ordered the stock rough shaped w/ only barrel inlet and ramrod hole as I wasn't quite confident enough to rough out a blank and end up with everything straight and square.  Everything else is pretty much piecemeal.  Chambers English lock, TOW early wide butt plate, plain thimbles and nose cap.  Green Mountain 42" B weight 50 cal swamped.  Side plate is mine... Sort of an eyesore on the whole thing to me.  Finish is a red-brown alcohol based stain from Woodcraft.  Top coat is tung oil, a few coats, rubbed back with a cotton t-shirt wet with oil and then wiped dry.  Has a coat of wax on top...

This is the first incise and relief carving I've ever done.  In fact this is the first time I've utilized chisels for anything other than squaring corners and dovetails.  It really shows in some spots.  She is far from a trailer queen... I am almost apprehensive to put this out there in the company of such fine craftsman.  There are so many mistakes that I am surprised I didn't use it for firewood.  I've done my best to fix what I could or create the illusion of such.

The worst boo boo is placement of the flash hole.  I placed the lock a bit too high and ended up with a high flash hole location.  On top of that I measured once instead of twice and put it too far forward 1/16" or so.  It is near the front of the pan and the hole is bout level with the top.  Has a "little" delay in going boom.  I'll begin another discussion asking how to improve this condition...

I now offer you my pound of flesh.  I apologize for some of the images being dark. 

[Dennis Glazener]

Rootsy,
I was expecting to see a cobbled together rifle after reading your post. Either you posted the wrong photos or you did a much better job than you describe!

The part about the delayed firing of the main charge, you didn't say whether you installed a vent liner or not but if not you may want to install one of the Chambers White Lightning vent liners. It certainly helps on my rifles. Even with the liner I open the flash hole to at least .0625 sometimes a tad larger.

On the miss placed flash hole, you may wish to enlarge the pan area to make the flash hole better centered.

Good looking rifle.

Dennis

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Well you sure as ^&^$^ hide the mistakes well!!! that gun is very pretty!! The carving looks great to me.......The shine will wear down with use and all the handling and drooling by others who want to look it over!!   Itds terrific!! Now get the next one started.........

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Geez I wish my first rifle (or forth) turned out as nice as that.  Thanks for showing it to us, and congratulations on having taken the plunge and survived nicely.

[rich pierce]

That ain't no cob job.  No flies on that one.  Reminds me a lot of the Faber rifle.  i think it has great architecture.  The photos are a little dark for me to see every detail, but I like everything I see.

[A.Merrill]

    Fine job, simple yet attractive. If the touch hole needs to be moved I'm sure there is somebody here that can tell you how to fix it. A nother winter project      GOOD LUCK   AL

[acorn20]

Nice looking rifle Rootsy!  If that indeed is your first rifle, I'd give you an "A"!  Thanks for the pics.

[bdixon]

Send it over, I will gladly shoot it!!  I like the reddish finish.


Brett.

[Jim Kibler]

Wow! That's a heck of a good first rifle.  So what's next?

[Rootsy]

Thank you all kindly, I appreciate the positive re-enforcement.

I lightened the photos, I hope that helps to bring out the detail.  Was getting dark last night when I took those photos and I was on the North side of the barn, which obviously didn't help.

70 grns FFFg over a lubed pillow ticking and .490 ball put it "minute of tree" @ 50 yds yesterday afternoon.  Regulation to commence post haste.  Deer are thick as thieves and need thinning... Early doe season opens very soon.  FFFg in the pan also.  

Next?  I am not sure.  As much I love this thing (My first born and all) I am only 5' 7" and that muzzle is at nose level.  I was thinking either an "early" Lancaster architecture with a 38" C weight  or being a Michigander, a fusil...   The Lancaster would make a very nice hunting rifle for me but the simplicity of the Fusil lines attract me.  Inletting those fancy finials on the other hand....  Headed to the Straits of Mackinac next month (getting hitched - elopement) so I will have some time to snoop around and look at some of the collections on display there.

The building of this rifle almost landed me in the clink.... Seems I kept RCA Vol 1 & 2 (on intra library loan) a wee bit longer than the local librarian approved of (only 2 months overdue)... She sent the city police to my home (outside the city) to retrieve said books.  Had no one been home they were prepared to petition the county court to issue a bench warrant for my arrest... "Everyone dies famous in a small town".

[Dale Campbell]

Obviously you belong here. Anyone who can get arrested over RCA 1&2 is OK in my book. (Rifle's OK, too.  Pretty darn good.)

[Nate McKenzie]

I think you could get by calling it an early Virginia or a Christian Spring rifle. Mighty good looking and I'd be proud of it.

[Dennis Glazener]

I was thinking either an "early" Lancaster architecture with a 38" C weight  or being a Michigander, a fusil..

I have built (supposedly for myself) many different length barrels and I keep coming back to an old Jacob Dickert .54 with a 38 Inch C weight Rice barrel. It shoots and handles great. A close second was a Fusil (I didn't build this on) with a 38" Oct to round smooth bore. It was a great hunting gun for our area where shots are usually 50 yards or less. I doubt you would be upset if your next build has a 38 inch barrel.
Dennis

[Gene Carrell]

I wish my first rifle looked as good. It certainly appears that you know what you are doing. Can't wait for the second one.

[satwel]

Rootsy,

Great job! I espically like the understated elegance of the carving. I too, accidently placed a flash hole too high on a trade gun that I built. But of the six flintlocks I've built, it has the fastest ignition.

Can you please tell me how you finished the barrel and lock. Is it rust brown/blue? If so, which solution did you use? Any details about carding and boiling would be helpful.
My current project is a .50 B weight Beck and you've so nicely achieved some of the finishes I had in mind for my project.

Thank you in advance.

[Curt Larsen]

A really nice job Rootsy!!  Depending on how far off your vent is, I suppose you could tap the existing vent and plug it and then redrill for one of Jim Chambers white lightning vent liners.  Maybe one of the bigger sizes would work out for you.  It might mess up your browning when you file it flush though.  All you have to do is touch up the browning.  Also, on your way up to the Straits, be sure to visit the underground museum at Fort Michilimackinac at Mackinaw City.  I think most of the "French period" guns are repros made by a local builder.  I don't remember what the collections on the Island are like but the one at Fort M is ok.

Curt

[Tim Crosby]

 Nicely done, look forward to seeing the next. If my first would have looked that good it would still be in the same stock.

 Tim C.

[J. Talbert]

Man that's one librarian not to be messed with! 

Great first effort.  The next should be even better.

Good Job!

Jeff

[Rootsy]

Can you please tell me how you finished the barrel and lock. Is it rust brown/blue? If so, which solution did you use? Any details about carding and boiling would be helpful.
My current project is a .50 B weight Beck and you've so nicely achieved some of the finishes I had in mind for my project.

Thank you in advance.

Finish on this thing doesn't get much easier.  Birchwood Casey liquid Permablue.  Applied over cleanly sanded, steel wooled and degreased surface.  Don't let it sit too long (maybe an hour) after bluing and saturate some 4/0 steel wool with oil, in my case I had some Hoppes gun oil lying around.  Rub the surface with that oil soaked steel wool until you get the color you want.  Wipe clean with a cotton cloth.  I'll generally put a light coat of oil on it afterward to let it do it's thing and alleviate surface rust forming over night, etc.

Built a Great Plains Rifle 4 years ago or so, nothing fancy about it except removing A LOT of wood from that plump stock and I didn't remove nearly enough.  Browned all of the iron with LMF and rubbed back with wet denim.  Did this half a dozen times.  Used an arrow case as my "sweat box" with a hot damp rag or two to get it going.

[Long John]

That's a real nice riflegun; real nice.  That's one any of us would want to keep.

Good job.

Best Regards,

JMC

[Tommy Bruce]

I like it!!!  I see the Faber rifle in it as well. 

[wattlebuster]

I like it. nuff said

[Rootsy]

For the life of me I can't recall what the "Faber rifle" looks like from RCA... I guarantee I saw it but it never stuck on me when browsing the many works of our forefathers... Anyone able to provide some visual help?