layout for a half-stock

[WV_Mountaineer]

I am getting ready to build a half stock rifle (my first half stock).  The  layout of the lower  forearm/nosecap is not covered in either of the two books I have on gunbuilding. Nor, have I been successful with the 'search' feature on this site with regard to these questions. So, a couple of questions; do I plan on a 1/4" plus between barrel and ram rod hole or does the flex of the ramrod handle the transition to a 1/4" underrib?  This is to be a slender half stock as opposed to a hawken. Is the lower end of the underrib encased in the nosecap or does it start flush with the nosecap?

Thanks in advance,
Steve

[Gaeckle]

I'm guessing you're efering to pouring the nosecap. When I make a half stock I plan on pouring as small a nosecap as possible and I always incorporate a small section of the underrib. The ramrod will tolerate flexing.

Make sure you use a small section of ramrod to prevent the pewter from flowing into the ramrod hole and filling that cavity.

[northmn]

I usually just match the ramrod hole to the underrib for a straight fit.  You also usually use wedges to hole in the barrel and they can use a little more room.  A 1/4" web is not all that chunky.

DP

[Ben I. Voss]

WV, install the under rib before you drill the ramrod hole.  If the rib is thicker than what you want the web to be, thin the rib somehow. That's what I would do, anyhow! Good luck.  Ben

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

To drill the rod hole in a half stocked rifle, I used the rod pipes on the rib to guide my drill.  So, the web will be whatever thickness your rib is...usually around 1/4" .  Bear in mind that if using a tapered barrel, the drill will be running toward the bottom of the forend, using this method, so make allowances for that.  Or you could make a dummy barrel and rib as a drilling guide so that the rod goes in parallel to the bore rather than the bottom flat.  Next time I do that job, that is what I shall do.  Otherwise, you run the risk of running the drill out through the bottom of the forend...ask me how I found that out!

[WV_Mountaineer]

Thanks for the responses, I will install the underrib and use it to align the drilling of the lower forestock.  Hopefully, mindful of the angle of the barrel taper!

[stuart cee dub]

 There is some additional design conciderations that you might think about  WV on your halfstock .

On Hawken style guns the nosecap starts at the practically entry end of the forearm ram pipe giving it a  blunt look .

On the more slender ''Ohio style'' half stocks, between the nosecape and the ram entry pipe there can be 3'' or so of  grooved forearm which helps slenderize the look of a half stock making a slower transition.Vincent was hardly the only gunsmith to do this . On a really short half stocks I have seen some makers use this as the balance/carrying point .On some fat barreled  originals have the carrying/balance  point actually out on the rib .While it may look cool I would not do that to any gun I was going to carry further than from a bench to the target line ( 20 yds) in which case it does not matter as it will be muzzle up all the way to the line.

Is this a general purpose gun or target only ?

Avoid the ramrod flex solution if possible , the gap as it moves tfrom the underrib to the forearm looks terrible  and puts a permanent kink in your skinny rod . Skinny rods need to have perfect grain .My skinny rod keeps breaking and it is more epoxy than rod at this point. 
 
 

[WV_Mountaineer]

Is this a general purpose gun or target only ?

This will be general purpose.  I traded for a 32" 45 cal  15/16 barrel drilled for a percussion drum a year or two ago.  I had bought 2 cherry half stock blanks off eBay, so thought I would get some build practice, putting the two together.  Had thought about a Vincent, but the barrel was almost too big for a really slim rifle.  So am aiming to build a half stock to resemble an original that has been converted and shortened.

[stuart cee dub]

Between Hawkens on one side and Vincents on the other there is a whole world of fine looking halfstocks to help you to model your gun that ,while well documented ,are underutilized by modern gunmakers .

These in- between makers are all now concidered minor makers, some of who were quite skilled ,but are  ignored as a regionalists who had forgotten how to carve ,relied too much on inlays,and used commercially made straight sided overweight barrels with pea sized bores.It is just a modern stylistic view currently in vogue  .Some of these guns made the best of target rifles and good for the occasional squirrel too.