Author Topic: Reading Swivel in the White (Read 8563 times)

Randall Steffy · « **on:** April 05, 2011, 03:18:03 AM »

Hi fellow longrifle enthusiasts.

Even though swivel breech firearms are different, or strange, and maybe just because they are that, I have found a passionate fondness for them. Call them the esoterica of flintlocks.

I offer a preview of my latest project, a "hobbiest made" Reading style swivel breech flintlock for your pleasure/amusement. Maybe I am too far along to make many adjustments on this build, but I tried to be responsive to critiques of my first wender and will do the same in my future build as you see fit to comment.

The barrels are .50 cal. 36" Green Mt., which I swamped on a Bridgeport to my liking (read reduce the weight). Current gun weight is 10 lbs. 2 oz. total. The cock, frizzen and pan are Chambers' and the frizzen spring is from TOW. The lock guts are my work as well as all else save the Reaves Goering buttplate and all screws. Of course I only shaped raw materials, so to speak.

Quite the fun project I will say. Feel free to view more pics in my album at https://ibb.co/album/bQ0k3v

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2011, 03:30:46 AM »

Just excellent work. I have such a rifle in my future! thanks for showing it off.

John Archer · « **Reply #2 on:** April 05, 2011, 03:40:23 AM »

Wonderful Randy! Nice to see that brass wear plate in there! I'll be getting at mine as soon as I can find some wood.

John.

tallbear · « **Reply #3 on:** April 05, 2011, 03:47:28 AM »

Neat rifle

Thanks for posting!!!!

Mitch

greybeard · « **Reply #4 on:** April 05, 2011, 05:03:39 AM »

Very nice and the lock internals are "CHERRY"

Dave Waters · « **Reply #5 on:** April 05, 2011, 05:35:29 AM »

Hey Randy! Beautiful work! What you've done is super.

I look forward to the finished work.

Thanks for showing it.

Dave Waters

runastav · « **Reply #6 on:** April 05, 2011, 09:02:13 AM »

Very nice

Runar

louieparker · « **Reply #7 on:** April 05, 2011, 04:17:02 PM »

Randy I share your passion for swivel breeches and think you have done an exceptional job .Great work !! Louie Parker

Dphariss · « **Reply #8 on:** April 05, 2011, 04:46:13 PM »

Very nice.
I really like the whole package.
Lock work, both the firing lock and swivel latch especially.

Dan

CowboyCS · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2011, 04:57:12 PM »

Excellent job, It should be a beauty when it is finished. It has a very elegant graceful appeal to it.
Thanks for sharing it with us.

Colin

Trkdriver99 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 06, 2011, 04:53:32 AM »

You guys are going to make me have to buy one of these things. I have wanted one from "afar" (read no money). I guess y'all keep showing these swivels I will have to dig up some mason jars out the back yard.

These things are a work of beauty. I just love them. I have always loved doubles of any kind.

Ronnie

omark · « **Reply #11 on:** April 06, 2011, 05:48:22 PM »

Quote from: RetiredTrkdriver on April 06, 2011, 04:53:32 AM

You guys are going to make me have to buy one of these things. I have wanted one from "afar" (read no money). I guess y'all keep showing these swivels I will have to dig up some mason jars out the back yard.

These things are a work of beauty. I just love them. I have always loved doubles of any kind.

Ronnie

and to think i gave away a bunch of mason jars a few yrs ago,,,,,,,,,,,,,,darn!!!!!! mark

JTR · « **Reply #12 on:** April 06, 2011, 06:21:52 PM »

Very nice job so far Randall, and nice seeing a traditional lockup on the swivel as well!
Please post more pictures when you finish it up.
John

draken · « **Reply #13 on:** April 06, 2011, 07:34:33 PM »

Very nicely done Randall......that is going to be one beautiful rifle!

Dave Waters · « **Reply #14 on:** April 06, 2011, 07:51:40 PM »

For what it's worth, a "traditional lockup on the swivel" was done various other ways. I have pic's of a flint swivelbreech made in Franklin Co. PA (about 1835) with a button on the tang. I have pic's of one made in Italy, that has a lever in front of the trigger guard (built before 1637 so the article says). Some also used a sliding trigger guard. It seems that gun makers were always trying something different. This is an encouragement to us of today who like to build what I like to call "couldabin" guns. In other words, staying with the technology of those times, the gun could have been done that way.

Just my thoughts

Dave Waters

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #15 on:** April 07, 2011, 05:11:00 AM »

Years ago, at a gun show, I saw a wender that had a lever on the tang, in a slot to the left of centre. It was pinned to rotate by pressing on the button at the rear end, which lifted the end out of a notch in the forward breech plate. All was flush with the tang except for the button - very neat.

JTR · « **Reply #16 on:** April 07, 2011, 07:37:21 PM »

I've seen a number of different barrel lock-up styles as well, including buttons and Daves style on Euro guns, levers ahead of the trigger guard, and one that confounded me momentarily

in that didn't have any lock at all. You just cocked the hammer and turned the barrels without unlatching anything.

I'm sure if you look long enough and hard enough you will find just about every sort of lockup on every type of gun, But in Randalls gun as an early Reading, a sliding front half of the trigger guard would have been traditional, and that's what I was referring to.

John

Randall Steffy · « **Reply #17 on:** April 09, 2011, 12:05:45 AM »

Thanks guys for your replies, your comments.

I did wonder if I had strayed too near a Lehigh style with my choice of patchbox for a Reading build. And I was also not sure which school I got the tang carving ideas from and whether it fit.

Your words of affirmation are much appreciated and I will post pics when this project is finished. Hopefully I can post a good report from the range as well. I did fire each barrel twice already, just could not wait.

Have a good day!

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