Author Topic: Borough of Reading Fowling Gun (Read 7644 times)

Robert Wolfe · « **on:** May 14, 2012, 09:23:56 PM »

Here is a fowling gun I recently finished. It was inspired pictures of one of the putative Wolfgang Haga guns perhaps more correctly known as a Borough of Reading gun. The original had a smoothbore 50 caliber barrel but I did mine with a 44 inch 20 gauge barrel. The buttstock was shaped by Dave Keck using a Reading pattern rifle pattern with only the barrel inletted and ramrod hole drilled. I modified it by removing the cheekpiece.

This is my fourth piece and I still have a lot to learn. I would greatly appreciate critical feedback as I would like to continue to improve. I know I misplaced the lock a bit. It is too far forward and (I think) a bit high and I am not too sure about the lock panel behind the lock. Anyway, I’d appreciate the feedback.

Thanks.

David R. Pennington · « **Reply #1 on:** May 14, 2012, 11:00:28 PM »

I like it! Looks great to me. You've already pointed out all I could see. I'm a student as well and am working on number 4 now with walnut stock. I like your stock finish/color. What did you use?

Eric Smith · « **Reply #2 on:** May 14, 2012, 11:05:01 PM »

I like it. Haven't paid much attention the fowling pieces, but I am a big fan of W. Haga and the other Berks makers. Your gun made me sit up and take notice.

rich pierce · « **Reply #3 on:** May 15, 2012, 12:26:10 AM »

Oooh that gun looks nice!

Don Getz · « **Reply #4 on:** May 15, 2012, 01:33:22 AM »

Bob..........overall you did a nice job in finishing it, however, I can see a few problems, the major one was not your doing.
If you look at the first picture of the gun, it has what we call a "goose neck". The barrel is too far forward in the stock.
When this is done, there is a straight section of the stock that goes straight back, about 1 1/2", before the wrist bends
down. The wrist should start downward right at the breech end of the barrel. Many times when the gun is built this way
you will find yourself reaching for the trigger, because the "wrist" has been moved back. As I said before, you didn't
create this situation, Dave did it when he inlet the barrel. The gun also seems to have a lot of "drop" in the stock for
a Berks county gun...............Don

t.caster · « **Reply #5 on:** May 15, 2012, 04:09:53 AM »

Oh, Yah, the squirrels are lining up on the branches right now. They can't wait for the honor!
Nice one!

Stophel · « **Reply #6 on:** May 15, 2012, 04:17:56 AM »

I don't see a problem with the lock position at all. The lock panels are a bit bulky, which you already had doubts about. The front end of the lock panels could be shaped a bit differently. What's with the rear screw in the sideplate? Just wondering why it's there.

I like it, though.

I'm a Berks county gun fan. Though I know I couldn't shoot it with that much drop in the butt either!

(I can say that about a great many guns, though other people are used to that much drop)

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #7 on:** May 15, 2012, 04:59:51 AM »

I've seen a third screw in the sideplate on a number of originals. You'd have to go way back in time to find out why.

I have a guess.

But anyway, I like this gun a lot. It's a real honest working gun, a bit clunky in the panels, but this is folk art, and it fits that bill perfectly.

About lock position...it's not the location of the lock.... one thing you could have done: The most apparent to me would be to leave the lock where it is, and bend the tang down a bit, moving the hump behind the breech closer to the end of the barrel. That would reduce all that real estate above the lock. But that has to be done early in the game. Not now, or you end up with a really thin wrist!

again, that is minor. It's a real nice gun. Keep up the good work. Thanks for posting it.

Tom

draken · « **Reply #8 on:** May 15, 2012, 06:44:09 AM »

I like the looks of that gun a lot! The aging on the brass is especially good(in my humble opinion).

Dr. Tim-Boone · « **Reply #9 on:** May 15, 2012, 12:36:29 PM »

What Acer said. Study the recent thread on shaping Lock panels. I really like what you have done and the aging works for me!!

Robert Wolfe · « **Reply #10 on:** May 15, 2012, 02:51:14 PM »

Thanks for the comments. I could tell something was going on around the lock area but had not thought about the position of the barrel and how that affects the transition to the wrist. I'm not sure why I struggle with the lock panels, what should be so hard about making them smaller?!

As for the screw on the sideplate, I've seen it on a few originals and liked the looks of it. It simply holds the sideplate in place when you have the lock off.

Thanks again.

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #11 on:** May 15, 2012, 04:02:20 PM »

Robt, the lock panels could just be a bit more elegant. But they are not wrong for the kind of gun you built. It might be that the lines that define them are so deep, because the shape of your panels is good.

Try for shallow relief, otherwise the panels tend to have a 'glued on' look. This is part of the process of stock shaping. Don't start cutting your lock panels too early in the process of stock shaping, because that will limit how much wood you can change on the fly. You want to cut those panels when you're just about done with stock shaping. Same with carving. Leave the decorative elements out of the equation until the stock shape is where you want it. I hope I am making sense.

I hope Ian Pratt will straighten me out on this at Dixon's. We are going to co-host a seminar at the Gunmaker's Fair. Saturday. The Creative Process as used in Building Guns. Or How to drive your wife and family crazy with your senseless mutterings over the Dinner table.

Robert Wolfe · « **Reply #12 on:** May 15, 2012, 04:21:12 PM »

Acer, thanks for that tidbit. I have been doing the lock panels much earlier than you suggest. And, they definately more defined more deeply that the example you pictured.

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #13 on:** May 15, 2012, 04:29:37 PM »

Not to say the example I posted is correct, but the important part is to complete your shaping BEFORE you outline your panels. You must have the shape of your lock area set in your mind as you remove stock wood. For example: if you want long trailing points at one or both ends of the lock, you must leave wood for that. But work the wood down until it's right sized, THEN define your panel edges. These defining lines are decorative, but they also help visually transition the stock from one area to the next.

rallen · « **Reply #14 on:** May 18, 2012, 03:44:13 AM »

Bob, I really like the concept. The simple patchbox doesn't overwhelm the rest of the gun. I have a Reading fowler in my head for some future project. One of the details of early Berks Co. rifles and fowlers is the upper forestock molding above the ramrod channel is the opposite of Lancaster Co. In other words, the wood is relieved on the ramrod side - underside, rather than on top of the molding (barrel side).
Its very hard to see in some of the pictures in the RCA book, but if you look closely at the shadows of RCA 19,26,28 you may be able to make them out. 20-22 are the same way. Once you see it, you will look at Reading guns differently. When you see it in person, it makes perfect sense. I will try to find pictures.
Ryan

Robert Wolfe · « **Reply #15 on:** May 19, 2012, 02:11:35 AM »

Ryan, thanks for the comments. I am partial to simple patch boxes. I'll pull out RCA and see if I can see the molding. But, if you can find a good picture I'd love so see it.

rallen · « **Reply #16 on:** May 20, 2012, 01:55:56 AM »

This is a photo from the muzzle end that shows the molding. Not an absolute rule, but an early feature of many of the rifles attributed to Haga.
Ryan

Don Getz · « **Reply #17 on:** May 20, 2012, 06:21:27 PM »

I have seen the third screw in the sideplate, mostly on english rifles..........rarely ever on a "Kentucky"............Don

Robert Wolfe · « **Reply #18 on:** May 21, 2012, 06:16:03 PM »

Thanks Ryan, I'll file that away for next time!

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Author Topic: Borough of Reading Fowling Gun (Read 7644 times)