Author Topic: Longrifle from the late 1960s? (Read 38467 times)

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #25 on:** October 04, 2014, 07:59:14 PM »

Quote from: james e on October 04, 2014, 06:07:02 PM

Quote from: EC121 on October 02, 2014, 03:33:47 PM
The Late Ketland lockplate is 125mm x 24mm. Mainspring and tumbler bridle depth is 10mm. Center of pan is 48mm from the front of the plate.

Good Grief is right, we don't do metric here, try it one more time, this time use English.

Not "this time in English" better say this "this time in American". Think you will find that the English i.e. United Kingdon uses Metric not fractions like we Americans. Take a look at this map http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_system

Bob Roller · « **Reply #26 on:** October 04, 2014, 10:35:35 PM »

Decimal, Metric.fractions.Not that much to any of it as far as lineal measurement is concerned.

Bob Roller

heelerau · « **Reply #27 on:** October 05, 2014, 12:37:56 AM »

Quote from: JTR on October 04, 2014, 07:54:20 PM

Good grief, Australia uses the metric system, so I think the dimensions were given in mm as a courtesy to heelerau.
John

Thank you, but I personally am still Imperial, I feel when we went to both decimal currency and the metric system we once again removerd some more colour from our lives downunder. I was most at home visiting your lovely country, gallons, mph ! love it !
On a serious note, I do have trouble figuring out 4.9 inches, is that 4 9/16'' ? This seems to be how Track shew lock plate measurements.

Cheers

Gordon

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #28 on:** October 05, 2014, 01:46:27 AM »

Quote

On a serious note, I do have trouble figuring out 4.9 inches, is that 4 9/16'' ? This seems to be how Track shew lock plate measurements.

Cheers

Gordon

Thanks for visiting with us Gordon. I would love to visit Australia/New Zealand but I am not sure I could stand the long plane ride!

4.9 inches as shown in TOW should be 4 and 9/10th's inches. One decimal place (i.e. .9) indicates 9/10th's of an inch, 2 decimal places (i.e. .95 indicates 95/100th of an inch) and .955 indicates 955/1000th of an inch)
Dennis

heelerau · « **Reply #29 on:** October 05, 2014, 04:12:37 AM »

Dennis should you or anyone have the desire to visit down under, we do have a nice cottage on our small farm.
.Cheers and thanks re measurments.

gordon

EC121 · « **Reply #30 on:** October 05, 2014, 03:49:58 PM »

Exactly right on the metric measurements. I knew he was in the land of OZ, and I used metric measurements. I agree with Bob R. It isn't a big deal either way. The upside of metric is that for general measuring you can get within 1/25"in. with no fractions. That being said, 42in. for a barrel sounds better than 107cm.

heelerau · « **Reply #31 on:** October 06, 2014, 08:47:56 AM »

Gents, looks like a Late Ketland will be the go. Will post again when it has been fitted.

Cheers and thanks all for the advice.

Gordon

heelerau · « **Reply #32 on:** December 29, 2014, 01:36:22 AM »

Gents fitted a L and R RPL lock that is designed to drop in and replace the Russ Hamm lock. Had the lock tuned by a chap in Minnesota, and after a couple of hours scraping and fiddling about fitted the lock. Had to adjust the scear spring as the single set would not trip the lock. Works a treat and sparks beautifully, I have yet to refinish the outside of the lock, will post a piccy when I have done that.
On a further note wonder if the rifle is a belgian import like the Southgate rifle mentioned in another thread?
cheers

heelerau

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #33 on:** December 29, 2014, 02:47:56 AM »

I'm climbing out on the limb here, but I'd say it is a hand made rifle. Its architecture, inlays, carving and engraving indicate very gifted maker - definitely not a European import. But I'd say the lock is a replacement for whatever was in it originally, based on the narrowness of the lock molding behind the cock. That side plate looks 1960's-70's too, though it may have been based on an original rifle's plate - I just don't know which.

Molly · « **Reply #34 on:** December 29, 2014, 07:57:03 PM »

Brings up an interesting thought...about the development of firearms in other parts of the world.

btw, Gordon, any Trout water near that cabin???

heelerau · « **Reply #35 on:** December 30, 2014, 12:51:04 AM »

No trout water nearby, a creek, native fish and a few jilgies , we have trout a few hours south of us, but nothing like fishing in the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales or the lakes in Tasmania. We did develop a Lithgow single shot .22, a repeater from our military arms manufacturer Lithgow over east. We only had imported firearms during our colonial days. If any long rifles turned up it would have been during the gold rush in the 19th century, then mainly colt cap and balls, the odd Henry and yellow boy. Most muzzle loading arms were ex military, Besses, pat 42 and 53s, sniders, then Martinis and an odd assortment of English cartridge guns and fowling pieces.

cheers

Heelerau

Molly · « **Reply #36 on:** December 30, 2014, 05:28:00 AM »

Interesting! It sort of seems that maybe the "longrifle" as we know it was apparently much less common, if at all, in other countries, yet "colonization" was going on all over the world. Somehow it seems that some of the European gun makers would have landed in some other country...which I'm sure they did. I'll exclude but note the "Afghan" middle eastern and similar "Oriental" firearms.

Nice old gun (I think) you have there.

Dphariss · « **Reply #37 on:** January 02, 2015, 02:27:46 AM »

Quote from: D. Taylor Sapergia on December 29, 2014, 02:47:56 AM

I'm climbing out on the limb here, but I'd say it is a hand made rifle. Its architecture, inlays, carving and engraving indicate very gifted maker - definitely not a European import. But I'd say the lock is a replacement for whatever was in it originally, based on the narrowness of the lock molding behind the cock. That side plate looks 1960's-70's too, though it may have been based on an original rifle's plate - I just don't know which.

I would concur with Taylor here. Who ever did the work knew what he was doing.
In the late 60s the Russ Hamm Maslin was serviceable. I used 2-3 Russ Hamm locks in the 1968 era and they worked OK but like many today might need some work to be safe.
Dan

JTR · « **Reply #38 on:** January 02, 2015, 04:17:03 AM »

Nice rifle heelerau!

That side plate is almost identical to the one on my John Park rifle, and other upper Susquehanna gunsmiths used similar ones as well.

John

heelerau · « **Reply #39 on:** January 05, 2015, 11:03:59 PM »

Gentlemen, thanks for shewing interest in this rifle, as I have said when starting this thread, I have always been intrigued with where and how this rifle has come about.

Cheers

Gordon

Stoner creek · « **Reply #40 on:** January 08, 2015, 04:19:43 AM »

The piece has a great number of similarities to work done in the 60s here in Kentucky by a fellow named Bobby Yocum.

heelerau · « **Reply #41 on:** March 30, 2015, 11:28:21 AM »

Gents have fitted the RPL lock into the rifle, must say it is a good sparker. Have yet to refinish the outside of the lock but will get to that this Winter. Thanks to Bob Roller for the lovely inletting chisels. Did not have to do to much scraping about to get it to fit. Thank you gentlemen for your comments on this rifle, will look forward to nailing the odd rabbit and crow in the next few months.

gunmaker · « **Reply #42 on:** March 30, 2015, 06:42:26 PM »

Pray tell whats a jilgie ? mate

??............Tom

Molly · « **Reply #43 on:** March 30, 2015, 11:26:34 PM »

Check me out Gordon. A jilgie by another name is a yabby!

Everybody knows THAT!

heelerau · « **Reply #44 on:** April 01, 2015, 03:21:48 AM »

Quote from: gunmaker on March 30, 2015, 06:42:26 PM

Pray tell whats a jilgie ? mate ??............Tom

Tom, as Molly said, a jilgie is a yabby, a small fresh water crustacean, much like a very small crayfish, crawdad? in your country? they are nice eating, washed down with home brew beer !

cheers

Gordon

Carney · « **Reply #45 on:** May 10, 2015, 02:01:27 AM »

Gordon
I could have giving that rifle a good home and had a good smith fix it.

Going to a Crawfish boil Sunday the 10th and will see Neill and Lynn.

Carney

sloe bear · « **Reply #46 on:** May 11, 2015, 08:41:39 PM »

sorry for the condition, that must really be a barn find if it is from the late1960's are you sure of the time ? even the 22 out in the barn used to shoot starlings looks better that that. again what is the time period?

heelerau · « **Reply #47 on:** May 11, 2015, 09:09:05 PM »

Sloe Bear,
it came from a mate who lives on an island near the mouth of the River Murray in South Australia, it is a marine environment, I was given 2 other rifles as well, both Parker Hales, a .451 and a two band Navy rifle. All looked pretty rough on the outside, but he kept the bores in really good condition. He was not into appearances, so all three rifles look well aged, heaps of patina, which I have pretty much left and only done mechancal repairs to get them all shooting again. I did refinish the two bander, oil finish and it looks like it is 150 years old, well used and somewhat looked after. I still have to refinish the new lock on the long rifle, a winter project after seeding.

cheers

Heelerau

Kermit · « **Reply #48 on:** May 12, 2015, 05:00:27 PM »

Some are bilingual. Necessary these days.

heelerau · « **Reply #49 on:** June 25, 2015, 03:48:57 PM »

Gentlemen, fired a few shots this arvo out of this rifle with its' new lock. So very pleased, ultra quick lock time and happily slaughtered a soda water bottle off hand at 50 paces. No flashes, no klatches, a fine tack driving rifle gun !!. Still have to finish the outside of the lock and repair the slight stuff up with the lock mortise. Have now got a proper set of scrapers.

News:

Author Topic: Longrifle from the late 1960s? (Read 38467 times)

Carney

sloe bear