My first one, version 1.10 (Tennessee)

[WadePatton]

Version 1.0 got me into the woods last year (didn't get a shot).  Then i thinned down some wood and sech, refinished for this version.  

There is a 1.20 version planned with some metal refinishing and tang fixin.  I'll keep refixin' this one until I get it kinda how it should be.  

For anyone who missed my post, this rifle collected 2 supergood bucks opening weekend this year-one for me (heavy half-rack 5x1) and one for my best bro (5x6).

Was slow (and hot) in the woods today and got a couple decent photos.  I'll do a real photoset someday. Gotta find camera battery charger, and these were shot with "selfie" lens on phone (which is not easy as it sounds) Now to go back out and cut wood.

Any constructive criticism is always welcome. 




dang cedar sprout blocks the point of the comb

[flinchrocket]

I like it. Is that a 50 cal. Southern classic? I like to make my lock panels a little thinner on top and bottom than you have, but really nice for the first one.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Wade, you've got a pretty nice rifle there, and by all accounts, it is very productive too.

i would like to see your next one quite a bit shallower top to bottom through the forearm and lock area.  To accomplish this, make the web of wood between the barrel and the rod hole max. around 1/8" - 5/32".  Also, make your rod hole 5/16" rather than 3/8".  You can make the majority of the rod 3/8" if you like, but the part in the wood can be tapered down.  One more thing:  reduce the width of your lock panels...check out some others' guns for inspiration there.  Otherwise, like I said, you've done well.

[halfstock]

Would very much like any info you would share on the trigger guard. Thanks

Halfstock

[PPatch]

What is version 2.0 going to be, your next? Version 1.20 gets a hardy "ya done good." Nice shooting iron there Deerslayer and congratulations on the fat buck.

I remember you being all fired up to get'er done last year in order to head to the woods with that rifle. Now that you've got your buck you can slow down and have more fun with the process. Squirrels watch out!

dave

I have a squirrel rifle in progress and I suspect that is what you'll make next:

[Algae]

I wish my first rifle looked half that good!!!
Very nice job

Al J.

[Eric Krewson]

Looks like you have your stock wood riding pretty high on your barrel flats. Half a flat showing or slightly less makes your rifle look a lot slimmer.

[ironwolf]

  Very good work for the first go 'round Wade.  To add to what Taylor and Eric said, the sides of the fore end should be more rounded. More like the way you did the wrist.  I made the same mistakes early on as well. 

  Keep at it,  Kevin

[mountainman70]

I like it,too,Wade.I have a 58 flint f/s "Hawken" that was my first build getting back into this hobby,in 2010,after we moved back to the hills.It had too much wood along fore end,so just this fall I re-worked the whole gun,finished it very dark,re did the metal too.I like it a lot more.I have built about 10 guns since the first build,and I am getting the hang of them long slim mountain guns.Congrats on makin meat.Have a goodun,bro.Dave 

[WadePatton]

I like it. Is that a 50 cal. Southern classic? I like to make my lock panels a little thinner on top and bottom than you have, but really nice for the first one.

It's a 42"Colerain Cwt in 54.  A bit thick for a TN (i say now), but I had my mind made up way back when i bought that bbl.  Thinner easier than thicker--everytime.  Thanks

Wade, you've got a pretty nice rifle there, and by all accounts, it is very productive too.

i would like to see your next one quite a bit shallower top to bottom through the forearm and lock area.  To accomplish this, make the web of wood between the barrel and the rod hole max. around 1/8" - 5/32".  Also, make your rod hole 5/16" rather than 3/8".  You can make the majority of the rod 3/8" if you like, but the part in the wood can be tapered down.  One more thing:  reduce the width of your lock panels...check out some others' guns for inspiration there.  Otherwise, like I said, you've done well.

That is a 5/16 rod pic'd, but the loops are for 3/8 (somebuddy shot that one).  Next couple guns are A-wts.  they'll be wispy.  I do understand that I'm yet learning to "see".  I can check that web thickness next time i pull the bbl. 

I don't know how i'd like a tapered rod on the bidness end, as i'm a non-flipper-i.e. I pack with the breech end of the packin' stick.  But also I probably won't go above B-wt in a TN again.

 I expect that having a real-live, on-hand gun to touch and feel and make adjustments with real reference, will help with the next builds. 

Would very much like any info you would share on the trigger guard. Thanks

Guard is from Tip Curtis' joint there in Cross Plains.  His Nock lock too. 

Buttplate (and ramrod hole, and a few more visits) John Anderson.

What is version 2.0 going to be...Squirrels watch out!

dave

Versions 2.0 and 3.0 are a 40 and 30, in ash and walnut with Roller locks and triggers, and sech. 

I wish my first rifle looked half that good!!!
Very nice job

I'm only showing the gooder side! 

Looks like you have your stock wood riding pretty high on your barrel flats. Half a flat showing or slightly less makes your rifle look a lot slimmer.

Ill check on that, think that was the plan. Maybe i forgot to take it on down.

  Very good work for the first go 'round Wade.  To add to what Taylor and Eric said, the sides of the fore end should be more rounded...

Thanks, well there's this thing that happened.  The other side has, what i think is proper and ample roundness (which we'll get to see someday), BUT that this side (lockside) got "scalped" when i went too deep ripping the stock with a hand saw.  I even had to leave some saw marks to keep it from being flatter.  It's a good reminder not to be hasty or tired when stocking.

I like it,too...Have a goodun,bro.Dave 

Thanks Dave and everybody not specifically thanked you are hereby generally thanked.   


I'll keep considering the input here as to the wood and also will be refinishing most of the metal, as well as fixing the tang and probably pouring a nosecap.  But there's no rush at the moment.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Wade:  you are right, m'thinks, regarding the ramrod size.  3/8" is better for a .50 or .54 cal, and I'd likely start with a 1/2" or 7/16" rod and taper it to 3/8" for inside the hole.  I don't flip mine either,  I push the ball to the breech with the small end of the rod.  Otherwise, I'd be breaking off the small end when I seat the ball firmly on the powder.  the bore supports the little end when you seat the ball.

[Nordnecker]

Wade, It's great to finally see your shootin' iron. You have to have a little courage to put your first gun build up for criticism around here. On one hand I get tired of those posts that just say, "Looks good, Nice gun, Yep, Yep, etc." over and over. On the other hand, I hate when someone comes along and just rips your efforts to shreds. I do, however, appreciate constructive criticism. This is where you can learn something useful and at least try to do better next time around. But I also know that, oftentimes, there is a very good reason for a little discrepancy. As you said your saw cut wandered a little too close, causing the (whatever) to be a little too flat. Then, there's the problem of knowing better, planning NOT TO, and despite your efforts, the doggone ramrod hole ends up lower than what you PLANNED and you CAN'T make your fore stock nice and thin, causing the lock panel to be either too big or resulting in the dreaded rounding of the stock under it that you KNEW not to do. But now you have 2 choices- Cut your blank up and throw it in the wood stove, or play the cards that you were dealt. At least that is what happened to me yesterday

Soooooo, I like your gun. I'm pretty sure you're your own worst critic. Better luck next time. Hope everything goes as planned.

[B.Habermehl]

Nordecker, please understand that constructive critique was requested early in this project if I remember correctly, if I am wrong Wade, please set me straight. Wade, your project is going nicely and is proving to be a good shooter. I bet you have already learned as much on this build as a number of us have learned on our first several builds. Keep on going BJH

[flinchrocket]

Wade, a lot of Tennessee rifles have heavy barrels, look at the barrel measurements on Soddy 090805-1 in the ALR library. That barrel is bigger than yours, it just don't have the nice hole in the middle! If it will help, I use a blade from a hooked bill roofing knife that I reshaped a bit to scape forearms with. I does a pretty good job of taking out the flat spots. Stay at it, nobody was born knowing all this stuff!

[WadePatton]

Wade:  you are right, m'thinks, regarding the ramrod size.  3/8" is better for a .50 or .54 cal, and I'd likely start with a 1/2" or 7/16" rod and taper it ...

Yeah, but how well does a tapered rod shoot?  

Wade, It's great to finally see your shootin' iron...
Soooooo, I like your gun. I'm pretty sure you're your own worst critic. Better luck next time. Hope everything goes as planned.

I know what a critical crew this is and hope to learn from it.  Of course I'm my own critic, but it's about like tasting your own cooking after a few hours of making/tasting the product--one gets to where he can't objectively taste as well as he could at the start.  IOW I'm counting on these fellows to pick up where I "missed" or miss-interpreted something.

So I appreciate your concern, but i don't post my work here for emotional support (facebook is good for that), but for historical/hysterical/practical notes on improving the work to be more representative and/or functional in the realm of the style I'm learning.  Also where one solicits free criticism, he should be quite free to dismiss such criticism that doesn't align with his own notions (after he gives it a little consideration ).

Thanks just the same, i do appreciate your words.

Nordecker, please understand that constructive critique was requested early in this project if I remember correctly, if I am wrong Wade, please set me straight. Wade, your project is going nicely and is proving to be a good shooter. I bet you have already learned as much on this build as a number of us have learned on our first several builds. Keep on going BJH

It's explicitly requested in the OP of this thread (and yeah the build took forever and a week).  I've watched enough "smack downs" here to know what I'm getting into.  

I could fill a page or two with the mistakes and remedies that I can _remember_ making on this one.  That's part of the re-doing.  I'm trying to redo this one until it's "jest about right" then proceed to make smaller and lesser mistakes on the next ones.  

I'll get some "standard" shots up of it as soon as I find my battery charger (won't charge from USB!) and catch the light right.  The 1/3 shots sides/top/belly.  And then i'll omit the ugly ones  ...entry and tang are the beastliest.  Also note that methinks the camera angle is partly responsible for the "high sides" appearance. This can be clarified with standard shots and not "glamor" poses.

First order of business was to make a hunting flintlock. That has been accomplished, love toting it in the woods, points/holds so nicely and quickly, flattens deer like a hammer.  This one gets a little more work, but that's for later on. It's working the woods just now.

Thanks again.

Wade, a lot of Tennessee rifles have heavy barrels, look at the barrel measurements on Soddy 090805-1 in the ALR library. That barrel is bigger than yours, it just don't have the nice hole in the middle! If it will help... nobody was born knowing all this stuff!

Soddy 090805-1 in the ALR library--whoa that's pretty much a D-wt in 44, and interesting tang.  Thanks for the ref.  I'm sure i looked it over before, but with different focus.

Right and I've learned that asking a very specific question will get you a lot better response around here.  TN rifle folks generally moan and roll their eyes at 54, but I still had cartridge-head thinking when i made that decision.  It does handle much better than some of those clunky originals. I believe it weighs 7.75#(loaded) if i recall correctly.

And if i'm ever drawn for the TN elk hunt ...I'll take this one!

[mountainman70]

And if i'm ever drawn for the TN elk hunt ...I'll take this one

yep,'at 54 orta whomp them elks purty good!!!Just re'member,elk dont know how many legs a horse got!!!Keep yer powder dry,bro.Dave

[Mike R]

Very nice...it is hard to criticize Tenn/southern rifles because there are so many variations in the old ones--a person may have favorites, but many extant examples will vary from them.  My only observation is that in most the wrist area is not that long.