longrifle style advise please

[Turtle]

  I plan on building a new 50cal flint rifle for myself to hunt deer and target shoot. I plan on using a late ketlin chambers lock, a single trigger. I want it as lite as possible, but also easy on my shoulder and arms. I know these two things conflict somewhat. I could use a 42" or 38" barrel, preferably swamped. Style or period is not critical.
  Is there a stock style you would recommend for comfortable shooting? Other comments? I currently shoot a rifle with a 42"  .45 B weight.
                                                             Thanks ,Turtle

[smallpatch]

Early Lancaster, 38" B wt barrel, but a late Ketland would not be appropriate.
Makes one of the easiest handling, most comfortable shooting rifles.
Proper lock would be a Siler.

[Birddog6]

Build a Isaac Haines with a B-50 x 38" swamped barrel. That will put you in 7 to 7.5# and extremely
well balanced, putting most of the weight on the shoulders rather than the forearm.  Going from a
42" ot a 38" swamped barrel is a noticeable difference.   

Keith Lisle

[retired fella]

Just finished a .50 straight barrel Douglas which I cut down to 32" using a Lancaster pattern.  Using 50 gr of fffg it is OK but using a hunting load of 80 gr + will give you a bit of a jolt.  I cut mine down due to weight and it is still 10.5lb.
Before, it was a 14lb gun which for me is a bit more than I want to tote in the woods.
good luck with your build.  Hope it's a tack driver.

[iloco]

Build a Isaac Haines with a B-50 x 38" swamped barrel. That will put you in 7 to 7.5# and extremely
well balanced, putting most of the weight on the shoulders rather than the forearm.  Going from a
42" ot a 38" swamped barrel is a noticeable difference.   

Keith Lisle

I have this rifle which is light weight and very pleasant to shoot. Mine is a 50 caliber.

[Dennis Glazener]

Build a Isaac Haines with a B-50 x 38" swamped barrel. That will put you in 7 to 7.5# and extremely
well balanced, putting most of the weight on the shoulders rather than the forearm.  Going from a
42" ot a 38" swamped barrel is a noticeable difference.   Wink

Keith Lisle

I agree with Keith and if you want a larger caliber the C profile 54 caliber is really a nice balancing rifle and really handles well for hunting in our neck of the woods (central VA woods). I built a early Dickert rifle with a 54 cal, C profile  Rice barrel in this profile. I love it. (forgot to mention it has a Siler lock which is the correct style lock for a Dickert)
Dennis

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Turtle,

If you want a lightweight nice shooting .50 with a late Ketland lock I suggest that you look at the Gillespie Rifles that Dennis can set you up to build....
http://www.gillespierifles.com/  Very lightweight especially with a Rice Southern Classic barrel.

[smallpatch]

What Dennis said.... .50 cal B wt, or .54 cal C weight  I. Haines, with 38" barrels are awesome handling guns.

[Turtle]

 Thanks! a siler would be OK. I have several guns with the deluxe siler and am satisfied with them I just have heard so many good things about the Late ketland here.
                                                 Turtle

[moleeyes36]

Turtle,

I recently finished a rifle in the Bucks County style with a B weight, 38 inch, .50 caliber Green Mountain barrel.  It is a nice handling rifle and a pleasure to carry in the woods for hunting, which is why I wanted it.  However, it could use a little more weight in the barrel to hold better for target shooting.  IMHO a 38 inch barrel in C weight or a 44 inch barrel in B weight would hold better for target shooting.  It's hard to find a combination that is ideal for both hunting and target use.  I guess you just have to decide how you'll mainly use a rifle and build it to support that concept.  Just my tuppence.

Mole Eyes

[gunmaker]

On page 126 of Tracks catalog #16 is a real Dickert with a lock similar to a late Ketland

[rich pierce]

Since I didn't see "historically correct" in the OP then lock selection is up in the air. If Don Getz was here he'd probably say a Beck style is worth considering. The guard close to the wrist is comfortable for many shooters.

[hanshi]

I have a rifle patterned after the early Lancaster with a .38" "B" weight Rice barrel.  The whole thing is much lighter than I'd assumed and is a true featherweight.  My hunting load of 70 grains of 3F lets you know you just fired a real rifle.  It's about the easiest totin' rifle I've ever carried and hunted with.  It's a perfect woods rifle.  I'd recommend something along those lines, and if HC/PC isn't an issue, a Ketland or Siler either one will work splendidly.

[blackbruin]

A rice .50 southern classic barrel is 42" and lighter than a .50 b weight.  If your stuck on light as possible...

[galamb]

Blindfold yourself and shoulder a J.P. Beck rifle.

You would be hard pressed to tell that you didn't have a modern, custom firearm in your hands and against your shoulder.

Also as has been suggested, Early Lancaster style (which is like throwing Beck, Dickert and a few others into a blender) is a more generic style that would also shoulder and hold well.