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Author Topic: Starting mid-18th century English rifle (Updated photos)  (Read 21356 times)

Online smart dog

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Starting mid-18th century English rifle (Updated photos)
« on: February 13, 2016, 02:50:31 AM »
Hi Folks,
Next project is an English rifle circa 1740-1760.  It has a Rice 31" 62 cal Jaeger barrel with a standing breech.  The lock is Chamber's round-faced English lock and the stock is well figured English walnut.  Most of the hardware will be highly engraved steel but the sideplate and wrist escutcheon will be cast and sculpted fine silver.  There will also be carving and fine silver wire inlay.  The architecture is closely based on the Turvey rifle (RCA #14) but with a major change. The buttplate is modeled after one on an original English fowler I purchased from Jim Kibler.  That buttplate changes the profile of the stock considerably from the Turvey rifle and makes it more elegant by far.  I will post photos as I proceed.

dave

 
« Last Edit: February 21, 2016, 02:01:07 AM by smart dog »
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Whaleman

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2016, 03:41:56 AM »
Can you please explain the odd screw in the buttplate. Thanks Dan
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Online smart dog

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2016, 03:44:49 AM »
Hi Whaleman,
It is not at all odd for an English gun.  Do a little research on English fowlers and military guns and you will understand.  It will be countersunk deeper to be flush.

dave
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Offline Daryl

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2016, 04:00:45 AM »
Those dark strips in the butt will really be nice!!
Here is a photo of some English flintlock guns.
The top one is a 6 bore (.92cal.) nice, eh!



« Last Edit: February 13, 2016, 04:02:33 AM by Daryl »
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Daryl

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Offline smylee grouch

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2016, 04:09:50 AM »
Mortimer,Manton, and Twigg I think. Notice the scroll trigger guard Hawkin,s fans. Looks like a nice project and chunk of wood Dave.    ;D
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Online smart dog

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2016, 04:17:47 AM »
Hi Daryl,
Thanks for the photos.  Of course, all of those guns were made at least 2-3 decades after the style of gun I am making.  Thanks again.

dave
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Offline jerrywh

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2016, 05:55:34 AM »
 Smart dog
  How much drop do you have on that rifle?
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Offline elk killer

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2016, 02:46:30 PM »
Smart Dog
I am interested in what trigger or triggers your planning on useing
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only flintlocks remain interesting..

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2016, 02:54:01 PM »
That ought to be fine. A bit more drop than I like, but I don't have to shoot it. I like just the two keys, so i assume it has a hooked breech? Nothing like a nice English Hawkins rifle.
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Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Online smart dog

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2016, 04:27:13 PM »
Hi and thanks for looking,
Jerry, the drop is 3" and LOP is 13 5/8".  Elk Killer, the trigger will be a simple scrolled trigger and  it will be pinned in the stock.  I will make the trigger and plate.  The guard will have a simple oval bow like most English fowlers. Mike, it has a hooked breech (standing) with 2 barrel keys.  There eventually will be a matching fowling gun with identical hardware but a 42" 20 ga barrel.  The bottom of the butt stock of the rifle will be flattened like the Turvey gun but the fowler will have the typical rounded bottom. 

dave 
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Offline jerrywh

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2016, 09:20:24 PM »
Smart dog.
  That's my kind of gun. I hope to make one with a twigg lock. I have a Twigg safety lock.
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Offline Daryl

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2016, 10:03:12 PM »
Quote from: smart dog on February 13, 2016, 04:17:47 AM
Hi Daryl,
Thanks for the photos.  Of course, all of those guns were made at least 2-3 decades after the style of gun I am making.  Thanks again.

dave

Ok - I thought #3 was more in line, but it seems a rather advanced lock, perhaps.
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Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Online smart dog

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2016, 11:04:25 PM »
Hi Daryl,
Yes, No. 3 is likely the earliest and probably dates from after 1770.  If you have Shumway's "Rifles in Colonial America" vol 1 the Turvey rifle (#14) is from the period (1740s-50s) I am inspired by.  Regardless, thank you for the photos.  I've stored them away in my photo library.
I've posted this picture before, but this is the silver sideplate.  I have to make a duplicate for the fowler.
 

dave  
« Last Edit: February 13, 2016, 11:10:19 PM by smart dog »
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Offline Telgan

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #13 on: February 14, 2016, 12:18:07 AM »
Dave- It's gonna be a little chilly on your ridge tonight. I think we might be a couple of degrees warmer here in tropical southern Vt though. I like this project you have going on right now. Interested to see how the English walnut will finish up. Throw a few more sticks on the fire. It's been an easy winter so far. Tom
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Online smart dog

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #14 on: February 14, 2016, 02:52:06 AM »
Hi Telgan,
Thanks.  It looks like 40-50 below with the wind chill.  The wind barrels over Braintree and Cushman Mountains and hits me with no barrier.  I have a good wood fire going and a good dinner prepared and ready to snug down, but I miss my dog.

dave
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Offline Ed Wenger

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #15 on: February 14, 2016, 02:39:56 PM »
Love those English pieces, and I'm sure this one will be a real beauty!  Plan on doing any checkering on the wrist?...  Looking good, Dave!  I feel for you missing Bella, it's so hard...

I'm currently working on a European rifle, and found myself being drawn more and more to these types of builds, so really looking forward to your progress.  Best,


        Ed
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Ed Wenger

Online smart dog

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #16 on: February 14, 2016, 08:08:24 PM »
Thanks Ed,
I too am drawn to European guns, particularly from the 17th century.  I love the decorative wood carvings, engraving, and inlay work from that century.  I think it represented the peak of firearm decoration and artistry in Europe.  I have some of those pieces in the pipeline if I can get to them.  If all goes as I intend, this little rifle will have an unusual and hopefully beautiful decorative feature.  That is, if I can master it.

dave  
« Last Edit: February 14, 2016, 08:09:56 PM by smart dog »
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Offline tallbear

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #17 on: February 14, 2016, 08:33:33 PM »
Great stuff Dave,please keep us updated with your progress!! Looks like a great project!!!!!!!!

Mitch
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Online smart dog

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #18 on: February 14, 2016, 09:53:46 PM »
Hi,
Thanks Mitch.  It will be fun.  Ed, I forgot to answer your question about checkering. I won't checker the wrist because the style of the gun predates the fashion of checkering by a few decades.

dave
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Offline Ed Wenger

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle
« Reply #19 on: February 15, 2016, 04:34:40 AM »
Got'cha...  Looking forward to the progress.


      Ed
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Ed Wenger

Online smart dog

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle (Updated photos)
« Reply #20 on: February 21, 2016, 02:12:44 AM »
Hi you wonderful group of guys and gals,
I've made some progress on this English rifle.  I have a lot of wood still to remove and shaping to be done but this gives you a sense of the rifle.  Soon, I have to inlet the sideplate, which means I break out my collection of really little chisels.  Oh Boy!  I left the patchbox oversize so I can whittle it down as I go and merge it with my design.  I wet the wood so you can see the figure.  I still have to carve my wrist inlay in wax and cast it in silver and design the wood carving.  This is fun.

dave






« Last Edit: February 21, 2016, 02:16:23 AM by smart dog »
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Offline Carl Young

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle (Updated photos)
« Reply #21 on: February 21, 2016, 02:33:23 AM »
That really looks good Dave. I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing more about his build as you progress.

Thanks, Carl.
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Offline Telgan

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle (Updated photos)
« Reply #22 on: February 21, 2016, 02:59:02 AM »
Nicer lookin wood than I first thought,
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle (Updated photos)
« Reply #23 on: February 21, 2016, 06:06:41 AM »
Telgan, I happen to have a nice smooth Bess-like barrel just waiting for a project like this.
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Boompa

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Re: Starting mid-18th century English rifle (Updated photos)
« Reply #24 on: February 21, 2016, 06:47:57 AM »
I love English walnut.  Nice, nice rifle.
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