Author Topic: Finished Building a Susquehanna Rifle (Read 12554 times)

Hoot AL · « **on:** April 03, 2009, 07:49:23 AM »

I making a duplicate Susquehanna rifle which is owned by someone who wants the replica so he can take it deer hunting like his ancestors did.

This is a link to my website where you can track the progress of the rifle and there is also a photo album of the original rifle, too you can use as a comparison.

Link: http://www.hootalrifleshop.org/current_projects_2.htm

Right now I have made the patchbox spring and working on the lid latch hook.

Been a challenging project and learned a lot about this rifle and how it was made. The patchbox was made from scratch, along with the inlays and the comb inlay.

Hope you find it useful.

Hoot AL

Lucky R A · « **Reply #1 on:** April 03, 2009, 01:16:47 PM »

Hey Mr. Owl,
I just got up and was having my morning coffee while perusing the forum. My compliments on your effort with the Upper Susquehanna rifle. I have a personal attachment to the area where your gun was probably made...found a wife there, 43 years ago. Great job of detailing your progress and the process. Your effort should be a great guide for the guys new to building and of course us older guys always like to see a different way to skin a cat. I hope that the new builders take note of your disciplined and logical approach to constructing your rifle. It seems that too many want to do a half dozen things at one time and get it done yesterday, so they can get on to the next botched project. A great post that should end up in the tutorial section....Ron

MJDeWald · « **Reply #2 on:** April 03, 2009, 03:20:16 PM »

Al's site is not just for builders but also great for his customers. I have been following the building of my rifle from the start and am very pleased with what I see.

Unfortunately I have not been able to get the original rifle to Al so that he can use it as a template but did send him many pictures and measurements. We will compare the two rifles when he is done and I pick the rifle up. Because he is documenting it online I have some friends and relatives checking out his site which may spark some interest in gun building in them.

Don Getz · « **Reply #3 on:** April 03, 2009, 04:16:48 PM »

Hoot.....I did the same thing some 30 years ago. I copied a Joe Long rifle....turns out it was more a labor of love than of
good sense. If you do it in a 50 cal. or larger it will not be a pleasant gun to shoot. These guns are somewhat like a
Bedford.....nice to look at but not great guns to shoot. Good luck with the gun, hope it works out well. ..... Don

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #4 on:** April 03, 2009, 08:32:17 PM »

I have followed Al's website for a couple of years and it is one of the best kept secrets on longrifle building out there. Well done, clear and detailed, his efforts show in his finished work. I do not know how he keeps up with his site much less have time to build rifles. I think the best word for his work is meticulous. Thanks for the work Al.

Tim C.

PS: Ron I know what you are talking about, hurry up and get it done, what's next?
I speak from experience, it only took me about 20 years to slow down.TC

Ken G · « **Reply #5 on:** April 03, 2009, 08:50:24 PM »

Hoot,
Thanks for the link and taking the time to do the progress/tutorial on the project. I too enjoy your site and have learned much from it over the years. You do a really good job explaining and taking the right picture for a visual.
Ken

Brian Jordan · « **Reply #6 on:** April 04, 2009, 01:22:42 AM »

I enjoyed looking at your website, very informative.

longcruise · « **Reply #7 on:** April 04, 2009, 08:21:30 PM »

I'm confused!!! Some of your links for the Current Project go to you southern rifle project.

Hoot AL · « **Reply #8 on:** April 05, 2009, 01:34:04 AM »

Thanks for the heads up Mike. I got it corrected now. Not sure how that happened.

Again, thanks,

Hoot AL

longrifle · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2009, 02:05:04 AM »

The rifle really look's great !!! I like the design of the patchbox

Hoot AL · « **Reply #10 on:** April 05, 2009, 07:17:43 AM »

Making the catch release and lift spring for the patchbox from scratch right now. Hope to post more photos of this soon.

Thanks,

Hoot AL

Hoot AL · « **Reply #11 on:** April 06, 2009, 06:48:50 PM »

The patchbox is now cut out inletted and the latch mechanism installed. Added a eleven more photos and a short movie. See Patchbox. Still in the rough but getting closer.

http://www.hootalrifleshop.org/patchbox_dw.htm

Hoot AL

Brian Jordan · « **Reply #12 on:** April 06, 2009, 09:34:57 PM »

Very nice explanation, I am looking forward to more of your progress!!

Hoot AL · « **Reply #13 on:** April 09, 2009, 08:21:18 AM »

Thanks.

Hoot Al

ptk1126 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 09, 2009, 02:30:50 PM »

Al - do you have any pix of the process of installing a comb plate ?

Thanks
Paul

Hoot AL · « **Reply #15 on:** April 09, 2009, 05:23:50 PM »

Paul,

Good question. I had to look into it and discovered I left out 3 pages to my Current Projects section I failed to link up with.

Added three more pages to this section:
http://www.hootalrifleshop.org/ramrod_pipes_dw.htm
http://www.hootalrifleshop.org/inlays_dw.htm
http://www.hootalrifleshop.org/lock_panel_dw.htm

Sorry about that. Appreciate you help in keeping me on my toes.
Hope this information helps.

Hoot Al

ptk1126 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 09, 2009, 11:04:12 PM »

Al

Many thanks for the info.

Paul

Hoot AL · « **Reply #17 on:** April 13, 2009, 03:14:51 AM »

Just finished engraving the brass and the steel.

http://www.hootalrifleshop.org/engraving_dw.htm

Now I recheck the stock again before staining and I can start browning the steel.

Hoot AL

Hoot AL · « **Reply #18 on:** April 14, 2009, 05:43:02 PM »

Updated the Currect Projects page and started staining the stock and browning the metal today.

http://www.hootalrifleshop.org/current_projects_2.htm

AL

Paddlefoot · « **Reply #19 on:** April 18, 2009, 08:56:45 AM »

AL I hesitate to mention the dividers since it seems to incite so much passion about the idea of the golden mean, but I found the info on building them and the techniques for using them very interesting. I am going to make a set and see how it compares to using the Phi conversion scales I just got from Lee Valley. I have got to do some cabinetmaking before I can get back to building smokepoles so I will start out on that first. Thanks for sharing all that knowledge and experience.

Hoot AL · « **Reply #20 on:** April 18, 2009, 09:00:20 AM »

This is a duplicate of a 180 year old Susquehanna rifle project for a friend. He had the original as a family heiloom rifle and wanted a duplicate to go deer hunting with in Michigan.

Started from scratch and made the patch box and inlays from scrap brass. You can follow the progress and see more photos of the original by going to this link: http://www.hootalrifleshop.org/current_projects_2.htm

Hope you like walking thru the progess in building this rife. Interesting part was finding the correct thickness of brass to make the patchbox. I bought a brass kickpanel at Lowes to make it. The lid latch mechanism was challenging, too.

I hope to post photos of the two guns laying side by side on my site in the future.

Hoot AL

Hoot AL · « **Reply #21 on:** April 18, 2009, 09:09:48 AM »

Quote from: Paddlefoot on April 18, 2009, 08:56:45 AM

AL I hesitate to mention the dividers since it seems to incite so much passion about the idea of the golden mean, but I found the info on building them and the techniques for using them very interesting. I am going to make a set and see how it compares to using the Phi conversion scales I just got from Lee Valley. I have got to do some cabinetmaking before I can get back to building smokepoles so I will start out on that first. Thanks for sharing all that knowledge and experience.

Glad to help out, Paddle Foot.

AL

MJDeWald · « **Reply #22 on:** April 19, 2009, 06:17:17 PM »

Picked up the rifle yesterday (April 18 2009). I couldn't be more pleased with the results. The only problem may be that it looks to nice to shoot.

I hope Al can handle the boat load of people contacting him from the interest this rifle is going to generate. As this is my first black powder rifle I am still getting supplies together, hopefully I will be able to take it out shooting soon.

acorn20 · « **Reply #23 on:** April 19, 2009, 07:09:34 PM »

Al,

Beautiful rifle and a great job in documenting your build for others. Thanks for the info and photos.

Dan

Hoot AL · « **Reply #24 on:** April 26, 2009, 12:28:43 AM »

Well I finally added a new page and on this page are photos of both the 180 year old original and my project laying side by side.

Hope you like.

Link: http://www.hootalrifleshop.org/original_rifle_vs_new.htm

Hoot AL

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Author Topic: Finished Building a Susquehanna Rifle (Read 12554 times)

MJDeWald

longrifle

MJDeWald