Finished my Lehigh

[Treebeard]

I hesitated to post this but decided too since I was given some sensible advice by forum members.
I was told it would be wise to start with a Lancaster style and not a Lehigh but I had already bought the Stock along with the Lock and barrel so I plowed ahead. Good advice! The mistakes are obvious and we’re mostly avoidable.

[Mauser06]

Sounds like you learned from the build and you (or the fella holding it) appears happy.  Assuming it first well and shoots straight...I'd say you done good!



This forum is great if you actually want to learn. There are some great builders with tons of experience that will offer their advice and guidance.


I too like sharing my final product with the forum. Let's them show what I accomplished with their help...and let's them critique it so I can become a better builder.

[JO49]

That smile tells me you are proud of her.  There's always a lot of satisfaction when you finish a rifle.  Congrats!

[Stoner creek]

Your smile say a lot!

[Mike Brooks]

Cain't see much because it's too far away!. Only thing wrong  I notice is the front sight appears to be on backwards.

[Treebeard]

Cain't see much because it's too far away!. Only thing wrong  I notice is the front sight appears to be on backwards.

I did learn a lot by doing this rifle. The buttplate was my most difficult task and it is terrible. There are some things I like such as the color which is a personal preference and the browning came out the way I wanted. I still need to finish the lock plate but I did like the trigger pull. I was going to not have a buttplate and do a pure poor boy but alas did not go that route.
I actually put the sight on backwards on purpose— I may change it. I have only briefly test fired it. I fired it first then handed to my son in law to take the second shot and forgot to tell him that the Powder goes in before the ball. Back to the house to unbreech and remove ball.
If I do a close up that buttplate install will will be obvious — the only cure is to restock it.

[Old Salt]

I am not a builder so I can comment there. I am a avid shooter, so I would suggest that you invest in a Co2 discharger and  or a ball puller.
Old Salt

[Treebeard]

I am not a builder so I can comment there. I am a avid shooter, so I would suggest that you invest in a Co2 discharger and  or a ball puller.
Old Salt

Good suggestions— might do both. Just read an original account where a hunter pulled a ball so he could change to shot because of a new type of game opportunity.

[JVavrek]

Nice job Treebeard, You can tell by your face you are proud of her. If my first turns out that nice i will be tickled

[scottmc]

Good job beard!  Aside from Mike's observation, the only two things that I see are maybe a little too much barrel sticking out from the end of the stock and the area around your lock appears to be a little thick.  A very good builder from Lancaster, Bill Shipman, once critiqued one of my rifles and that was the thing that sticks in my head the most.  Tough to tell from your photo so just guessing.  Profile looks very good.  Here's the gun he critiqued.


postimage org safe

[Mike Brooks]

Cain't see much because it's too far away!. Only thing wrong  I notice is the front sight appears to be on backwards.

I did learn a lot by doing this rifle. The buttplate was my most difficult task and it is terrible. There are some things I like such as the color which is a personal preference and the browning came out the way I wanted. I still need to finish the lock plate but I did like the trigger pull. I was going to not have a buttplate and do a pure poor boy but alas did not go that route.
I actually put the sight on backwards on purpose— I may change it. I have only briefly test fired it. I fired it first then handed to my son in law to take the second shot and forgot to tell him that the Powder goes in before the ball. Back to the house to unbreech and remove ball.
If I do a close up that buttplate install will will be obvious — the only cure is to restock it.

That's how you learn to build these things, you have to do it to learn it. Your next one will be even better.

[Joe S.]

Slender gal,I would be proud of her.You gotta be realistic trying to compare ones first build with the work some of these fine builders show here.The fact that you built a rifle from start to finish is an accomplishment all in itself,well done.

[Treebeard]

Thanks to all for their comments they are appreciated. I have another Colerain 44inch by .50 that I will have to do something with, but before I leap into the next one I will seek out opportunities to actually examine some original and contemporary examples of various styles. I will be traveling east in the spring to attend the birth of another grandchild so I hope to hit some of the purveyors of components to see the possibilities. A little 28ga keeps drifting into my thoughts.

[hanshi]

For a first build I think you did very well.  And I agree that the front sight is on backwards.

[little joe]

Bad buttplate-restock, not without trying to move it forward a little.

[John Archer]

Treebeard:

Here's something you can fix without having to refinish the stock of your Lehigh Rifle.
The trigger guard needs to be slimmed down...a lot. The edges of the bow and hand rail should come to a blunt knife edge. Also the rear extension must lie parallel with the stock and both the front and the rear extensions should be inlet into the wood with a scant 1/32 inch rising above the wood. This is an Allentown feature. The TG will have to be bent to accomplish this. If it's a Reeves Goehring casting it should bend very easily. If not it may need annealing.
These are very difficult rifles to get right. You are obviously proud of what you've accomplished...fixing that guard will make quite a difference to the look of the gun.

John

[Treebeard]

John— thanks for the suggestion— I will give it a go. Got the trigger guard from TOW so I think annealing will be needed. I will take another look at that buttplate to see if that can be improved.