barrel lugs location on a new england fowler?

[yip]

 ready for barrel lugs, what the location of lugs on a new england fowler?

[Mike Brooks]

ready for barrel lugs, what the location of lugs on a new england fowler?

Bottom side of the barrel.

[yip]

 thanks ha ha

[rich pierce]

So, depends on the barrel. I use the same approach for all guns that are not close copies of a maker’s style.

For the front lug I look at nosecap and front ramrod thimble and locate the front lug in between and closer to nosecap so it snugs up the nosecap good.

I place the one closest to the breech a couple inches back from the entry thimble.

Then I look at where the other ramrod thimble(s) are and try to stay out of their way. I go with 4 lugs on barrrls 44” or longer. I suspect for a 54” barrel I might use 5.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Yip:  you are lacking a plan or blue print for the gun that you're making.  If you had done the due diligence and created one, you could have answered your own question.  Sorry if that sounds harsh...it's just part of the whole process  as far as I am concerned.

[yip]

 thanks guys,i have a 48" barrel and plan 3" from the muzzle and 8" from the breech and place 2 lugs in between them. i'm sorry for not doing my homework on this, this was just a experament and my first fowler hope things turn out.

[rich pierce]

If you need help laying it out; making a blueprint, let us know.

[bob in the woods]

Not trying to be harsh at all, hope " hope things turn out "  is not even a passing thought if you first lay out your design / plan on paper.  Paper and pencils are a lot cheaper than the materials you're otherwise working with.  I know exactly whether or not my front lock bolt will have enough room under the barrel and over the ram rod channel etc etc. Saves a lot of grief 

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Exactly!  And 8" ahead of the breech plug for the first underlug is incorrect.  Make a full sized drawing, starting with an outline of the barrel on a sheet of paper..drafting paper or shelving paper is good.  Then draw in the lock plate.  Full sized images of most locks appear in TOW's catalogue...just trace it and transfer it to your blueprint.  With the sear bar drawn in as a dot on the lock plate, you can place your drawing of the trigger exactly where it will work best.  Draw in the web thickness you want between the bottom of the barrel and the rod hole...keep it slim (1/8") rod hole no more than 3/8".  Now the bottom line of the forestcock can be added.  And on it goes.  Drop at the comb should be ~ 1 3/8" and at the heel (optional, but ~ 2 3/4")  From your trigger measure back to mark your length of pull, and draw in your butt plate.  Draw in where you want your rod pipes...three upper and an entry pipe are nice on a 48" long barrel, but two upper and an entry are fine too.  NOW YOU can see where to place your barrel lugs and front sight.  This is enjoyable time well spent and will give you the confidence to say, "this is excellent!  This is going to work well!!  Instead of, "boy, I hope this works out."

[Mike Brooks]

Put one lug 4" back from the muzzle. That leaves 44" left of the barrel. divide that distance by 4 which leaves the rest of your lugs spaced at  11". Again, on the bottom side........

[smart dog]

Hi Yip,
Keep in mind that the lugs and ramrod thimbles do not need to be evenly spaced.  Get them as close to even as you can but if you have to move one to avoid a thimble lug, do it.

dave

[Goo]

I use rounded ones for round barrels ( on the bottom side of the barrel like Mike said spaced evenly and the 4 inches back from the muzzle keep the front sight back about 3 inches when you get to that part) 50/50 solder zinc chloride flux and tin the lugs with a thin layer of solder before placing them in position and heating.

[Turtle]

 To clarify, at least as I see it; The thimbles show so make them even--lugs don't so fudge them if necessary.

[smart dog]

Hi,
On many originals you will see that ramrod pipes and barrel lugs are not necessarily evenly spaced.  For example on both of my original English fowlers, the middle ramrod pipe is closer to the forward pipe than the rear pipe.

dave 

[Mike Brooks]

To clarify, at least as I see it; The thimbles show so make them even--lugs don't so fudge them if necessary.

\
Unless you care about barrel harmonics.

[yip]

 i care about harmonics thats why i ask pros questions, i believe lugs and ramrod pipes should be evenly spaced as possible,but how close should the lugs and r/r pipes be to each other?

[Mike Brooks]

i care about harmonics thats why i ask pros questions, i believe lugs and ramrod pipes should be evenly spaced as possible,but how close should the lugs and r/r pipes be to each other?

Depends on many factors, length of barrel, length of lower forestock, number of pipes etc.

[smart dog]

To clarify, at least as I see it; The thimbles show so make them even--lugs don't so fudge them if necessary.

\
Unless you care about barrel harmonics.

Barrel harmonics in a fowler???   Please tell me you are being sarcastic, Mike.  You really mean harmonizing around a barrel of whiskey, right?

[Turtle]

I'm not worthy, but I do like harmonica music.

[Mike Brooks]

To clarify, at least as I see it; The thimbles show so make them even--lugs don't so fudge them if necessary.

\
Unless you care about barrel harmonics.

Barrel harmonics in a fowler???   Please tell me you are being sarcastic, Mike.  You really mean harmonizing around a barrel of whiskey, right?

No, I'm serious.

[smart dog]

Hi Mike,
Then explain. 
dave

[Jim Chambers]

In a discussion last year with Wallace Gusler,  Wallace believes installing the draw loops was one of the very last things the old guys did.  He said in measuring original rifles he found the draw loops were seldom if ever evenly spaced.  They put them where they would miss the  ramrod pipes and then wherever else it was convenient.  In the originals I've examined I'll have to agree with Wallace.

[Ky-Flinter]

Behind Gunmaker's Hall at Friendship one year, L.C. Rice gave a talk on barrel harmonics.  He held one of his barrels up by a piece of wire thru the tang and gave it a smart wrap.  That barrel hummed like a tuning fork for at least a minute.  Barrel harmonics is a real thing, but don't ask me what to do about it.  I had to leave before L.C. was finished with his talk.

-Ron

[smart dog]

Hi Guys,
We are talking about fowling guns not super accurate bench rifles.  So let's consider half stock fowlers or even rifles.  You have one or two lugs dovetailed or soldered on the first 12" of the barrel then a metal rib attached by solder, rivets, screws, for the other half of the barrel.  So how does that square with "evenly spaced lugs because of barrel harmonics"?

dave

[Mike Brooks]

Hi Guys,
We are talking about fowling guns not super accurate bench rifles.  So let's consider half stock fowlers or even rifles.  You have one or two lugs dovetailed or soldered on the first 12" of the barrel then a metal rib attached by solder, rivets, screws, for the other half of the barrel.  So how does that square with "evenly spaced lugs because of barrel harmonics"?

dave

With round ball barrels it's important, with shot guns I don't think it makes any difference.