Ed, i was also tickled to see your version of this early German stocked rifle, that seems a forerunner to our colonial rifles. I have a hard time saying that i like a contemporary piece better than the original - since we need those originals for study. But you have created another original here, and a dandy, so i like it equally as well on its own merit.
It's good to hear that you were able to generate a profile from the book photos. I think you and others would also be able to sketch this up from scratch now, with your design talent and awareness of how an old gun fits and feels. Often the dimensions are changed to fit a customer anyway. Houston Harrison did this drawing for the owner many years ago, and they were available from various suppliers. i checked recently after someone asked, but could not find this particular HH plan - though other of his plans are still available. With Houston gone, and just recently the original owner passed, i don't know who owns the original drawing? If someone finds a source for these, I'm aware of several who are interested in a copy.
When i saw this plan some 20 years back, i thought i saw in the carving behind cheek, double spur on trigger guard, sideplate and other details a "step or two" prior to rifle #43 in Shumway and the Edward Marshall rifle. I purchased a set of mounts and the lock castings from the Rifle Shoppe, who still have these if someone wants a closer copy. So when the book came about, we used this short rifle and an Albrecht signed pistol from Germany to show what our earliest gunstockers learned in their apprentice and journeymen work.
We tried to quietly include the dimensions and feel in the text to help contemp builders recreate something like the original. Some collectors are happy to make their original available for photography and measurement - even rubbing, while others value their rare originals and do not want to see their special piece turned into a shop drawing so folks can turn out many copies of it, somehow diluting the original. Hopefully weaving info into the text for comparison between the several guns provides the builder the information in a subtle way. The barrel breech and buttplate establish each rifle a little differently. Thanks again for your take on this one. Bob
