Author Topic: Simon Kenton rifle update (Read 9625 times)

mark brier · « **on:** January 13, 2019, 07:07:48 PM »

As I had previously stated I have a family connection to Simon Kenton, with that said I am working on this rifle that could have been. The rifle in mind is the one given to Kenton by Jacob Butler. Butler was a somewhat wealthy man who it appears may have come from the Lancaster, Virginia area. F. Klette worked near Lancaster so this rifle I will attempt to have some of his influence. The side plate is made enough that I am ready to clean that wood up and inlet.
Mark Brier

baby ant

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #1 on:** January 13, 2019, 08:06:33 PM »

That will be a beautiful rifle, Mark!

I live from the small city named after him. in "Simon Kenton country", Logan Co., OH. About 5 mi from his homestead, 14 mi from the city named after him. Most folks have no idea he was a pioneer.

David Price · « **Reply #2 on:** January 13, 2019, 11:45:57 PM »

Mark,
I read somewhere that Simon Kenton also owned a swivel breach flintlock rifle. I sat through a play that Mel Hankla did for the CLA many years ago. Mel acted as though he was Simon Kenton and told his life story while sitting in a rocking chair. What a great job he did, I really thought he was Simnon Kenton. At times everyone was laughing, and then a few minutes later everyone had tears in their eyes. I would love to see him do it again. I am sure some of you ALR members must have seen it at the same time.

David Price

Nordnecker · « **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2019, 03:16:04 PM »

Neat project and an interesting story. Lancaster Co. Va is near me. I have read referrence to the Butler family in colonial times. There are still some Butlers down that way.

mark brier · « **Reply #4 on:** January 20, 2019, 09:29:11 PM »

This buttstock has been a fight all the way through this for whatever reason, but finally getting into something I can deal with and finish up shaping it.
Mark Brier

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2019, 01:00:51 AM »

May have been a fight but it looks like you won. Clean and sharp all over nicely done. Look forward to your next post.

Tim C.

kentuckyrifleman · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2019, 04:07:00 AM »

Beautiful rifle. I love watching folks build from a plank. Looking forward to following this one.

StevenV · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2019, 06:08:12 AM »

Mark looks pretty good so far. Building from a plank is very rewarding, thanks for posting your progress. Might I ask where did you place the center of the pan on the lock in reference to the breech plug? Steve

mark brier · « **Reply #8 on:** January 22, 2019, 02:54:54 PM »

Steve, I always put the center of the pan a strong 1/8" in front of the breech face. With that being said, if I use a vent it is always of a 1/4" in size. Sometimes I traditionally cone the touchole as well which may be what I do on this particular piece.
Mark Brier

mark brier · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2019, 09:33:43 PM »

Got busy the last few weeks but finally got a little time to return to the rifle this weekend. Now just to make up springs door catch etc and clean up the sides and floor of the box cavity.
Mark Brier

KC · « **Reply #10 on:** February 04, 2019, 12:23:52 AM »

That’s really turning out great. I’m anxious to see the final results. Nice work for sure.
K.C.

Darkhorse · « **Reply #11 on:** February 04, 2019, 02:25:48 AM »

I really hate to mention this, and I might just be seeing it wrong, but it looks like the buttplate is pointed to the right, instead of being square with the castoff and pointing towards the junction of stock and castoff. Do I see this right?

Daryl · « **Reply #12 on:** February 04, 2019, 02:58:39 AM »

Had to look again, appears the centre is lined up about 1/16" right of the rear of the tang's rear corner. Might be an optical illusion.
Small thing.

mark brier · « **Reply #13 on:** February 04, 2019, 03:44:45 AM »

It's a combination of things I think, it is a touch squarish along with poor phone pictures . It does have a strong 1/4" cast off
Mark Brier

Ed Wenger · « **Reply #14 on:** February 04, 2019, 07:05:34 AM »

Mark..., this is the first I’ve looked at your post, and I have to say, I agree with Darkhorse regarding the butt piece. The cast off is fine, and the position of the butt piece to the right of the center line is fine, but the comb of the butt piece should be angled to the left, pointing towards the center line, where the comb terminates into the wrist. Hope that makes sense... The center line on the top of the comb (delineating the cast off) should transit down the middle of the butt piece. That’s more than likely why the butt stock was “fighting” you so much...

Nice looking rifle, and excellent job on inletting the brass box. I look forward to seeing the completed rifle. Best,

Ed

AsMs · « **Reply #15 on:** February 04, 2019, 07:18:24 AM »

Quote from: Darkhorse on February 04, 2019, 02:25:48 AM

I really hate to mention this, and I might just be seeing it wrong, but it looks like the buttplate is pointed to the right, instead of being square with the castoff and pointing towards the junction of stock and castoff. Do I see this right?

I just noticed that as well. It is not at a 90* to the cast off line. Looks like it is 90* to the barrel center line then just shifted to the right a quarter of an inch.

AsMs

Bob Roller · « **Reply #16 on:** February 04, 2019, 04:47:41 PM »

Quote from: AsMs on February 04, 2019, 07:18:24 AM

Quote from: Darkhorse on February 04, 2019, 02:25:48 AM
I really hate to mention this, and I might just be seeing it wrong, but it looks like the buttplate is pointed to the right, instead of being square with the castoff and pointing towards the junction of stock and castoff. Do I see this right?

I just noticed that as well. It is not at a 90* to the cast off line. Looks like it is 90* to the barrel center line then just shifted to the right a quarter of an inch.

AsMs

Mark Brier's grand father,Tom Dawson would build a rifle like this and if he was looking at the
antique he would copy every mistake,crack and accident seen. I got the info he needed to copy
the Kenton rifle in the Huntington Museum of Art many years ago and it had all the dents and
dings in his copy that were obvious in the old one. That included a musket lock on a light,slim
rifle.Tom's Hawken copies are so precise and now aged that if you think you have one,take the
barrel out of the stock and his name and date will be plain to see on the bottom flat.
It might be that Mark is copying a relic with a glitch or two of its own.

Bob Roller

P.Bigham · « **Reply #17 on:** February 04, 2019, 08:04:45 PM »

Wallace Gusler did a article on a rifle in muzzle blast years ago that had a butt plate that rotated to follow the barrel not the comb.

mark brier · « **Reply #18 on:** February 19, 2019, 12:25:22 AM »

I had some time again to return to this project. Ready to make up a trigger guard and make up a ramrod and shape the rest of the stock and cut down top of the forestock along the barrel, shoot and sight in. Then time to think about cleaning everything up and do some carving. I plan on putting a sling on this the first picture shows the drill bit in the hole for the upper swivel.
Mark Brier

Mick C · « **Reply #19 on:** February 19, 2019, 07:16:49 PM »

Coming alone very nicely. Anxious to see more!

mark brier · « **Reply #20 on:** March 03, 2019, 07:55:42 PM »

Got a little more time in the shop. Still a lot to do.
Mark Brier

Huntschool · « **Reply #21 on:** March 03, 2019, 09:25:48 PM »

Quote from: Ed Wenger on February 04, 2019, 07:05:34 AM

Mark..., this is the first I’ve looked at your post, and I have to say, I agree with Darkhorse regarding the butt piece. The cast off is fine, and the position of the butt piece to the right of the center line is fine, but the comb of the butt piece should be angled to the left, pointing towards the center line, where the comb terminates into the wrist. Hope that makes sense... The center line on the top of the comb (delineating the cast off) should transit down the middle of the butt piece. That’s more than likely why the butt stock was “fighting” you so much...

Nice looking rifle, and excellent job on inletting the brass box. I look forward to seeing the completed rifle. Best,

Ed

I would think, from my days with target shotguns, that this slight off set in the butt plate should make for a flat fit of the butt plate against the shoulder rather then the inside edge hitting the shoulder first (see the pic looking from the muzzle end back) . In relationship to the comb, one will only know how this "works" after shooting the gun a good bit. Perhaps the comb might need a bit of adjustment for site line up but again, that will only be determined by shooting.

I can only say, if I were building a gun which could produce some recoil, I would want a flat to shoulder butt plate regardless of cast.

Great looking rifle Mark. Cant wait to see it finished. How does it feel in the shoulder etc.

JMHO......

mark brier · « **Reply #22 on:** March 03, 2019, 09:33:35 PM »

Obviously I made this rifle to fit myself, It fits into the shoulder great and balanced very very well. It will have some recoil to it. Caliber is .62
Mark

Huntschool · « **Reply #23 on:** March 04, 2019, 07:34:08 AM »

Build it to fit the shooter..... Again, really nice rifle Mark.

little joe · « **Reply #24 on:** March 04, 2019, 07:47:30 AM »

Fix the butt plate

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Author Topic: Simon Kenton rifle update (Read 9625 times)