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Author Topic: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit  (Read 54840 times)

Online snapper

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #100 on: September 29, 2019, 09:02:40 PM »
I always figured that I was smart enough to remove my bore protector before I shot the rifle.   At one of the World matches, I thought I had shot it down range.   Only to find that it had fallen off as I got down with the rifle and it was lying near my shooting pad.   After that I have always tied the projector with a leather lace to my shooting box.

One time I got to help the Brits look for one that had been forgotten and was shot down range.  Only went 25 yards or so.

Fleener
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Offline Curtis

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #101 on: October 23, 2019, 07:18:21 AM »
Been traveling with my wife for a few weeks, went out east and saw a lot of historic sights, had a great time.

So trying to take up where I left off...  I removed the barrel some more shaping of the forestock, bringing the "belly" down to near finished dimension, rounded it off and did some file work to level out and straighten the sides.







Next I started to work on the comb and butt stock area, drawing some reference lines first and rasping away some wood. 







I used a straight edge marked with a Sharpie to spot the high points and flattened out the sides of the butt some more to straighten them up:





Next I used a spokeshave to bring the pistol grip down closer to finish size.  A SHARP blade set extremely fine makes a nice, smooth curved cut.







Curtis
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Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Justin Urbantas

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #102 on: October 26, 2019, 08:00:43 AM »
You've really got me thinking about ordering one of these kits now. I have been wanting a long range bullet gun for a while
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Online snapper

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #103 on: October 26, 2019, 01:36:38 PM »
Justin

Pull the trigger and join us!

Fleener
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Offline Craig Wilcox

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #104 on: October 26, 2019, 07:58:48 PM »
Justin, I will join the group also - next year!  I have a few in the pipeline that need to be completed first.  And this old "Lancaster" is really trying my patience!
When I get that done I have a Don Stith kit to build.
But - a long range bullet gun is what I started shooting about 63 years ago and I would like to turn my clock back a bit.
Curtis, your work is phenomenal, and serves as an inspiration to many of us.  Thanks!
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Offline Justin Urbantas

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #105 on: October 26, 2019, 09:25:51 PM »
Quote from: snapper on October 26, 2019, 01:36:38 PM
Justin

Pull the trigger and join us!

Fleener
I have been speaking with Rod via email. He will sell me a breech and tang, or breech tang and barrel together. I'm probably going to go this route, and cut a stock from a blank, and collect the rest of the parts. I have a set of mid range sights from Pedersoli, trigger and trigger guard, buttplate, grip cap, and a few other parts in the shop.
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Offline Curtis

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #106 on: December 01, 2019, 09:24:38 AM »
Been busy with other projects, finally got around to doing more work on the AH rifle.

I decided to go head and plug my front sight dovetail and move the sight back to give me a 36" sight radius and allow for a muzzle protector to fit over the muzzle.  I cut a piece of scrap steel about the size of the dovetail, filed it with a three cornered file to fit the dovetail in the barrel, then drove it in.



Next I went after it with a file and got rid of most of the extra metal, leaving enough to allow for some peen work.





Then went to town peening the metal to fill all gaps fully.  Repeated gentle tapping works best for me.  I used punches and the ball peen to work the steel.







When it appeared all gaps were filled I filed more excess metal away and peened any areas that looked like they could use it as they showed up.



When all looked good I filed it the rest of the way down and hit the area with some emery cloth.  Not bad!





Last I cut a new dovetail and temporarily installed the sight in it to check for fit.



Thanks for looking,
Curtis
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Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Justin Urbantas

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #107 on: December 01, 2019, 06:56:05 PM »
good job on the fix.  You can't even see it. How do you make sure the sight is right on, so it isn't off at long range?  Also, question about the front sight.  It looks like it is adjustable for windage and elevation? What is the purpose of that?  Isn't the rear sight fully adjustable?
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Offline Bob Roller

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #108 on: December 01, 2019, 08:28:39 PM »
Quote from: Justin Urbantas on December 01, 2019, 06:56:05 PM
good job on the fix.  You can't even see it. How do you make sure the sight is right on, so it isn't off at long range?  Also, question about the front sight.  It looks like it is adjustable for windage and elevation? What is the purpose of that?  Isn't the rear sight fully adjustable?

On all the Long Range English guns I have seen,only the front sight is  adjustable.
Also never saw a spirit level on a old one either.On the other side,there is a lot I
have never seen.
Bob Roller
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Online snapper

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #109 on: December 01, 2019, 10:06:30 PM »
Front sight is adjustable for windage.    Windage on the front was more common then windage on the rear for that era rifle.   Windage on the rear is much easier then the front.    Once you lay down it is not easy making a windage change.  I prefer it on the rear

Fleener
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Online snapper

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #110 on: December 01, 2019, 10:12:14 PM »
For mounting the rear sight I use brass sheet for shims to square up the base.   I have used small levels.   The last base I mounted I took a digital gage made for making sure your saw blade is square. The down side is that it is so accurate it takes a while.    Simple mounted it on the staff


Fleener
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Offline Curtis

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #111 on: December 02, 2019, 07:44:31 AM »
Quote from: Justin Urbantas on December 01, 2019, 06:56:05 PM
good job on the fix.  You can't even see it. How do you make sure the sight is right on, so it isn't off at long range? ....

Thanks Justin, I felt the fix went well as it really did disappear.  As far as making the sight right on, I have always just eyeballed the sight alignment, but I may make some use of Snapper's idea with the digital gage.  I used a pair of "winding sticks" to help cut the dovetail level with the breech.

Bob and Fleener answered your questions about the sights better than I could.  ;)

Curtis
« Last Edit: December 02, 2019, 07:50:19 AM by Curtis »
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Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Curtis

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #112 on: December 02, 2019, 09:11:15 AM »
Made some progress in shaping the stock and inlet the barrel key escutcheons.

















Still have some refinement to do, but have the lock panels and pistol grip mostly shaped.  I used some home made round floats for part of the shaping, they cut smoother than a file or rasp.





















Curtis
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Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Bob Roller

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #113 on: December 02, 2019, 04:06:13 PM »
Looking mighty fine. I like that Schnabel forearm idea. No casting or horn needed.

Bob Roller
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Offline Daryl

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #114 on: December 02, 2019, 08:54:10 PM »
I agree, that is a lovely schnabble. Even nicer, is one that has slips of horn inlet in the front surface around the curve
one on each side of centre.
Saw that somewhere on a rifle, not sure where - was quite special.
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Daryl

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Offline Curtis

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #115 on: December 03, 2019, 07:40:05 AM »
Glad you guys like the Schnabel.  TOF has done a couple that way and I think it looks good on the target model as it has no rib or ramrod to balance a sculpted horn or ebony forend tip.

Daryl, if you find a photo of the rifle with the horn inlet on the Schnabel I would like to see it!

Curtis
« Last Edit: December 03, 2019, 07:47:20 AM by Curtis »
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Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Bob Roller

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #116 on: December 04, 2019, 04:27:07 PM »
That fix on the misplaced dovetail is the best I've ever seen.Your skill in doing ths to me is impressive.
Simple but very effective.This whole thread is one of the best in a very long time.Like those of the guys
in Norway,they are not hard to follow and I have learned a lot from theirs and this one.I have never been
a gun maker of any style of rifle but did make one of these in the stalking rifle style*.I started it in June of
2001 and tested it in September of 2003.Ues a GM barrel,Don Brown breech and a folding tang sight of my
own make.The front sight was a Lyman 17A,modified to use a level and Lee Shaver inserts.Lubed bullet.
the old Ideal 451112 at 485 grains and 75 grains of old DuPont or GOEX.I shot it against breech loaders
at 500 meters and beat them.
Please keep us in the loop on this fine project.
Bob Roller
*I used Don's precarved stock and my own 4 screw lock with Henry hammer and it looked good even if
I did do it.
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Online T*O*F

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #117 on: December 04, 2019, 06:15:34 PM »
Quote
Glad you guys like the Schnabel.  TOF has done a couple that way
That particular feature is period correct for the original AH rifle which provided the patterns for it.
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Offline Justin Urbantas

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #118 on: December 04, 2019, 06:24:31 PM »
To make your float, did you just use a steel bar, heat it up and cut notches with a chisel, then harden and temper?
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Offline Curtis

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #119 on: December 04, 2019, 06:33:38 PM »
Quote from: Justin Urbantas on December 04, 2019, 06:24:31 PM
To make your float, did you just use a steel bar, heat it up and cut notches with a chisel, then harden and temper?

I used oil hardening drill rod, here is a link that describes the whole process in detail. https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=51579.0

Curtis
« Last Edit: December 04, 2019, 06:56:08 PM by Curtis »
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Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Curtis

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #120 on: December 04, 2019, 06:38:17 PM »
Quote from: T*O*F on December 04, 2019, 06:15:34 PM
That particular feature is period correct for the original AH rifle which provided the patterns for it.

TOF, thanks for the info - good to know as it is difficult to find pics of early full target rifles without a ramrod.

Curtis
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Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Justin Urbantas

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #121 on: December 04, 2019, 06:38:51 PM »
thanks. Looks handy
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Offline Curtis

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #122 on: December 04, 2019, 06:39:52 PM »
Quote from: Bob Roller on December 04, 2019, 04:27:07 PM
That fix on the misplaced dovetail is the best I've ever seen.Your skill in doing ths to me is impressive.
Simple but very effective.This whole thread is one of the best in a very long time.....
Bob Roller

Thanks for the kind words Bob!!!

Curtis
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Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Bob Roller

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #123 on: December 05, 2019, 01:55:02 AM »
Quote from: Justin Urbantas on December 04, 2019, 06:24:31 PM
To make your float, did you just use a steel bar, heat it up and cut notches with a chisel, then harden and temper?

I have made these "floats" by using threaded rod of whatever diameter is
needed and then case harden it.It works,really ;D
Bob Roller
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Offline Curtis

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Re: Building an Alexander Henry Target Rifle from a Rod England Kit
« Reply #124 on: December 05, 2019, 07:58:38 AM »
Great idea Bob, I will have to give it a try!

Curtis
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Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing
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