Any Resemblance to NE Fowler?

[jm190]

Hi All,
  I have the urge to build a fowler and since I live in New Hampshire the stock shape should resemble something from New England. Looking through the New England section of "Flintlock Fowlers" The shape of "NE 5" appealed to me as well as the connection to NH. The photos in "Flintlock Fowlers" are small so I went looking through the RCA volumes to see if there was anything close that I could use as a second guide. #16 in RCA Volume I is close so I used the two photos to draw a rough outline. I think I'm close but would like to hear your comments and suggestions if you see anything I could improve on.   



Now that I've seen the photo a third time would you agree the bottom of the stock between the trigger guard and bottom of the butt plate is a little flat?

Thanks for your help!
John

[rich pierce]

John, I would contact Eric von Aschwege and get his advice and a blueprint. There are many variations among NE fowlers but he can steer you toward one that should work for you. Eric is a member here.

[oldtravler61]

  That guy Mike Brooks...might have an idea or two also...
  Oldtravler

[rich pierce]

NE5 doesn’t have much if any of the curved buttstock French influence in architecture but a subtle curve looks present on the toe line. That could be because this gun is so early.  It’s got a huge banana shaped lock. An early Bess style lock could work. There are few locks available except for castings sets with the cock spur of the “stake” style (I don’t know what it’s called so made that up).

[jm190]

Thanks, Rich! I emailed Eric asking for comments and how to purchase his fowler plan. I picked NE5 because I'm not fond of the strong French influence. NE7 and NE8 have a similar stock structure and are dated a little later. I'm not trying to recreate NE5 just building a fowler that might have been made in the 1750 to 1760 time frame. 

[rich pierce]

In that timeframe you’ve got lots of good lock choices when not doing a close look-alike. I like NE 7 a lot.  Looks all business, doesn’t it? You can get a good buttstock profile from the pictures in NE 7. Tge buttplate on NE7 would be easy to make also.