Under ribs

[A.Merrill]

   Does anybody sell a hollow under rib ?   Al

[Herb]

Yes.  Muzzleloader Builder Supply, Aberdeen, Idaho.  Hollow underrib, 13/16 to 1 1/8", 24" long, $30.  In stock.

[A.Merrill]

   Thanks Herb.   Al

[A.Merrill]

Yes.  Muzzleloader Builder Supply, Aberdeen, Idaho.  Hollow underrib, 13/16 to 1 1/8", 24" long, $30.  In stock.

  Herb I was wondering,  on Hawken rifles with a tapered barrel,  what did they do about the rib , it being straight  ?   Al

[Daniel Coats]

Herb can describe it better but the taper is so slight that a straight under rib can be used without issue.

[Herb]

Thanks, Daniel.  I don't know,  but the taper was very slight.  I think Taylor wrote about fitting a rib to a tapered barrel, he'll chip in here.

[Dennis Glazener]

I used a hollow rib on a Don Stith Hawken Squirrel Rifle that had a tapered barrel. I don't remember it being a problem at all.
Dennis

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

The taper of the barrel doesn't interfere with the parallel sides of the hollow (sheet metal) rib.  But if the concept offends you, file material off the edges of the rib, effectively narrowing it at the muzzle end.  It doesn't hurt to have the rib taper up very slightly toward the barrel at the muzzle.  Attach with rivets.  Fill the ends with solder.

[A.Merrill]

   Thanks guy's.  I haven't built a Hawken since the 70's and I've never built a gun just for my son, but he has finally settled into deer hunting the last few years after hunt many other things in his life. So I'm collecting the best parts I can fine. I got a Roller lock and triggers and now thinking about a barrel. Any suggestions would be appreciated.   Al

[45-110]

The hollow ribs are milled, not sheet metal. When I fit them to a Hawken or Dimick I want the "ears" to go over the edge of the flat. So to get there I put a piece of drill rod inside and a smaller diameter piece in the rod channel and slowly compress the assembly back in forth in my Kurt milling vise. Easy to get a really nice overlap fit on a tapered barrel and it is captured. Soldered carefully there is little clean up.
kw

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

kw:  I have built several Hawken rifles using the milled hollow ribs too, but my personal rifle has a sheet metal rib I bought from Jason Schneider at Dixon's fair in '09.  Dixon's Gun Shop was selling them that year, as well.

[flehto]

Have built 3 Hawkens  and all had solid ribs and surprisingly the weight wasn't a problem. I no longer build MLers, but if I did, I'd use a wooden rib on a Hawken....looks nice....Fred

[FALout]

I’ve used the hollow rib from Muzzleloaders Builders Supply on a couple of rifles with both straight and tapered.  You would have to be nit picking to see anything and even so, there’s ways around if need be. 
Bob

[A.Merrill]

Thank's guy's.    Al