Author Topic: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?  (Read 18392 times)

Dancy

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #25 on: October 14, 2009, 11:19:54 PM »
Wow! Y'all got some awesome mountain rifles with some great wood too! Thanks for posting those and for sharing your experiences, that's my favorite style longrifle by far.

James

Offline Ken G

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #26 on: October 15, 2009, 12:01:31 AM »












« Last Edit: October 15, 2009, 01:30:45 AM by Ken Guy »
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Offline Dennis Glazener

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #27 on: October 15, 2009, 12:25:11 AM »
Here is an originial NC mountain rifle. It has a .41 caliber 46 1/4" barrel. It was made by my GG uncle Mathew Gillespie circa 1810.


And a .50 caliber that I built










« Last Edit: October 15, 2009, 12:27:36 AM by Dennis Glazener »
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Dancy

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #28 on: October 15, 2009, 05:17:33 AM »
Ken, I don't remember seeing that bottom rifle before, is that a new'n??

Dennis, I was hoping you would post some of yours up, thank you very much, a M.G. may be next on my wish list!

Offline Ken G

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #29 on: October 15, 2009, 05:25:10 AM »
James, that is the last one I finished.
Failure only comes when you stop trying.

Daryl

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #30 on: October 15, 2009, 04:03:30 PM »
Question - did Tenn. rifles have mostly straight or swamped barrels?  If early swamped and later straight, about when did they switch?  TKS.

Dancy

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #31 on: October 15, 2009, 05:29:56 PM »
Ken,

You really nailed that comb profile! Looks great even with a less fancy grade of wood. Is that fashioned after a particular original or specific builder's style? Would enjoy hearing more about it and how it shoots.

Thanks,

James

Offline Ken G

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #32 on: October 15, 2009, 06:00:28 PM »
James,
The owner is a regular poster on this board.  Maybe he will tell us how she's shooting.  It's built in the upper E. TN style but not after any specific builder.  
Ken
here's a link to some additional pictures. 
http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y298/Packdog1/TNHogrifle/

« Last Edit: October 15, 2009, 06:03:34 PM by Ken Guy »
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Offline G-Man

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #33 on: October 16, 2009, 12:24:57 AM »
Most that I have seen were swamped, but some were straight. 

I don't think there is a consistent correlation between period and barrel style (straight vs. swamped) on mountain rifles, other than you wouldn't really expect to see straight barrels in the early period.  Most surviving mountain rifles are from the period when commercially made straight barrels were becoming available, yet some mountain gunsmiths apparently continued making swamped barrels right up through the late 19th century. 
I think in general there was a tendency toward heavier barrels as time went on, but even that is probably an overgeneralization as well - I have seen some fairly early (early as far as mountain rifles go - pre 1820) guns with barrels that folks today would not consider using for an offhand gun.  The weight on many of these guns is surprising when you pick them up - the crisp slender lines tend to hide the scale of the barrel.

Guy

Offline Ken G

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #34 on: October 16, 2009, 12:37:47 AM »
Like Guy I've not seen any correlation between early and late guns.  I have seen an awful lot of "straight" barrels that actually had a little swamp in them when you actually measured them. 
Ken
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Offline Nate McKenzie

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #35 on: October 16, 2009, 04:19:30 AM »
If any of you have pictures of your TN. you would care to post, I would love to see them.  James

Here are a few I have built. First one is .45cal. The other two are .50cal.











Dancy

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #36 on: October 16, 2009, 06:48:04 PM »
Mr. McKenzie,

Each of those rifles has their own unique character, I like the variety, that last one looks especially lean and mean! Thanks for posting.

James

Offline Sequatchie Rifle

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #37 on: October 16, 2009, 10:57:56 PM »
Yep that's my rifle!  She shoots like a dream and has a quick lock.  I've shot her a couple of 100 times since getting her back in the spring.  The double set trigger was hand made by Ken.  I can consistently place three balls in a 5 inch group in the standing position from 50 yards, I get a little spread at a hundred yards.  I use the hand made deer antler 40 grain measure Ken provided with the rifle.  I've been using a 40 year old can of Dupont 3F powder!

James,
The owner is a regular poster on this board.  Maybe he will tell us how she's shooting.  It's built in the upper E. TN style but not after any specific builder.  
Ken
here's a link to some additional pictures. 
http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y298/Packdog1/TNHogrifle/


"We fight not for glory, nor riches nor honors, but for freedom alone, which no good man gives up except with his life.” Declaration of Arbroath, 1320

Dancy

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Re: 50 too much for East TN. rifle?
« Reply #38 on: October 17, 2009, 05:45:09 AM »
Sequatchie Rifle,

That is one dandy of a hog rifle, I know you're proud of er!

James