First longrifle build - another set of eyes please? (Finished!)

[yellowhousejake]

I started with a pile of parts and a plank. I have gotten to the point where I need to start building and installing my patchbox. I would ask if some of you would take a look and see if I have any obvious problems before I have to work around a patchbox. When I thought I was done, I waited two days and then took off more wood. I did it again. This morning I took the rifle out of the basement and looked at in the bright snow reflected sun, saw a few things and took more wood off. I think I am there, maybe?

I have not decorated the brasswork yet. I will file my flats in the triggerguard and pipes while the finish is drying. The butt plate is still a bit thick but I will thin it down when I install the patchbox. Ignore the ramrod, I use my ramrod drill to support the stock when I take the barrel out.

The rifle is my layout and not a copy of anything, though I stole a lot of architecture clues from John Small just because I think his rifles look good. Any observations would be much appreciated.

DAve

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Get yourself a pair of either #8 or # 10 1 1/2" slotted, oval head wood screws and countersink your buttplate for them, and get rid of the Philips head dry wall screws.  I file my screws off flush with the brass - others leave theirs domed.  I'd like to see the comb close to the wrist a little narrower, although I don't know if that fits in with your Mr. Small interpretation.

It's a nice looking rifle.

[yellowhousejake]

Get yourself a pair of either #8 or # 10 1 1/2" slotted, oval head wood screws and countersink your buttplate for them, and get rid of the Philips head dry wall screws.  I file my screws off flush with the brass - others leave theirs domed.  I'd like to see the comb close to the wrist a little narrower, although I don't know if that fits in with your Mr. Small interpretation.

It's a nice looking rifle.

Yes, the buttplate has short temp screws for building. Domed screws for the rifle where needed are sitting in a bag. My lock and tang screws are generously oversized for now. When I finish out the rifle I will put them back in the lathe and turn the heads proper.

The comb, yea, it is a bit boat shaped isn't it? The comb bugged me but I did not see why until you pointed it out. Thank you for that.

DAve

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

If you decide to slim up the comb, let me say I like the terminus at the wrist...so don't make it knife edged there.  Depending on how the rifle feels when you shoulder it and bring it to your cheek, rounding off the comb from the cheek piece to the transition may be useful.

[flinchrocket]

Marvin Kemper made a bench copy of the John Small rifle in Vincennes, IN. Maybe he has some photos on his website that would help. Correction: ( Apparently Marvin used photos to make a copy of the “ Grouseland Rifle” , so it’s not a bench copy, however he says the measurements are very precise.

[yellowhousejake]

Marvin Kemper made a bench copy of the John Small rifle in Vincennes, IN. Maybe he has some photos on his website that would help.

Yes, I have his highres photos of the Grouseland rifle and the Urn rifle. Those and the book have been a great help. I wish book publishers would let builders chose the camera angles though.

DAve

[yellowhousejake]

If you decide to slim up the comb, let me say I like the terminus at the wrist...so don't make it knife edged there.  Depending on how the rifle feels when you shoulder it and bring it to your cheek, rounding off the comb from the cheek piece to the transition may be useful.

Looking through my book I should slim it down. I found a new view when the afternoon sun came out and looking down on the rifle from the muzzle end, about a 45 degree angle, you can see the comb bulges out at the forward third like an arrow head!

Gotta fix that.

DAve

[elkhorne]

Dave,
Great looking rifle. I see the point Taylor made but that should be a relatively easy fix. The photo from the butt down shows it pretty well. Otherwise things look very good. Looking forward to seeing it moving forward. Thanks for sharing with the group.
elkhorne

[martin9]

I agree with slim the comb a bit...I might slim my lock panel edge up a bit on the bottom and at the top on the front of the lock....but I've never seen the gun you're copying though so i might be wrong on that.

[yellowhousejake]

I agree with slim the comb a bit...I might slim my lock panel edge up a bit on the bottom and at the top on the front of the lock....but I've never seen the gun you're copying though so i might be wrong on that.

I am not copying a gun so much as a builder's style. Still, it's a fantasy rifle. I will look at the lock molding closer in the morning.

Thanks for the obersvation.

DAve

[BillKilgore]

Dave, I think you are off to a good start. The rifle is beautiful and just needs a little polishing.   

What are the specs on the barrel?

[geb324]

Looking good a few tweaks here and there and your GTG. Take your time and study it Don't be in a rush to Stain.

[yip]

  Yellow house;  take heed for what Taylor says he's the man!

[Bob Roller]

The very few rifles I have built were not intended to be a precise copy of some relic and that includes the one Hawken representation I made before 1970.The same idea applied to my lock making.Some of the locks I have seen on old rifles started at the bottom  and went down from there.
Bob Roller

[Mauser06]

To echo Bob Roller, I tried to copy a known rifle as closely as possible for my first plank build.  I didn't, and still don't, and may never, have the eyes to "wing it"     

For me, it was far easier to get a nicer rifle than when I was just kinda building a rifle.  Did I nail a bench copy replica?   Not a chance.  Did I build a pretty nice rifle?  I think so. 

Even if not trying to build a particular rifle, study known rifles from that school while working on certain aspects.  Make your rifle have those same lines and appearance. 


From what I can see, it looks like you have done some good work.  The biggest thing that caught my eye was the lock panels...but they could be 10000% appropriate for that rifle.  I have no idea. 


These guys are a great asset.  I did the same thing you did and applied what critiques they had and it really helped take my rifle to another class IMO.

[yellowhousejake]

I took the advice given and applied it. The change to the comb was not just a small improvement, removing that 1/16 inch changed the entire wrist transition. That was the thing that bothered me, I just could not see it. I also deepened the top front of the lock panels and brought them closer to both the barrel and the lock. Much better.

While I had in the vise I took 1/2" off the front of the cheekpiece and made the transition shallower which, to my eye, makes the front of the cheekpiece look lower. I also lower and blended the top edge a good bit. I like it better and it looks closer to the original style. I have added the toe plate and the feather inlay as well.

I am calling it done. The last picture shows the patchbox I intend to do. Time to start cutting out parts.

Thank you very much everyone, you have improved my first rifle a great deal.

DAve

[yellowhousejake]

Dave, I think you are off to a good start. The rifle is beautiful and just needs a little polishing.   

What are the specs on the barrel?

It is a Colerain 42" 36 caliber A weight.

DAve

[Daryl]

That looks pretty good, Dave. I am not seeing as much of the side flats of the barrel as I thought would be better.

[mikeyfirelock]

Starting with a pile of parts and a plank……….you are doing great.   Keep up the good work !  My first gun from a plank didn’t look anything like that……….( it didn’t actually look much like a gun in fact. ).    Keep up the good work….start planning the next one.

[Willbarq]

I second that. Looks good. Keep going.  One thing? Maybe the cheekpiece needs to lose some weight? For god sakes though, if it looks good enough in person leave it alone. Don't stop the build for anything , er as in quit. You are off to a fine, fine start.

[yellowhousejake]

From what I can see, it looks like you have done some good work.  The biggest thing that caught my eye was the lock panels...but they could be 10000% appropriate for that rifle.  I have no idea.

I thought so too at first. But, looking at the pictures of original rifles from John Small the lock panels appear closer to the plate but also very well worn, almost smoothed out. If I remove the smoothing and sharpen up the edge of the lock panel, it becomes bigger.

It's a guess, purely.

DAve

[yellowhousejake]

That looks pretty good, Dave. I am not seeing as much of the side flats of the barrel as I thought would be better.

It is a just a tick under half way below the flat centerline. When I went to lower it more I thought I would have to also remove some wood from the side to keep the profile from getting too bulbus.

It is already so thin there I chickened out. 

DAve

[yellowhousejake]

It is done. It has warts, I made mistakes, I did some things wrong. But, I ain't ashamed of it. My next one will be better.

It is a fantasy rifle, heavily influenced by John Small. 36 caliber 42" A weight Colerain barrel and Chambers Classic Ketland lock. The Butt plate is mostly stock, the trigger guard has 5/8" cut out of the bow and brazed back together after rebending to change the shape matching a JS trigger guard. I made the nosecap, patchbox, inlays, pipes, sights and screws. Red Maple stock. I have not engraved it yet, I will.

The hardest part was the 11" long wear plate under the forearm, a JS common thing. Getting it let in and pinned while not messing with the ramrod hole was a challenge. I didn't get a picture and the light is fading.

The bag is 3oz pigskin and 6 1/5" by 5". The horn is a bit bigger than a priming horn and the plug is carved to look like an acorn top. The pick and brush are antler with a tinned iron wire chain.










The finish had cured for two weeks this past Friday and feels ready to use so I hope to shoot it this coming weekend.

Many thanks to all who post on ALR and everyone who offered their review earlier.

DAve

[Dwshotwell]

Turned out very nice. Congratulations.

[Bob Gerard]

That looks great! Congratulations