Chunk gun building

[Kyblackpowder]

Hello folks

I’m starting to build a chunk gun , and I have a stock and barrel from rice .

I was wondering what lock to use for chunk gun and it’s going have double set triggers .
It’s going to a Lancaster style gun .
Any help would greatly appreciated.

Thanks kybp

[smylee grouch]

I have found that an early style butt, more flat profile is more comfortable to shoot.

[Daryl]

Is there a weight limit on chunk guns?

[Mike Brooks]

Chambers late Ketland for a later gun. Very fast.

[smokinbuck]

No weight limit on chunk guns, no barrel length restrictions, open sights only (rear sight must be at least 6" from the breech) but shaders are allowed. I agree with the flat shotgun" type butt plate.

[Bob Roller]

I agree with the lock choice and if the tumbler's ramp and corresponding mainspring  surfaces are highly polished and lightly lubed it should match the fast Kibler late Ketland in speed.Flat or military butt pale also a fine idea.These guns are shot at close range so a 45 caliber with a 1 and 1/8 ATF barrel will allow little or no felt recoil with a round ball.
Bob Roller

[Daryl]

60 yards, seems to me and .40's are popular.
Dan's plank rifle would do well in chunk. It's an 18 pound flintlock .50.

[Tim Crosby]

 This may help:
   
    https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=12365.0


    Tim C.

[alacran]

Everyone assumes you are going to build a flint rifle. I have been to the York shoot once and I took a 14-pound cross sticks rifle with me. Most everyone there was shooting cap locks. Though you had to mark whether you were shooting flint or cap on the score cards, the scores were not segregated.
If I remember correctly the guy who won the match was using a cap lock.
So if I really wanted to be a competitive Chunk gun shooter I would make a cap lock rifle. I would use the L&R Durrs Egg cap version.
Most of the competitive shooters seemed to be shooting .50 to .52 cal. rifles.
You already have your barrel. I would explore your options as far as stock design, and consult with a bonafide chunk gun shooter.
I checked out the link Tim Crosby posted and it is a very good tutorial.

[Kyblackpowder]

What percussion lock would recommend. Because I done know which one I’m going build because . I have been looking about trying to find percussion caps . The caps about like hens teeth to find .

Thanks for everyone input .

Kybp

[okawbow]

You might look at the R.E.Davis #0270 late English lock.

I like the side hammer locks like the L&R #2500. The side hammer ignition is directly into the barrel, and thus is faster and less likely to “hang fire”. You must use a special nipple that has threads the same length as the wall thickness of the barrel.

[okawbow]

We can’t talk about underhammers on this forum. If you intend to make a Pennsylvania style rifle, the side, or “mule ear lock” is the only choice for an authentic rifle. I feel it is just as accurate as the under hammers but looks better and less chance of the cap falling off while shooting. I believe the 2500 lock plate can also be replaced with a L&R flintlock.

[HighUintas]

The only caps I have seen in stock regularly are the schuetzen 4 wing musket caps. I don't know if they'd be allowed for what you're doing, but grafs.com has them and from what I could find on the web when I was considering caplock they're pretty good quality.

[Bob Roller]

The only caps I have seen in stock regularly are the schuetzen 4 wing musket caps. I don't know if they'd be allowed for what you're doing, but grafs.com has them and from what I could find on the web when I was considering caplock they're pretty good quality.

Caps are caps and musket caps are traditional.Adapters for center fire primers may be another thing and that would probably depend on whoever is hosting the match.In areas where caps are unobtainable then allowances for adapters should be considered.
Bob Roller

[Panzerschwein]

I’d rather have fun with a flintlock build. Getting a fast, well-tuned flint lock appropriate for such a build would be a treat. You’ll have a heck of a lot more fun shooting it too!

[Mike_StL]

Panzerschwein, be prepared to talk with the chunk gun shooters when you come to the club match.  You will certainly get a lot of information from the chunk gun shooters in the club.

[WadePatton]

The York that I attended was so windy that lock speed was irrelevant by the results. Flintlocks won as much or more as cappers.  If I build one it will be flint and I'll just have to deal with the slower ignition when conditions don't "compensate" by being unruly.

Not like you can't change locks at some point if you care to.

[Kyblackpowder]

I have made my mind up I think . It’s going be flint and it’s going to a
Tennessee style half stock with wooden rib .

I met a guy in friendship last weekend . A lock maker I’m going try one of this locks blue ridge flintlocks . I brought a percussion one off of him the day of the shoot .

It’s going plain English walnut stock

[flinchrocket]

Sounds like you are getting way off the beaten path.

[okawbow]

If you go with a flintlock; consider using a simple single trigger, installed properly, to give you a 2 1/2 pound or so trigger pull. I find that a good single trigger gives a faster lock time because there is no set trigger delay time to factor in. A few years ago I made a 54 caliber table rifle with a 36” Rice target quality barrel, a Chambers Johnson flintlock, and a simple, single trigger. The first time I used this rifle, I won the Indiana Table shoot with a 2.1” string. I feel that double set triggers promote a flinch. Especially with flintlocks. The single trigger gives you much more control over when the hammer will fall, so you can anticipate the shot better. With a flintlock, that gives you a split second to get back on target during the time it takes the hammer to fall and the prime to go off.

[Clark Badgett]

I have made my mind up I think . It’s going be flint and it’s going to a
Tennessee style half stock with wooden rib .

I met a guy in friendship last weekend . A lock maker I’m going try one of this locks blue ridge flintlocks . I brought a percussion one off of him the day of the shoot .

It’s going plain English walnut stock

Its going to be flint but you bought a percussion lock? And why use expensive English walnut on a Souther style when maple or black walnut would be appropriate (and cheaper)?

[Fly Navy]

Would it be safe to say these were the original benchrest rifles?

[Kyblackpowder]

I have made my mind up I think . It’s going be flint and it’s going to a
Tennessee style half stock with wooden rib .

I met a guy in friendship last weekend . A lock maker I’m going try one of this locks blue ridge flintlocks . I brought a percussion one off of him the day of the shoot .

It’s going plain English walnut stock

Its going to be flint but you bought a percussion lock? And why use expensive English walnut on a Souther
style when maple or black walnut would be appropriate (and cheaper)?

I bought a half stock English walnut blank for less than 30.00 . It’s plain just with a straight gain . Since I have been shooting and building guns , they all have been flints and I have a good supply of flints and no caps . But one day I will build a percussion . That’s why.

But the more I look at the walnut I can’t see this  gun in made out of it.

More or less you can say I can’t make my mind up at this point.

THe barrel is going be 1.125 x 46 long 45 cal rice barrel .


Thank everyone for the feedback.

[tooguns]

Keep us updated if you would Thanks

[Kyblackpowder]

I try too.