Regarding Southern Mountain style?

[longcruise]

I'm wondering about the triangular shaping of the forestock.  Is this feature appropriate on any of the southern rifles?  If so,  what regions and period?

[longcruise]

I might be way off on this.  This may not be a southern characteristic at all.

The attached photo is from Dixon's book.  I was referring to the triangle shape of the upper forearm.



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[RAT]

"Southern Mountain Style" Is a generic modern term that covers a very wide area. I think the forearm shape had more to do with the individual maker than with a "school".

[JTR]

Not a Southern Mountain, but Bucks County Pa. rifles typically have a V or triangular shaped forearm.

[longcruise]

Thanks for that info.  I'm going to be putting together a Pecatonica parts group for a southern style and wondered if the triangular configuration should be considered.   I'm going to proceed with the more rounded style.

[mgbruch]

My two cents.

I build, from a blank, a few Southern guns a year; and I always shape the upper forearm in the "V" shape.  I think it goes well with the general architecture of a Southern rifle, and it gives the forearm a very slimming look.

Here are a couple of pictures of my gun.  The lighting makes it able to see the upper forearm pretty well.  You can see that it is flat, and you can see how that accentuates the curve at the top of the forearm; a feature I also like.

Food for thought.  And I'm not opinionated at all.

[B.Barker]

Some builders did use the triangle forearm shape in Tennessee. I can't tell you who they were off the top of my head though. I think I've seen some but not all Soddy rifles with that shape.