Author Topic: First build - southern mountain rifle  (Read 2420 times)

Offline parve

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First build - southern mountain rifle
« on: April 10, 2023, 05:27:07 AM »
















This is my first build and first muzzleloader altogether, I started with a grade 2 maple blank from Pecatonica and a 42" .32 3/4" straight octagon barrel from Rice. The lock is a Chambers mountain Siler, and the triggers are small Davis double set triggers. The butt plate is from MLBS and trigger guard from TOTW, I made the nose cap after butchering the one I bought. The toe plate is just some 1/16" mild steel flat bar. I used two coats of aquafortis for stain and Tried and True varnish oil for finish. I still need to install the nipple and trim the base of the front sight, but I will do that after sighting it in. I ran out of browning solution before realizing I hadn't touched the triggers or trigger plate, but after staining the stock I noticed the trigger plate is just a hair proud of the wrist, so I'm debating filing it down flush with the wood. Just as well I didn't get around to browning it if I do decide to file it flush.

I didn't really follow any single rifle, but more just aimed to build something that could be set amongst other southern Appalachian rifles without seeming too out of place. Plenty of mistakes were made along the way, but that just means I won't repeat them during my next build, right? ;D I still need to work on lots of fundamental skills so whatever's next will also be plain and simple, and I'll have to keep in mind that once I think I'm done sanding to sand some more, and when I finally think I'm done to sand just a little bit more.
Phil A.

Offline Daryl

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2023, 05:31:36 AM »
What I see is a pretty good first build. A lot better than mine was.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline dstock

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2023, 06:36:39 AM »
Really great first build. I think you did a great job and it looks good too. Keep on building you have the skills.
God Bless
Doug B

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2023, 07:21:00 AM »
Looks like the front side is on backwards
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Offline rich pierce

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2023, 01:28:56 PM »
Looks like the front side is on backwards

I like them this way. Seems to reduce glare.
Andover, Vermont

Offline dadybear1

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2023, 02:11:32 PM »
NICE JOB---I ALSO PUT FRONT SIGHT THAT WAY!!!

Offline alacran

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2023, 03:07:57 PM »
Nice job, over all your inletting looks good. That long tang is not easy to inlet.
Inletting is the first thing I look at when I look at a gun. If the inletting is bad, I don't care how much lipstick you put on it.
As far as the triggers go, you can always fire blue the plate and the triggers. Just put the upper parts in a vise, and just heat the triggers themselves.
You done good!
A man's rights rest in three boxes: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.  Frederick Douglass

Offline flatsguide

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2023, 04:11:12 PM »
From the workmanship I see on this rifle I think you have it within yourself the the hidden talent to build really fine rifles. It’s all in the details, like the way you expertly fitted and installed the rear sight.
I’d suggest looking at rifle photos built by fellows here and other places that are at the top of their game and study what it is that excites you about that rifle look at the shape of the individual parts, how they are fitted and finished. Visually does one part flow into the adjacent part. Treat each detail or element of the rifle as it’s own distinct project, put all of your effort and skill into this one part of the rifle and the finished rifle, gun or pistol will reflect that effort. You, most likely, after the piece is finished, will see the flaws. Some will stand out and noticed by others and some only seen by yourself.
Remember that perfection in not attainable, but by good practice and thought you can get pretty close.
Good luck,
Richard

Offline Algae

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2023, 05:21:21 PM »
The front sight's fine, it's the rear that looks backward!

Al J.

Offline brokenhand

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2023, 05:44:26 PM »
Looks like a fine job to me. Most especially for your first build. How did you like using the T&T varnish oil? I have never used any of that and was thinking of trying it.

Offline parve

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #10 on: April 10, 2023, 07:11:41 PM »
Thanks for the kind words of encouragement. I spent a lot of time over the past year in the ALR archives trying to learn as much as I could during the process of this build, a number of you probably helped me along the way without even knowing it ;D Getting into building when there is so much great information and high quality pictures available online was a huge help, I don't know if I would be posting my rifle if all I had in the way of instructions was a book or two.

Nice job, over all your inletting looks good. That long tang is not easy to inlet.
Inletting is the first thing I look at when I look at a gun. If the inletting is bad, I don't care how much lipstick you put on it.
As far as the triggers go, you can always fire blue the plate and the triggers. Just put the upper parts in a vise, and just heat the triggers themselves.
You done good!
Thanks, my inletting still has a way to go before it looks like I got the wood to grow around the metal like some of the top builders are able to do, and the browning does seem to help reduce the visual impact of the gaps between metal and wood. When the wood and metal were still in the white these gaps stood out like a sore thumb.

From the workmanship I see on this rifle I think you have it within yourself the the hidden talent to build really fine rifles. It’s all in the details, like the way you expertly fitted and installed the rear sight.
I’d suggest looking at rifle photos built by fellows here and other places that are at the top of their game and study what it is that excites you about that rifle look at the shape of the individual parts, how they are fitted and finished. Visually does one part flow into the adjacent part. Treat each detail or element of the rifle as it’s own distinct project, put all of your effort and skill into this one part of the rifle and the finished rifle, gun or pistol will reflect that effort. You, most likely, after the piece is finished, will see the flaws. Some will stand out and noticed by others and some only seen by yourself.
Remember that perfection in not attainable, but by good practice and thought you can get pretty close.
Good luck,
Richard
I sat and did nothing for about a week prior to installing the rear sight, upsetting metal with a cold chisel was something I had never done before but after reading a few threads about it on here I gave it a shot. Along with improving my inletting abilities I need to work on my patience, with this being my first muzzleloader I was pretty eager to get it finished. Like you say, every part of this rifle where I know I could have spent more time being more deliberate and paid more attention to detail stick out to me like a sore thumb, and I'm sure most of you would be able to pick them out pretty easily if you had it in your hands.

Looks like a fine job to me. Most especially for your first build. How did you like using the T&T varnish oil? I have never used any of that and was thinking of trying it.
T&T varnish oil was great, the manufacturer states that a little goes a long way and they're right. I applied it by drizzling a small amount on a lint free rag and rubbing it into the wood, only adding more finish to the rag when I wasn't able to notice a change from dry to wetted wood. After an hour I wiped the stock down with a dry lint free rag and then left it in a room with a dehumidifier running for 24 hours. I really enjoy the satin finish it gives, and the best part for me is that it doesn't contain any VOCs. I'm in an apartment with pretty abysmal ventilation abilities, using something other than T&T indoors might have had me missing a few letters and words in this response :o

For the sights, I tried to follow John Selvridge's rifle in Randal Pierce's book (I also used the wrist/butt stock profile of this rifle as a starting point for mine), which shows the front sight with the short leg of the triangle towards the breech and the rear sight with the hollowed out divot towards the muzzle, and slanting back towards the breech. The rear sight that I bought at the beginning looked massive on this skinny barrel, so I ended up making my own out of 1/2" square stock:

Phil A.

Offline Daryl

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #11 on: April 10, 2023, 07:20:12 PM »
The front sight is fine, if you look at the picture showing the entry pipe, the hollowed "front" is facing the front sight.
The front sight is also on properly.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #12 on: April 10, 2023, 08:53:58 PM »
The front sight's fine, it's the rear that looks backward!

Al J.

Yes, I mistyped my first post
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Offline RMann

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #13 on: April 12, 2023, 05:36:53 AM »
Really nice Phil, thanks for sharing your first build with us.  You are a good student of this forum, and have admittedly benefitted from all the helpers here!  Looks like you got nice curl for a #2 stock, and I like the matte finish on a humble mt. rifle.  And, good job on that rear sight, you'll have to let us know how it shoots for you.  That is what I am working on with mine, and I also have to switch my forum searches from building to shooting!  Have fun, RMann

Offline hudson

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #14 on: April 12, 2023, 03:52:33 PM »
Really good job keep it up you have what it takes. I did a similar build with similar parts a few years ago as a fun project. I really like simple clean well designed rifles.

Offline TDM

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #15 on: April 13, 2023, 05:31:07 AM »
Congratulations on your build. Nice job.

Offline mony

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #16 on: April 13, 2023, 12:30:13 PM »
Thanks for sharing. Nicely done. What are you building next?

Offline parve

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Re: First build - southern mountain rifle
« Reply #17 on: April 15, 2023, 11:58:19 PM »
Looks like you got nice curl for a #2 stock, and I like the matte finish on a humble mt. rifle.  And, good job on that rear sight, you'll have to let us know how it shoots for you.  That is what I am working on with mine, and I also have to switch my forum searches from building to shooting!  Have fun, RMann

Thanks RMann, this stock had a lot more curl than I was expecting all along the forestock. The buttstock looked very plain though, I could only see a little bit of curl towards the toe prior to staining. But after two coats of aquafortis that nice little bit of curl along the comb made itself apparent which was a nice surprise. I'm busy with turkey season for the next week or so, but if the gobblers are cooperative I'll hopefully be able to get this rifle on some sandbags and start getting it sighted in and a good load developed that can reliably take squirrels at ~25 yards.

Thanks for sharing. Nicely done. What are you building next?

Next up is an early Lancaster rifle. I inherited a copy of Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in its Golden Age from my grandfather and have always liked rifle #19 by Jacob Dickert, my rifle will use this as a starting point and guide. Thoughts does not delve into too much detail, but some excellent photos of this rifle were posted when it was sold at auction (https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_a__carved_flintlock_kentucky_rifle_signed_jacob_d-lot479278.aspx) which will hopefully be able to steer me in the right direction when it comes to the finer details. With this next build I'm hoping to add inletting a swamped barrel, making ramrod pipes, making, installing, and engraving a patchbox, and simple incise carving to my gun building repertoire, all while improving on what I learned during this first build.
Phil A.