Finishing an old Fowler Build

[JEH]

L&R has a projection on the frizzen that sits down inside the pan. Not only does it act as a wick to funnel moisture it puts the prime below the touch hole. I've had alot better luck grinding the frizzen base smooth as well.

[Bob Gerard]

Additionally it compresses the priming which is not ideal.
I have ground these off my L$R locks and like them a lot better without the indent.

[Bob Gerard]

I made the side plate today. I cut it to be just a bit larger than the pre-cut mortise, but followed the existing shape. I think the lines are rather pleasing.
With the shorter lock bolster, I had to move the rear lock bolt forward and angled a little down to leave room on the sideplate side. It looks a little off, but it could have been worse 🫣

[Bob Gerard]

Now, I think I can start shaping the stock and will start with the wrist and try and work out those carved panel molding grooves he did.

[Bob Gerard]

I worked on the side panels a bit and did some simple carving at the barrel tang. Have to put this on hold a couple more days as I’m getting over the flu.

[Bob Gerard]

It seemed that at this point I should pause working on the lock panel areas and install the trigger guard next (my least favorite step). So after about six hours work, it is now ready to be pinned.
After that I can start shaping the rest of the lock panel areas.
I had two English fowler trigger guards to choose from in TOW and MBS, so I went with this one. Not too elaborate, which seems right.

[Bob Gerard]

Nice progress this morning. I pinned on the trigger guard first.
Next step was locating and drilling the touch hole.
Then, because the lock pan wouldn’t line- up with the touch hole, as I expected, I modified the lock pan ( and frizzen).
Using my trusty Dremel tool, I carefully ground away at the large flash pan. I had carefully measured things and knew that there would be ample metal in the front on the pan that could be removed while still having the frizzen pan covering it. I deepened the pan dish and extended the pan forward so that now the touch hole sits in the pan quite well enough to provide good ignition.
Then I ground away the protruding boss under the frizzen pan cover, so the prime won’t get smashed.
I’m quite satisfied with how it’s come along, with these Lock adjustments I think this long Fowler will be putting on a nice show soon.

[Bob Gerard]

Today I fired two blanks from the long Fowler- the ignition was fast and I am really happy with it and with this L&R Queen Anne lock selection. With the modifications I made, it works well on the piece and looks neat.
Later I had several hours to work on the stock. My first focus is to work around the lock and the very heavy wrist. After looking at photos of New England fowlers, I narrowed and extended the rail down towards the bottom of the butt, something like on a Fusil de Chasse. I will inlay an oval brass thumb piece later.
I also began taking wood off the forward part of the butt, since it is so very massive. It still needs some more thinning down but I want to work on the off-side next and get it into a general shape where I can start working it all down together.
I also focused around the nose of lock panel. The original builder carved out the lock moldings (deeply) which left me little wood to work with and the lock just looked like it didn’t fit right. I decided that, to add visual weight to this section I would carve some molding panel. It seems to help.
An interesting feature Mr. Gallaghan added on this Fowler is a swell at the rear entry pipe, just like we find on a Brown Bess. I haven’t seen this on anything but a Bess. I wonder why he added it?
Anyway, it’s coming along.

Oh, by the way, I think this stock may be Curly Cherry, not Curly maple 😊

[Daryl]

I think you might be right, on the stock, right from the first pictures, the grain structure doesn't look like maple to me.
I've been wrong, before.

[TDM]

It’s coming along beautifully Bob.

[Bob Gerard]

Thanks Tom!

[Bob Gerard]

The Butt and wrist area seem pretty well done, and I cleaned up around the lock and side plate areas. Next will be to work more on the forestock.

[Bob Gerard]

I completed sanding the stock and then gave it a couple applications of alkaline dye. After it dried ( using a heat gun on low temp), I burnished it with a very fine 3M pad and then with paper towels. Next will be some varnish to seal it and finally paste wax.

[Bob Gerard]

Cold Browned the barrel and lock and carded a bit back to give it an aged look.

[Daryl]

Looking pretty good, Bob. I mean really good. That is a weird muzzle treatment. I've not seen that before, on a fowler.

[Bob Gerard]

Thanks Daryl!
Dave Person (aka "Smart Dog") made a similar barrel for one of his Hill fowler. It's a pretty neat design.

[Daryl]

It is intriguing.

[Bob Gerard]

Happy to say, the long Fowler is nearly DONE

I pinned the barrel this morning, put on the side plate and screwed the lock in. All seems good.
Next, I will apply some paste wax, buff it out and it's ready to go shooting (or hunting).
It's really a pretty nice gun, I think.
Pics tomorrow :-)

[Bob Gerard]

The Long Fowler is staind, sealed, waxed and buffed. All done
Some specs of the gun:
Wood is either Curly Red Maple or Curly Cherry. (It looks a lot like Cherry)
Overall length is 67 inches with a 13" pull.
Bbl length is 51" and 14 gauge/69 Caliber.
Has about 1/4" to 3/16" cast off.
Lock is an L&R Queen Anne which I slightly modified by widening the pan.
Ramrod has a nicely carved and fitted horn tip. (I will be using a custom made Range Rod though)
Weight is just about 7 pounds.

This gun was started by Mr. Gallaghan who, I assume, was in New Milford when he began building it. He completed inletting the specially profiled barrel, drilling and inletting the ramrod groove, installing the beautiful thimbles and also installing and engraving the butt plate. (The forward ramrod thimble is cool because it is trumpet-shaped, which I had only seen on muskets.)The stock was pretty much carved though I slimmed down the wrist quite a bit, elongated and taepered the rail and thinned the cheek area a bit more.
He inlet for a lock plate and side plate, which was a mystery lock as none I could find would fit it. That led me to do some lock mortise patching.
I don't know why Mr. Gallaghan stopped working on this great gun. I suspect, because it was sold in an Estate Sale, that he may have died. I think his spirit remains in the piece as a labor of love that he put into what I was fortunate enough to receive and finish as best I could.
Thanks for watching this enjoyable build. I will be keeping this gun and hope to get some good fun with it
 

[Daryl]

Such a nice gun, Bob and what a wonderful 'calibre'.