Contemporary rifles similar to T/C Seneca???

[Skychief]

Do any of you know of custom rifles currently or recently being built similar to the little Thompson Center Seneca or Cherokee rifles?

I imagine most here are familiar with these.  Petite, 13/16" , 27" barreled, half stocked, percussion, weighing maybe 5 1/2- 6 pounds.

I have one and would like a custom built rifle of this persuasion.  Maybe with a bit longer barrel, up to 30", in 45 caliber, with a round ball twist or a smooth bore.

Any ideas or leads would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving, Skychief.

[rich pierce]

An Ohio-styled rifle like a Vincent would be a good choice. Look in our library. It takes 4 or 5 clicks to get to a gun but worth it.

Ohio rifles:
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?board=332.0

A couple Vincent rifles:
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=21965.0
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=21967.0

Track of the Wolf used to offer an Ohio-styled percussion rifle kit; maybe still do. I’m sure some here know good makers of contemporary Ohio percussion rifles.

[Eric Krewson]

You could just get a drop-in barrel made for your TC, The Gun Works custom makes drop-in barrels. I tried to look at their site to see if they made 13/16 drop-ins but get an error code. Rice makes drop-ins, as well all these drop-ins are pricy at around $350.

[Skychief]

Thank you Rich, ill be checking into the links!

Thank you Eric.  I'm looking for a custom built gun similar to the Seneca, not a longer barrel to drop into its stock.  My fault for not being clearer.  Appreciate it.

I wonder now who the better Ohio style/Vincent rifle builders may be.....

[Gaeckle]

There's more to Ohio rifles than the Vincent's. They are just the tip of the iceberg. The Association of Ohio Longrifle Collectors has 5 volumes of work titled Ohio Gunsmiths & Allied Tradesmen 1750-1950. Gun building in Ohio was very active (still is).  At the moment I am planning on putting together a rifle with  a lot of Dave Leonard's influences. I was privileged enough to see and handle some of these and I can say is "WOW!" I don't intend to build a bench copy, but rather something that would remind the viewer of Leonard's work.

[sdilts]

Not a Seneca but here's a light weight one I did back in 2019. Kind of Englished it up. It has a 40 cal 29" Rice swamped squirrel barrel. Modified R&R percussion lock. Weighs in at just under 5 lbs. Won a lot of matches with it.

[ScottH]

Have you considered the Jim Chambers "Little Feller's Rifle"?

Can be done in flintlock or percussion.

https://www.flintlocks.com/RK-13.htm

[Daryl]

This is my wife's Seneca I kinda hacked at a bit, over the years. I replaced the lock with a Trackofthewolf Hawken lock as the plates were almost exactly the same.
The Bedford hammer kinda fit well.





My daughter Carol shooting it, with it's "new" 30" .45 cal. GM barrel. I also have a .40 cal. 36" Gm barrel for it, but not installed, still in the white.

[Skychief]

Thank you all for the thoughtful replies!

Sdilts, that is a gorgeous rifle and what I'm hoping to acquire.  Looks great "Englished up" in my opinion.  Did you build it from a blank?

Are you building rifles to order these days?

Happy Thanksgiving, Skychief.

[Daryl]

Here's one Taylor did for a fellow in Missouri (I think)
It has 2 tapered barrels, a .40 and a .54 IIRC.

[Skychief]

Thank you Daryl.  A rifle such as that would likely scratch my itch.  Is Taylor building custom ordered rifles these days?  I'm familiar with him,only to the extent of reading this forum for years.

Thank you.

[Daryl]

He has a few projects left, but afaik, he is not 'taking orders' now.
That little English gun was a joy to hold and shoot.
The new owner, "KH" did his best to destroy it with Pyrodex, ruining both barrels after being told by both of us to stop using that $#@*,
then wanting "warrantee work" to replace the barrels & breeches after doing so. IIRC, Taylor did just that, then told him to stop using
 Pyrodex - AGAIN - then cancelled any further "warranties" upon return shipping to Missouri.

[Skychief]

Thanks for the info/reply Daryl.  Hate to read what that beauty endured.  That was quite the disaster!!! 

Have a great weekend, Skychief.