Southern Half Stock

[SouthernStyle]

I'm building my first half stock Southern Style rifle with an end cap and would appreciate some of your vast knowledge on the correct or common way the under rib was ended at the stock. Should the under rib end at the nose cap, or should the cap be cut out so the rib goes through the cap and into the wood a short distance? Or is there another style? Thank you for the help.

[Bob Roller]

It is doubtful IF there was any uniformity in these guns.Hand made guns are exactly what they are,hand made and Some of us have said there's not ONE that's alike much less two.If you are copying a gun you have or borrowed then that one is as correct as other Southern rifles.They certainly are not the upscale guns of New York State.

Bob Roller

[Hungry Horse]

 In my opinion nothing says southern mountain more than a cast pewter nose cap, and a wooden under-rib. A rather abrupt transition where the ramrod enters the stock, and if an entry thimble is used, it should be in a Southern style.

Hungry Horse

[Scota4570]

Are there any links to good pictures of representative guns?  What does a southern entry pipe look like?  Should the wood under rib be the same thickness for its's length? Or, should it be thicker in the waste of the swamp, making the ramrod track straight? Should the rib  be maple or hickory?

I am plaining just such a project.   It will have a poured nosecap, a Wishton patchbox, be caplock, and use a wood rib....unless someone tells me to do differently.   

[rich pierce]

I’d try North Carolina and Tennessee here. https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?board=329.0

[SouthernStyle]

There aren't many in the library but in the NC Jamestown school there are several. They appear to have steel under ribs and the ribs go through the nose cap. They also all have the end ramrod thimble inlet in the forearm.

[parve]

There aren't many in the library but in the NC Jamestown school there are several. They appear to have steel under ribs and the ribs go through the nose cap. They also all have the end ramrod thimble inlet in the forearm.

Of the handful of Jamestown rifles I've been able to study in person with under ribs, all have ended before the nose cap. Here is an example of the rib termination on one, I hope this helps:

[SouthernStyle]

Yes thanks for posting that picture. I also went through the collecting antique arms section here and there is a post in there with two Lincoln County TN rifles and they both definitely show the steel rib stopping at the nose cap. One is a steel cap and the other has a cap made of Horn.