2nd try at The Rifle Shop’s "British Officer's Fusil"

[Bob Gerard]

I am starting another try with parts from TRS for a .62 Rifle, which incorporates parts from various model Brown Bess muskets, and a rifled 36" round barrel, for what they called a “British Officers Fusil”. (My friend refers to it as a Rifled Musketoon).
My first try was using a stock of very brittle Black Walnut that I wasn’t able to work with, and after too many problems I ended that fiasco.
I started anew with piece of clear Maple to use (more budget-friendly); Although I would prefer Walnut, I'm not going down that path again, buying Walnut sight-unseen.
So far, I have the barrel bedded in and the lock installed and bolts done.
The top of the lock mainspring just barely touches the side of the barrel- I had to file a small bit off the barrel to get it to fit. Then I needed to file a small divot to allow the forward lock bolt to pass under the barrel, about 1/16".  I haven't run into this kind of problem before. I wonder if this lock was correct for this size barrel, or if I am just screwing up. Probably the latter.
Anyway, I am hoping things go smoother. I kind of see this more as a learning experience than anything else.

[Mike Brooks]

Where did you get that stock? I have english walnut.....

[Bob Gerard]

Mike, I wish my skill and abilities could warrant using English Walnut (and my budget could afford it)! This is just a plane 'fowler' stock is from Pecatonica.

[Bob Gerard]

I’ve got the trigger in, along with the trigger plate and the butt plate. It’s a fast lock and I think it will be a pretty good gun unless I screw it up.

[Tommy Bruce]

Looks pretty dang good Bob! What kind of lock are you using?

[Bob Gerard]

Tommy, it looks exactly like Chambers Early Virginia lock. Someone had engraved it "Edge" with Crown markings (it looks very nicely done to me) and it was part of an assemblage from The Rifle Shop from 1995 or so.

[Bob Gerard]

I got the barrel pins in and the barrel tang bolt installed. Next for the forestock.
It has a 14.25” trigger pull and man this things sights in nicely.

[Bob Gerard]

Had a few shop hours today. Got the trigger guard shaped to about the correct angle to fit the gun. I didn’t use the trigger guard provided by TRS; it was a little narrow and wouldn’t cover the trigger plate in areas. So I got a 1742 (?) Brown Bess trigger guard which seems perfect.
Then I started rasping away at the forestock. So much more to go, but no hurries.

[Bob Gerard]

The gun is starting to look like something. I worked down the forestock some more and fit the nose cap on. Now I will have some guide to get the forearm to the right thickness.
Because this will not be accommodating a socket bayonet, I placed the cap about where a longrifle nose cap would be.
It took some fiddling to get the brass nose cap to fit right though. The web is smaller than the nose cap was cast for, so I just had to file down the sides of the cap and slightly angle it downward so the ramrod channel is flush with the cap. It looks like it will be ok.
More forestock shaping next and the ramrod pipes will get cleaned up and inlet.

[Tommy Bruce]

Tommy, it looks exactly like Chambers Early Virginia lock. Someone had engraved it "Edge" with Crown markings (it looks very nicely done to me) and it was part of an assemblage from The Rifle Shop from 1995 or so.

Thanks Bob! I'm thinking of ordering one of these stocks after watching you bring it to life.

[Bob Gerard]

Gladly Tommy. The stock is pretty nice and I was surprised the web is just over 1/4”. It feels like it will aim nicely.
Lots more wood came off the forearm today. Slowly but surely I will get it down to a nice size.

[Bob Gerard]

I am thinking to modify the Pecatonica Fowler stock a bit.
That small hump at the back of the wrist, at the base of the nose, has to go. I did a little photo-shopping and 'removed' it. This is how I am oping it will come out.

[smart dog]

Hi Bob,
If you want this to look like a British military gun, put a ruler on top of the butt plate at the heel and then draw a straight line along the top of the comb such that it intersects the lower edge of the cock screw on the lock tumbler.
 


Why not cut the stock back 4 3/8" from the muzzle to fit a bayonet?  It will look a bit like the artillery carbines.

dave