I failed, need seasoned advice

[2 shots]

as tumbledown stated make sure your breech is flush with the back of the barrel channel . if it is you can heat red and peen [ from the underside] the tang to lengthen it.i just had to do that on a french tradegun i messed up a little. then refile to shape

[Daryl]

It looks like the breech isn't set far enough back. I can see gaps between the breech and stock. I think everything just needs to be seated a bit better.

Appears the case, in this "build" entirely.

[Birddog6]

I think We need to back up & find out where the end of the breech plug s First.

Thus why on a Precarve, you inlet the lock 90% of the way. Then get the barrel
back where it needs to be.

But he is going to need to show us More photos & talk to us, as we are guessing.

Keith

[JTR]

Reply 22, the OP says he's going to sell it.

[Birddog6]

I know. I just hate to see someone give up.

Keith

[whetrock]

I know. I just hate to see someone give up.

Keith

I feel the same as Keith.

When I was in my thirties trying to learn this (and I still have a lot to learn) I messed up a lot. I corrected mistakes here and there as I could and most projects made it to completion, but along the way three maple blanks went into the firewood bin because at that point in life I was so perfectionistic that I couldn't tolerate my mistakes. One of those was because I messed up the inlet for the buttplate top return. One was because was trying to cut a 3" blank with a bandsaw too small for the job, had drawn my cut line with no margin at all, and the blade underneath followed the grain rather than the line I was following on the top, and when I finished the cut and flipped the stock over, I had a wavy line well inside the line. The third was because I forgot to put a chamfer on a breachplug and tang, and then couldn't get them inlet without leaving gaps (similar to what the OP has here). I couldn't stand the frustration, so I discarded them each time and started over. Oh, there was also a walnut pistol stock. I was trying to angle the groove and rod hole away from the lock, but got mixed up and drilled it into the lock area. When I inlet the lock the mistake became very apparent. Started over.

To some extent, these mistakes were because I was learning on my own, had no mentor at that time to warn me of the potholes and pitfalls, but that's not my point right now. My point is that now I'm in my 60s, and I've learned a little more. I still have high expectations, but I've learned to be more forgiving of myself and more gracious with my humanity.

At this point, I would say stay stick with those first few guns all the way through, even if it meant gluing on big chunks of wood, even if it meant a whole patchwork of glued on wood. Learning to fix stuff and repair mistakes is part of the game, and you might was well learn it all together. If, having completed a patchwork rifle, you sometime later want to go back and restock it, then have at it. But let that first one or two or three be what they are and don't stress about it. There is only one way to get experience, and this is supposed to be fun.

Anyway, that may be more philosophical rambling than the OP or any of the rest of you guys wanted, but maybe it will be of use to someone.

Whetrock

[J.D.]

Haulroad,

I seriously doubt you failed. It would appear you only gave up. If those gaps are the only problem you are facing, the gaps can be easily fixed. And, it will only take a, relatively,  little time. IMHO, there are very few mistakes that can't be fixed, and the folks on this forum are very knowledgeable in those regards. You commented that you removed too much wood, at the breech. The shipping container has a couple of supports made of maple that can be used to fill those inletting gaps. If you removed too much wood, simply glue in a couple of "spacers," to fill the gaps, and re-inlet the breech and tang. If done properly, the patch pieces won't be easily seen, once the stock is finished. a search of the forum, will reveal threads on filling inletting gaps.

I assume you are assembling this kit on your own, with no help from knowledgeable friends. If that is the case, American Pioneer Videos has an instructional DVD on Assembling Kentucky Rifles from Kits,  that might provide information you can use.
https://www.muzzleloadermagazine.com/index.php
main_page=product_info&cPath=61&products_id=354

Bill Raby has a series of detailed rifle building videos on Rumble that might help, too.

https://rumble.com/search/all?q=Lancaster%20Rifle%20build

I encourage you to endeavor to persevere with this kit. Even if it comes out bad, you will, at the very least, learn more than a few lessons in assembling longrifles, and quite possibly, have a nice shooting rifle, in the end. By giving up, you won't learn anything.

J.D.