Your fastest, slowest, average build?

[Acer Saccharum]

I have 5 Carolina guns on my list which I can get out the door in about two weeks each, only about a week of that is actually building time, the other week in applying finish and antiquing.

It takes a lot of time to add the worm holes, to get them to look just right. 


To be fair, I offered Mike some ways to save time, and one of the methods is to start with wood that already has the worm holes in it. I just happened to have some, and will send send it to him next time I get down to my wood emporium.

[John Knaack]

40-60 hrs from a blank, making all of the parts by hand except barrel, TG, BP.  I also work full time, so only build about 8/yr. 

[fix]

I've been workin' on the same one for two summers now. I only get to work on it in between school semesters (summer and a few weeks in the winter).

I started with a plank (an honest to God rectangular plank) and a barrel drilled for a breech plug but not included with the barrel.

I'm not in a hurry or anything, it's kind of a way for me to take my mind off of the real stuff I'm supposed to be doing. Plus, I have no idea what I'm doing, so everything takes longer than it should.

I currently have the lock, barrel, triggers, trigger guard, and butt plate inlet and screwed down. I was in the process of removing the extra wood and installing the patchbox, before school started up again. When summer comes around again, I should be able to rough out the majority of what's left.

In all, I'm planning about two and a half years worth of summers and winters. The next one will be faster of course, but like I said. I'm not in a hurry.

[Steve Bookout]

My slowest build was a late Lancaster that was carved and inlayed at about 190 hours.  All of my rifles are from a stick and I forge the furniture and triggers if they are to be iron mounted.  These are in the range of 160 hours.  My fastest time was 48-49 hours on an Iowa rifle.  If I make brass furniture, add about 25 hours to the gun build.
Cheers, Bookie

[billd]

I wish I had the disipline to record the hours I put into a gun.  I just work when I have time and my real job doesn't interfer with my hobby. 
Bill

[Daryl]

I assisted Taylor (somewhat) when he built my 14 bore rifle. It took a week to build with me doing some of the final sanding and the finish.  I think that was the fastest one, maybe not.

I can see it now: 'are we done yet?' or, 'hey, let's drill the touch hole and try it out'

Now that I think about it, I also test-fired it within the building time. You're right, Tom.

[Dave Faletti]

I guess I am slow.  Takes me ballpark of 200hrs to make a rifle from a plank and parts.  On the plus side it ends up like I planned without any significant mistakes.

[Bob Mac]

I've been working on my 1st build for a year and a half. Between the honey do's and second guessing every step of the way, it seems to be taking forever. I might also be trying to hard to do things perfectly. Maybe I need to ease up on myself.

[timone]

I do two a year on average.  Takes me about 160 to 200 hours depending on the extras. One rifle that I had trouble with, took several years of forgetting it for a while and then a burst of work.  One time I asked Hersel House how many a year he does.  He said about 6 to 10, but one year he went into a production mode and cranked out 26 rifles.

[Acer Saccharum]

I guess I am slow.  Takes me ballpark of 200hrs to make a rifle from a plank and parts.  On the plus side it ends up like I planned without any significant mistakes.

I don't have ANY significant mistakes.... I meant to do that, really!

[Stophel]

I get seriously burnt out from time to time, and I won't want to even TOUCH one.  I'll slowly get back to where I want to do them again, though.

[pintail_drake2004]

my first build was an early lancaster .54, I started on last January and didnt finish until July.  Had right around 300 hours in it. I have just started on another one identical to mine, hopefully it will not take as long.

[M Tornichio]

I have only completed 1 rifle that I kept all the time for how long it took to build. It was a 101 hours, but I did have a buttplate forged allready when I started. The rifle was a flintlock and it was a plain rifle except for the triggerguard. Also from a plank. The barrel was straight and put in by hand. Also drilled the ramrod.

Heres a picture to give you an idea. No carving no engraving.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Well I built three from precarves in 4 years. I have been about 6 months on one from a plank with a preinlet barrrel and RR hole....I have to send out the steel for engraving..... I cannot yet engrave well enough to do the gun justice....its English 1750ish........ So I guess maybe I will have it done intime for deeer season in October....I hope!! Never kept time, but my wife says I use up a lot on the guns!!  ... Well some of us are just slow 

I wwould love to think I could build them fast  enough and good enough to make a living doing it..... even a SS supplement.......Oh well a hobby is nice too.

[Bill of the 45th]

I'm working on rifle number seven, been working on it for about four months.  Gun number two I started in 1970 or 71, and am still working on it.  It's supposed to be a youth size fusil, and has been put away many times, then gets pulled down, and studied for what to do next.

Bill

[Mark Elliott]

Since I started to record my time,  I am putting between 200 to 300 hours into a rifle.   It is more than I thought I was putting into a gun, but that is what the records show.   I am really quite picky about the fit and finish and I take my time with the filing and polishing.   Also four piece patchboxes and relase mechanisms can take quite a large percentage of the total build time when you made everything from scratch.  I only work from a blank and I make everthing except for the lock, barrel and set triggers; and I usually heavily rework the lock and triggers.   I also do all the work myself using mostly period hand tools.   Keeping tools sharp and the shop orderly also takes a bit of time.  There is also the odd additional tool or jig that must be made.  It is all included in the count.  I am willing to bet that most folks actual build time is more than they think.   

Mark E.
 

[Artificer]

"I am willing to bet that most folks actual build time is more than they think."

Absolutely Mark,

Back in the 70's, quite a few gunsmiths told me that whatever time you think it would take, you had better multiply it by three.  If it is sem- or full custom work, then multiply your estimate by at least four.  I've found out that averages out to be pretty accurate.  Further, most folks don't really account for how much time it takes to do a good finish. 

Gus