a pipe dream

[ssgross]

I'm just spitballing here, bear with me.
I've had it on my wish list for a long time now to build a flintlock from scratch. Been doing homework for years, read "Building the American long rifle" cover to cover several times, along with multiple other similar books. I've practiced the skills therein fitting up or inletting many parts on the many milsurps I've restored. I'm ready, and my kids won't be around forever to do it with me, or at least watch me as they tend to do when the work gets too involved

My hang up is that all the kits/models available of very ornate. All the demand seems to be for a "golden age" rich man's showpiece. I want none of that, so I'll have to carefully select each piece to do it. I live just up the road from the NRA museum, and been fortunate enough to inspect some arms from the revolutionary period. None of them are like what you see being sold now. Everything is simple. Many parts still have file marks as the extra hours to polish down was not paid for.

I don't need it to be overly "correct" either. I need a simple lock and furniture cast from pot metal. Straight grain, full length walnut stock. I'll go with a rifled barrel (I know almost all of the average Joe's arms of this period were smoothbore muskets), and I'll want a left-handed lock - knowing how incorrect this is too. double-set trigger too. This should all make it unique and very personal, without any gilding, fancy carved inlays, etc.

Information

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[StratA]

As an aside, I was fortunate to be working in your neighborhood last June and had the opportunity (and rare bit of free time) to visit the NRA museum on a quiet Sunday.
What a tremendous collection and absolutely professional and welcoming staff.
Nothing many on here don't already know, however.

[oldfoneguy]

Find a barrel and stock then secure a lock, buttplate, trigger and guard assembly even a patch box if you want one from Grandpa's parts, CFN or S&S. They can either be original antique or reproduction parts depending on how much you want to spend. If you must buy a kit then accessorize it with the non fancy parts. CFN Parts go as far back as the model 1842 percussion musket. S&S and Grandpa's both go back to the 1795 Springfield. There's bound to be some cool stuff to be found on these sites.

[ssgross]

you're spot on with what I have been thinking foneguy. Kits are nice because everything is guaranteed to work together. A semi-inlet is nice too because the hard part of laying out the main profile, leveling, etc. is already done. Then again it's probably all for the better that the easier ways of starting this thing don't fit exactly what I'm looking for - I should get on with doing a stock from scratch too.

Wayne Dunlap of Dunlap Woodcrafts just up the road in Chantilly spends most of his retirement on the road looking for wood for rifle stocks whilst his employees turn out custom furniture - coffee tables and what not - to pay the bills. I'm confident I can find exactly what I want at a fair price there so I don't need to buy online unseen. As for barrels. I'm thinking long 45cal, heavier type, but swamped profile for the benefit of added balance.

[Surpmil]

A Ferguson rifle would be my project of choice. With the CAD and CNC capabilities available today it shouldn't be too hard. Just be sure to put the necessary taper on the breech plug.

[tiriaq]

There were a lot of really plain, utilitarian rifles made. Barn rifles. Southern mountain rifles. Some didn't even have buttplates. No reason not to make such a rifle. There were left hand locks, as well. Just get the basic parts, and stock it up so that it suits you.

[Doco overboard]

Building a muzzle loading rifle is a rewarding experience for those who have not done it.
After parts selection, laying out the rifle takes careful thought but the work is accomplished by mostly simple application of tools.

After laying out the lock, I think the most difficult part is drilling the ram rod hole and then fitting the lower ram rod pipe.
The hole for the ramrod doesn't always have to be drilled, it can be chiseled out but the fitting of the lower pipe requires working on two planes so to speak.

First, (plane) the tab to the lower thimble need to carefully inlet to just under the barrel so it can be pinned once its centered up and then the tang of the pipe (exterior-second plane) be kept straight by the tube section parallel to the bottom barrel flat just the right amount so the the for-end remains graceful and without excess weight and or bulk. The thimbles are larger in diameter than the ram rod.

Of course like any other foray the selection of non intricate and rudimentary furniture would be a prudent course of action for the first go round.
I think with hand stocked rifles, less is more until some of the methods and tools are utilized so the workman can accomplish a degree of success and then working finality.

Finally, the tools/methods which are not very hard to reproduce in a modest workshop at the very least, and the information for how to use and apply them are available as long as you dont get in a rush and have plenty of time to enjoy what your doing.

[jamie5070]

Back in the early 90s, that is what I did. Built a rifle combining several styles. A real mutt. But I did it and it goes bang. Ruined one stock while inletting the barrel. I used a tulle fussil stock with a straight tapered round barrel with brass charlieville type furniture. .54 cal rifled barrel. If you can, I would recommend the Hershal House videos, if still available. Mine is a vhs tape, lol

[ssgross]

But I did it

Now isn't this always the most valuable part!

[browningautorifle]

A friend of mine now gone...used to make Kentucky rifles and tomahawks and period knives. Used to make his own buckskins too, I always wanted to buy one of his expensive tomahawks but too much money at the time. Now he's gone and now I have more cash...too little too late. There was a Pennsylvania rifle left that was being priced high so it went to a dealer, is still around though. BP and flint was never my thing, couldn't even warm up to cap and ball.