Scott Evans
Staff Alumnus
I’ve got the bug to build a “from scratch” muzzle loader. I’m sure I have no idea as to all I’m getting into but I love the style, history, elegance and any other intangible that goes along with the premium quality Kentucky / Penn style rifles. There is just something about them.
Right now I’m into the planning phase.
A little background before I go on: About 10 years ago I built a couple of CVA kits and was far less then satisfied. The experience was too much like “paint by numbers” and the finished products, although they looked nice, were lacking in balance and overall quality. There is simply no genuineness to them. Recently, however, my interest has been rekindled by two separate instances where I have had the privilege of handling some art grade, historically accurate, handmade reproductions. The rifles I sampled were beautiful masterpieces both in form and function. I thought first of all of buying one but realized what I actually wanted was to make my own. I think my wife realized this before I did as I spent more then an hour talking with one of the makers of the rifles I was handling gleaning every scrap of information I could get.
So … I have purchased several books on the making of such rifles including; Fox fire #5, one by Hershel House, one on casting parts, a video by Hershel, a good quality blue print through Dixie Gun Works and a smattering of other information resources.
I am planning on at least two guns so as to more gradually move into the more challenging aspects of building them. Also, I have no time frame in mind for this. In fact I hope it takes a year or two or more.
First Gun; I plan on purchasing the Barrel (a 42” .45 cal “swamped” with breach plug), The lock, trigger guard and the But Plate. Everything else I hope to fabricate in my shop. The stock will be Curly Maple.
The second Gun I plan to make every thing. The Barrel, however, I plan on machining with modern equipment and not forging. I’ll save that for later.
I suppose my hope is that a few fellow TFL’ers are accomplished makers of such rifles so that I can from time to time pick your brains. So if anyone else has been so bitten by the bug and gotten through it let me know as I’m all ears and nearly ready to dive in.
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“This is my rifle, there many like it but this one is mine …”
Right now I’m into the planning phase.
A little background before I go on: About 10 years ago I built a couple of CVA kits and was far less then satisfied. The experience was too much like “paint by numbers” and the finished products, although they looked nice, were lacking in balance and overall quality. There is simply no genuineness to them. Recently, however, my interest has been rekindled by two separate instances where I have had the privilege of handling some art grade, historically accurate, handmade reproductions. The rifles I sampled were beautiful masterpieces both in form and function. I thought first of all of buying one but realized what I actually wanted was to make my own. I think my wife realized this before I did as I spent more then an hour talking with one of the makers of the rifles I was handling gleaning every scrap of information I could get.
So … I have purchased several books on the making of such rifles including; Fox fire #5, one by Hershel House, one on casting parts, a video by Hershel, a good quality blue print through Dixie Gun Works and a smattering of other information resources.
I am planning on at least two guns so as to more gradually move into the more challenging aspects of building them. Also, I have no time frame in mind for this. In fact I hope it takes a year or two or more.
First Gun; I plan on purchasing the Barrel (a 42” .45 cal “swamped” with breach plug), The lock, trigger guard and the But Plate. Everything else I hope to fabricate in my shop. The stock will be Curly Maple.
The second Gun I plan to make every thing. The Barrel, however, I plan on machining with modern equipment and not forging. I’ll save that for later.
I suppose my hope is that a few fellow TFL’ers are accomplished makers of such rifles so that I can from time to time pick your brains. So if anyone else has been so bitten by the bug and gotten through it let me know as I’m all ears and nearly ready to dive in.
------------------
“This is my rifle, there many like it but this one is mine …”