Flintlock with engraving

Bama · Jul 11, 2010

This is my latest rifle project. This rifle was built from a blank. All the metal parts were hand forged except for the barrel and lock. The lock is a modified Jim Chambers lock and the barrel was made by LC Rice. This the first Rice barrel that is in a rifle that I built for me, all the other have gone to customers. I would like to say that it is a very well made barrel, not cheap but worth every penny. I will also put in a plug for Jim Chambers, I have used a lot of locks over the years but Jim's out shines them all.

This rifle is styled after an original that is singed F. Klette on the lock. The origninal was made with brass furniture, my rifle has hand forged steel butt plate, trigger guard, thimbles, trigger, and nose cap. The trigger plate and side plate are made from sheet steel. The front sight blade is coin silver.

I know that there are a few BP guys that visit here but I hope that all will find this interesting.

Any comments are welcomed.

mtgraver · Jul 12, 2010

Bama,
Nice job there, only thing I'd add would be to "age" the wood to the condition of the iron. I generally never let the solution bite so hard on my work. I like to give my work a 40 year feel, as I like to say.
Will you be able to attend the CLA show this year in August? If you should attend please look me up.
Mark

FANCYGUN · Jul 12, 2010

I like your patch box and the period feel to the engraving. Did you make the patchbox?

leschowe · Jul 12, 2010

Hi Bama,
Absolutely beautiful work. I wish that I could offer you some constructive criticism or comments but I can't - everything is perfect.
What material did you make your patch box from? Did you cut it out yourself? It looks like you put quite a bit of work into that hinge - I have built hinges before and I know how difficult they are to built and you did a very nice job here.

Les Schowe

Bama · Jul 12, 2010

Mark thanks for the invite. I will be there and I will have a table and this rifle and a few others that I have built will be there along with an original Thomas Simpson that I have aquired.

This is the first time I used Hershel's process for aging the metal and I let it go a little to long. I think it still turn out OK, just glad I got it out when I did.

I did make the Patch Box sorry I left that out of the build description. This box has 15 knuckles in the hinge and was interesting to build to say the least to make. I also used a in the butt plate release styled after the one shown in Shumway's Sheryer(spelling?) book. This release is not as easy to make as it looks but once I got it in it works like a champ. The box is made from 1/16" CS mild steel plate.

Weldon47 · Jul 12, 2010

Bama,

Awesome work all the way around! Kudos!!

Weldon

Fred Bowen · Jul 12, 2010

Great work, Bama! Are you going to the CLA show in August? Or Friendship in September? I share a table with the Rice barrel guys and hope to make CLA. It would be nice to meet you there.

Bama · Jul 12, 2010

Thanks Fred
I will be at the CLA and will be sure to look you up. I will have a table at the CLA, last year I was in the small area over by where the originals guns were being displayed. I am going to try to make the frist weekend at Friendship in Sept.

mtgraver · Jul 12, 2010

Jim
Looking forward to seeing whomever from the forum at the CLA show. If we can get away from our respective tables. I'm really happy that you'll share your rifle with us.
See ya'll in Lexington
Mark

KSnyder · Jul 13, 2010

Bama, nice rifle, one thing i noticed was the wood around the entry pipe has a gap & makes the pipe look set too deep.I agree with MT that the iron is stressed a bit too much. The engraving looks "right" for the period. I maybe would have used a round face lock on this Virginia smokepole.The wood is lovely and stained a beautiful color. Overall a project to be proud of and the patchbox is great. I'm gonna try to post one I built so you can critique it.

My $.02, thanks for showing,
Kent

Bama · Jul 13, 2010

KSnyder thanks for the comments. I did have a little trouble with this entry pipe because of its tapering profile and the palm swell. It was hard to make the two surfaces meet without looking funky.

The best that I remember from the pictures the original has a flat face lock plate with a german style pan and is a shorter/taller lock. I did very from that as this lock has the rounded english styled pan and this lock is longer and a little more slender than the original. I also knew that this lock would give me the sparks I wanted as is the case with all Jim's locks.

I didn't set out to make an exact copy. I was taking Hershel's class on forging along with building a southern mountain gun. I am not a big fan of southern mountain rifles so I asked Hershel what he thought about doing a Klette styled gun in iron and he said he thought that would be a great gun and this is the result.

I am always interested in looking at good rifles. Best I remember you do mighty fine work so don't be shy throw her on out there.

Thanks again

KSnyder · Jul 14, 2010

Bama, that was basically knit pickin' one builder to another. You know bein' a gunstocker is knowin' how to cover up yer mistakes. Quite a few Virginia rifles seen with a round faced lock so I just threw that out there. The lock you chose without the bridle looked good also as did the engraving. For some reason I can't get the photos i want to upload. gonna send to your email
K

Flintlock with engraving

Bama

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