• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

What's your opinion?

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

idahjo

40 Cal.
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
134
Reaction score
2
BEFORE:
mail033.jpg

mail030.jpg

mail032.jpg


Here are photos of a NC rifle I am building. It was a pre-carved stock (never again!) As it turns out, the lock panels are way to thin to do a double point at the front of the panels. As a matter of fact, they are too thin to do much of anything with.

After giving thought to what to do I went to the thinnest side (sideplate) and did what was necessary to finish it with the available wood. I was fat, dumb and happy with everything until it came to the point of realizing there was a problem.

Here is how it was handled (only way I know of with the amount of wood available)while still maintaining the 1/8" of wood on the lower forestock sides at the barrel:
mail035.jpg


I'm wondering IF the 1/8" has to be maintained or if it can be taken down to 1/16" like the upper forestock?

Take your best shot... my butt is hanging out! All comments appreciated, [B)] thanks!
 
I would take it down thin as you can get away with without making it slab sided (or look like a 2x4).
 
Y-all are to kind... I figgered I would be used for dog food by now :winking:

MORE INFO AND QUESTIONS:

I know doing a 'first timer' and getting it right is a tough thing to do, but I'm giving it my best shot.
The lower fore arm top flat by the barrel is 1/8". It was not taken lower as I understood that that area was supposed to be at that thickness and rounded to the lower forearm center line. (or is it supposed to be the 1/16" (- to a knofe edge as the upper forestock?) Or, was the lower forearm supposed to be 1/8" thicker that the barrel side at its centerline and taper into that from the knife-edge(1/16"-) at the side barrel flat?

I have no real rifle to study and have been gleaning information from pictures, videos and available books. MAYBE I have misinterpreted something along the line, that could well be!
The upper forearm sideline is about 1/3 of the way down from the barrel and I understand this is initially tapered from 1/16" alongside the barrel to this line. If the lower forestock is tapered form the 1/16" along the barrel to its centerline (lower that the upper forearm) isn't there going to be a disparity in blending these two sideline interceptions?

Notice that in the last picture the lockplate side has been finished at the front, and the rear is still roughed. The front has a light incised line below the slightly rounded front point on the stock. (hard to see here) It is apparently a little bulky on the point curve, but notice that it duplicates the lock side, which follows the lock outline pretty closely. This is the way it is going to have to be UNLESS I have misunderstood the "usual and customary" dimensions on the lower forestock.

Apologies for the lengthly dissertation, but these things have too many areas (parts) to refer to!!

MIGHT ADD: This is a Classic Ketland lock. The lock bolster (think that is right word) dictated the proximity to the side flat of the Rice 'B' barrel. The stand off distance for the lock-side plate flat was dictated to be 'close', as it is, by that. The side plate side was made to match. There was no discretion in this area as far as I can tell?!?

Thanks again for any and all comments.
 
May I ask what Kit is was so we will know what to expect ... not bad .. just for future reference? :grin:

Davy
 
Not a KIT, but a precarved stock.
Prefer not to name names as with my limited knowledge it all so far that it would not be fair. I did find that the barrel inlet was not cut with the side flats parallel to the side panel flats. After correction, it re-adjusted everything but it did come out with proper thickness for seating the Classic Ketland to the Rice 'B' barrel. (with NO wood left for safety on the panels)
 
Is that a swamped barrel?

From what I can see in the photos the problem is not lack of wood in the pannels but excess wood in the forend.

The sides of the stock should go paper thin instantly ahead of the pannels and follow the line of the barrel. If the barrel is swamped the stock falls away from the pannels and provides you with the wood necessary for the carving.

If it is a straight barrel just do the best you can.
 
Ghost: Yup, it is swamped. I reviewed and studied everything I knew (not a lot :winking: ) and found that there WAS more wood left on the forend sides that I thought. You are right, I gained enough to do a single point on the front of the panels, but going for a double point (thumbnail?) would be pushing it. I was shooting for the John Vogler look originally!
 
You spoke of the stock being thin, is this a crack or a pencil reference mark, hard to tell with these old eyes of mine... :redface:

mail030.jpg
 
You could make a paper tracing of the lock side,transfer it to the sideplate side and carve away. You don't need to remove alot of wood to make the moulding stand proud. I make my forestock half way up the barrel[both strait and tapered] and paper thin at the top. looks good so far! :thumbsup:
Pathfinder
 
MUSKETMAN: No, thank GOD... it is NOT a crack :thumbsup:

PATHFINDERRIFH: Duplication has been done and I worked on the sideplate side already (see the Pix).
I'm thinking of going back to the single point idea, but narrowing and making it a little more pointed in the Vogler style.

THANKS
 
Things are not always as they seem to be.

Abrupt changes in height often look larger than they really are and the front and rear of the sideplate and lock panals are a fine example of this.
Another feature seen on longrifles that looks at first like it is really deep or standing proud is the carvings. These are often only 1/16 - 3/32 of an inch high but when seen against the smooth surface of the butt stock they really stand out. :)
 
Back
Top