Stock Molding Details

Seeing as I've got a volunteer stock to practice carving on I've got a question. I'm looking for details on stock moldings on Penn rifles 1770 through 1785. Lets keep it to Lebanon and Lancaster counties. This would be on the areas of the bottom of the butt stock and the forend above the ramrod pipes.

What were the most common profiles and how do you guys produce them? Or were they mostly simple grooves at that time.

The lower butt relief molding usually w/ a bead is outlined 1/32" deep w/ an Exacto knife and a 1/2" wide straight chisel is used to clear the surrounding wood. The forend molding is outlined 1/32" deep w/ a fixture that slides in the RR groove and again the same chesel is used to clear the adjacent wood. All sorts of cross sectional shapes can be modeled and for a concave shape a shallow gouge is initially used followed by a round rasp and sandpaper rolled around a dowel. Some of the "how to" books show the various cross sectional shapes. As to the specific molding shapes for the styles you mentioned, further research is req'd and I really don't know what shapes would be characteristic for those styles....Fred

It's very hard to generalize. Kind of like asking, "What types of body styles were there on Detroit-made cars in the 1960's?" Builders need books. They are the most important tool in the kit. Books and lots of trips to museums, lots of collections of photos downloaded from sites showing originals, lots of magazine articles featuring originals and well-made re-creations.

In any given decade in Lancaster or Lebanon counties, a wide variety of stock shapes and details were used.

Thanks guys. I've been through Kindig's and the RCA's and there just aren't enough close up pics to show the details with any precision. In the Gunsmith of Greenville he shows some simple profiles that sound like what Fred is describing. The JP Becks in RCA seem to have the detail that Fred describes so I'm going to give that a shot.

Might go to the ALR board's virtual museum. Go and drool. See if this link works. You might have to sign in, become a member. www.americanlongrifles.org/forum/
copy and paste this into your browser. They don't accept links I guess.
Scroll down till you get to the virtual museum and look around. ---->>> WELCOME TO THE ALR "Virtual" Library & Museum PLEASE ENTER HERE.