Southern Mountain Rifle Build

I'm going to build a SMR after the first of the year. Since I can't seem to find exactly what I want in a kit, I thought I would order the TOTW kit minus the barrel, lock, and their barrel wedges. I would rather use a Chambers Late Ketland flintlock, a Rice barrel and pin the barrel instead of using wedges. According to the catalog I can order the stock without the lock cut, and I would think (hope) any 13/16" barrel would fit the barrel channel.

My question is whether or not a swamped barrel would be appropriate on this gun. I suspect a 42" swamped barrel would handle much better than a straight one. Of course, that would mean starting with a blank and having someone do the barrel channel and ramrod hole.

on the SMR I just finished I started with a tracks kit and then picked and choosed the individual pieces I wanted before finishing the order. Turned out ok for what I was thinking of as an extended training exercise.

Before you do that give Stonewall Creek Outfitters a call to see what they have, Their SMR stocks come from Pecatonica as well as Track's I believe. They also sell Rice barrels and Chambers locks.

I would definitly go with the swamped barrel.My first choice is Rice, second would be Rayle. Rice makes them in 42, 44 and 46". Give Dave Keck a call at Knob Mountain Muzzleloading. He has a couple of SMR patterns and he just got a few more from Fred Miller. He would rough out the stock and install the barrel. He sells Chambers locks and sometimes has barrels in stock.

His website has some photos of his patterns but he has many more not shown. Google him and his site will come up.

Bill

I have an original in my collection that is swamped, but it is not as pronounced as most of the barrels commonly available today.

If I were building a SMR, I'd use Rice's "B" weight 46" lg .50 cal bbl which is not heavily swamped. Then a Chambers' late Ketland lock. The blank/bbl shipped to a profiler for the butt stock, bbl and RR would work out nicely. All that remains is the hardware....the buttplate and trigger guard require some thought depending on the butt style and are of prime importance. Good luck.....Fred

Alexander L. Johnson said:

I have an original in my collection that is swamped, but it is not as pronounced as most of the barrels commonly available today.

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Rice Barrel Company has a new barrel like the one you describe. Here's their description of it:

Next we have a new Swamp barrel we named the Southern Classic. It is available in 'A' weight up to .50 caliber. This barrel weighs in at 3 lbs. 13 oz. Historically this barrel resembles many of the barrels being made in the late 18th & early 19th Century in the Virgina Valley area. Such schools include, Berkeley, Hampshire, Winchester & Shenandoah Valley. Rifle builders include Sheets and Haymaker. Benefits of this barrel include:
light weight swamp ( 50 cal. 3 ibs. 13 oz.)
Compare to a GA "B" 50 cal. 4 lbs. 7 oz.
Minimual swamp like many of the orignals.
Sights can be mounted very low as most orignials were. At 10" - 12" from the breech, the barrel diameter is the same as 1 1/2" back from the muzzle. This will allow for a rear sight that is 3/16" high & a front sight that is 1/8" high!

Thanks for all the great info guys! It sounds like I might be able to get what I want from one place after all. That new Rice barrel is exactly what I'm looking for. I'm building a .36 so that A weight barrel should have enough weight to hold pretty steady, but still handle well.

Ever time I post a question here I learn more in a few hours than I would in several months on my own. :hatsoff:

Right on on the learning!

Here's a misfit of a gun I made, hase some southern mtn. flare to it, It was a resurected kit with a douglas barrel from 40 years ago!



The lock is a CVA but I did alot of tinkering and made it an near instant ignition and I beveled the edged of the plate to make it fit a bit better!

Nice! How's it shoot?

Get the stock from Pecatonica, pre-carve with the ramrod channel cut, no other inletting. For ease of build I would go with a staight barrel and also have Pecatonica cut the barrel channel.

Still waiting on a rear sight. no complaints, it was its first shooting session and only 5 shots since its difficult to get bp, but overall my load was 40grn 3f with 2 1/2 grn in the pan, maybe a 1/100 of a second delay, shoots like a percussion. Without a rear sight shooting thru tall grass at a 25yrd target I got a 6in group, need the rear sight..... but very happy! :thumbsup:

by all means, go for the swamped barrel!

(just one guy's free advice, and worth every penny!)