Colorado guy
32 Cal.
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2013
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
I have been researching both the kits available to build into a complete rifle, and what is available from the custom makers who build custom rifles for customers. I am very partial to and committed to purchasing a version of the “Southern Mountain Rifle”, also known as a Poor Boy Squirrel Rifle”. This extremely plain style of rifle appeals to me in several different ways. First off, it would be the cheapest rifled flintlock to pay for whether ready made or made to order by a flintlock riflesmith. Not having an entry thimble or nosecap on the forend, three ramrod pipes at most, a minimal sideplate, no toeplate, or buttplate lessens the cost of the rifle, for none of those pieces of metal have to be shaped, fitted, browned or otherwise given a finish, saving money for only the essentials of lock, stock, barrel, front and rear sights, ramrod, trigger(s) and trigger guard, and that’s it. Nothing more really needed.
It also seems that Jim Chambers late Ketland style lock is the preferred lock for late 18th, early 19th Century flintlock squirrel rifle poor boy types of rifles, so that would be historically correct as well as period correct I take it ? And a “Schimmel”, “Poor Boy” type of rifle in the southern style is as cheap as it gets for a flintlock rifle.
Several different makers have flintlock rifles I like, but all of them would need shorter barrels, as I am only 5’6” tall, and need a shorter barrel to allow me to load easier, and at a lesser height, than a longer than 36” barrel would allow. I’m hoping some of the custom makers can or would bob back or get a 36” barrel in the first place when building me the poorest Poor Boy Squirrel rifle possible. Anything to save money on the rifle so long as it shoots straighter than the road to hell and takes the head’s off squirrels neat as a meat cleaver would.
Richard Dillon’s shop, makes a wickedly good looking Southern Mountain Rifle, and it is almost what I want, with the exception of having too long ( 44”) barrel, but would be about perfect if the barrel could be bobbed about 8 inches. I really like the styling and the way the rear trigger has a crescent shape to it. I like it!
Likewise is the East Tennessee Bean Style rifle from Dillon’s Flintlocks. The length is right, but there is too much metal on this rifle to qualify it as a “Poor Boy”. And at 46”, the barrel is again, too long.
Roy Stroh also makes several different rifles that would about match my needs. His “Poor Boy” in .45 caliber built from a Chambers deluxe lock, a Flintlock Construction Inc barrel is also of my type. So is his Southern .40 caliber, his two Barn Guns, and the wood patchbox on one of them is also something that appeals to me in a Poor Boy squirrel rifle.
I’m not sure what the optimum or average length of a barrel on a southern style Muzzleloading flintlock would be, but would it be common to have a shorter barrel at the request of the customer or not ? And could a maker make the flintlock squirrel rifle I want plain and “Poor boy” enough to keep the cost to between $1000-$1500 US dollars?
Since I have no place at present to work on a flintlock rifle kit, no tools to do an assembly of parts and unfinished stock into a rifle, or the time to spare to do it, the obvious choice is to pay the money to a rifle builder who can put together a rifle of the poor boy southern style I want for my first, and maybe only, custom rifle build in my lifetime.
Suggestions please.
It also seems that Jim Chambers late Ketland style lock is the preferred lock for late 18th, early 19th Century flintlock squirrel rifle poor boy types of rifles, so that would be historically correct as well as period correct I take it ? And a “Schimmel”, “Poor Boy” type of rifle in the southern style is as cheap as it gets for a flintlock rifle.
Several different makers have flintlock rifles I like, but all of them would need shorter barrels, as I am only 5’6” tall, and need a shorter barrel to allow me to load easier, and at a lesser height, than a longer than 36” barrel would allow. I’m hoping some of the custom makers can or would bob back or get a 36” barrel in the first place when building me the poorest Poor Boy Squirrel rifle possible. Anything to save money on the rifle so long as it shoots straighter than the road to hell and takes the head’s off squirrels neat as a meat cleaver would.
Richard Dillon’s shop, makes a wickedly good looking Southern Mountain Rifle, and it is almost what I want, with the exception of having too long ( 44”) barrel, but would be about perfect if the barrel could be bobbed about 8 inches. I really like the styling and the way the rear trigger has a crescent shape to it. I like it!
Likewise is the East Tennessee Bean Style rifle from Dillon’s Flintlocks. The length is right, but there is too much metal on this rifle to qualify it as a “Poor Boy”. And at 46”, the barrel is again, too long.
Roy Stroh also makes several different rifles that would about match my needs. His “Poor Boy” in .45 caliber built from a Chambers deluxe lock, a Flintlock Construction Inc barrel is also of my type. So is his Southern .40 caliber, his two Barn Guns, and the wood patchbox on one of them is also something that appeals to me in a Poor Boy squirrel rifle.
I’m not sure what the optimum or average length of a barrel on a southern style Muzzleloading flintlock would be, but would it be common to have a shorter barrel at the request of the customer or not ? And could a maker make the flintlock squirrel rifle I want plain and “Poor boy” enough to keep the cost to between $1000-$1500 US dollars?
Since I have no place at present to work on a flintlock rifle kit, no tools to do an assembly of parts and unfinished stock into a rifle, or the time to spare to do it, the obvious choice is to pay the money to a rifle builder who can put together a rifle of the poor boy southern style I want for my first, and maybe only, custom rifle build in my lifetime.
Suggestions please.
