Rifle Maker- C. Oder

[rabbit03]

Well I just aquired a fine looking Flintlock (a first for me) the other day. There was a maker's name on the top flat that said C. Oder. Does anyone have any of his rifles and if so what are your thoughts about his work.

I will post a few pics when I can for viewing.

rabbit03

 

[Mike Brooks]

Chuck Oder. I used to shoot on the primitive side at Friendship with him in the early 80's. I saw him again 5 or 6 or six years ago when he came to my booth and showed me a rifle of mine he had bought some where or other.

 

[rabbit03]

Hi Mike appreciate the post. Since making the post I have talked to Chuck on the phone earlier. I will bring the rifle to Friendship with me so he can tell me what he can about it. He did say though that the barrel was most likely a Douglas Barrel. Bought it from a great guy named Eddie May this past weekend in LA.

I think it will be a good shooter which is what I was after.

I met Chuck at Friendship last year and he is a great guy. Getting anxious to get my stuff rounded up to go as I type this!! Yeha! :thumbsup:



rabbit03

 

[paulvallandigham]

If it is the same person I am thinking about, Chuck Oder has a shop near Danville, Illinois. Try the 217 area code, and call information (1-217- 555-1212) to see if you can get a phone number for him. I am sure he would like to hear from someone who has acquired one of his guns. Most gunmakers think of their guns as their grandchildren, and want to believe that they are being taken care of well, while still being used. Its very hard to spend all the time to make a good, shooting rifle, and then hear months later that the buyer has never shot the gun, and its sitting in a corner, or in his safe, collecting rust.

 

[rabbit03]

HI Paul, thanks for the post. I did talk to Chuck and he is in the 513 area for info.

He is a great guy and I am going to meet up with him at Friendship soon. I can imagine you're correct about them feeling like what they have built are like their own grandchildren, I know I would feel that way.

Hope to get a few pics later today.

rabbit03

 

[rabbit03]

Here are a few pics of the C. Oder Rifle. I am anxious to get some .40 roundballs moulded up and see just how well this baby will shoot. I am certain it will shoot alot better than I can since this is the first flintlock for me! :shocked2:

The photos are pretty poor quality. The screws have details on them as well as some file work on the front sight. There is no butplate but there is a piece of bone where the heal would be and there is also a toe plate. I think the lock is a large siler, or at least that is what Eddie May told me it was. The barrel is in great shape and when I ran a clean patch down the barrel it came out CLEAN!

 

[paulvallandigham]

That is the other Chuck Oder who is a gunmaker, then. I am glad you talked to him. I am sure he can't wait to see his gun again, and looks forward to seeing it at Friendship.

 

[redwing]

Yes that is a large Siler lock made by Jim Chambers going back to 1993. Before that Siler made them. Any way Chambers has the parts which you will most likely never need.
It is sort of a Southern Mtn Rifle, with a grease hole in the stock. The barrel looks tapered and flared could not tell for sure.
The sights give it away as a target shooters gun. They are taller than normal on this type of rifle.
That is to stay above the mirage from barrel heat as much as possible. You just have to love a good
"Rock Rifle". :thumbsup:
This type of rifle back in the day would have had an English style lock. To day a shooter would use the large Germanic Siler. The Siler flint lock by which all others are judged. :thumbsup:

 

[Mike Brooks]

That is a very typical gun taht was being shot on the primitive side at Friendship in the 80's. Nearly everyone had a gun like that back then. Probably still alot of records that are still held by that style of rifle.

 

[rabbit03]

Thanks Redwing, thanks Mike. I hadn't thought about the sights being so high on the rifle but I am certain your right in saying it was used for competition. The trigger is crisp and THERE, when you touch it off after having set it, ounces to be more precise. The barrel doesn't appear to have any taper to it but the full stock does have a bit of a swamp to it and that may give it the tapered/swamped look in the photos.

I just felt it was going to be a good shooter when I was looking at it initially, hope I am right.

rabbit03

 

[Mike Brooks]

The barrel doesn't appear to have any taper to it but the full stock does have a bit of a swamp to it and that may give it the tapered/swamped look in the photos.

Another late 70's / early 80's detail.

 

[redwing]

My last trip to Friendship was the fall of 1965. At that time most of us were shooting worked over orginals. Mine was a J.Henry & Sons .36 Cal. half stock with a US stamp behind the trigger guard. :snore: