My new ginger flintlock

Muddly · Aug 14, 2020

Traded my fancy flinter even up for this plain, but elegant girl. No buttplate, .50 cal 7/8thsx36 inch barrel, left to age brown. Siler lock. Very light and nimble in the hands. Can NOT wait to shoot her!

ord sgt · Aug 14, 2020

Nice looking rifle. Hope it shoots as good as it looks.

RB POWELL · Aug 14, 2020

simple elegance. Nice.

Notchy Bob · Aug 14, 2020

That is a very pretty rifle! The stock has very impressive figure... Nothing else is needed to make this rifle look good.

Do you know who built it? He did a nice job. The trigger looks hand made. The shape of the butt stock and the Siler lock give it the look of a Pennsylvania schimmel, although I think those may have been more typically mounted in brass. However, I think a lot of the old-time gunsmiths probably used what was available when putting together their plain and less expensive "barn guns."

That is not intended as criticism... Just an observation. The builder showed excellent workmanship and I would love to have a rifle just like it!

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

Muddly · Aug 14, 2020

No offence taken Bob.
Yup. Chuck Dixon would call this a shimmel. The maker really stuck to the idea too. He didn't completely polish the lock plate and the bridle screws are a tad long.
The name " Spatz" is engraved on the top flat by the vent. On the other side is a flag, looks like a stick with a triangle ( wide base on the stick) and there is a simple line burst or star (*) behind the rear sight.
I love the simple triggerguard! Makes a HUGE difference in handling. Much more comfortable to put the thumb right on top instead of on the side or crossover.
I gave her a taste of b.l.o. and she was grateful. I'm assuming a Green Mountain barrel. Wish they'd learn how to do a proper crown. Seems the always cut patches until you round them a bit.
The inletting and shaping are superb. Looks like the wood grew around the metal. The maker obviously cared about what he was doing.
Hope she shoots as good as she looks! Will keep the powder modest. Hope she likes 70 grains.
She is a rather petite girl...

Trot · Aug 14, 2020

I am a big fan of these barn guns, the lines of the rifle speak for themselves with no distractions!

olskool · Aug 14, 2020

right nice,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

2 shots · Aug 14, 2020

our freedom started with the spark of a flint

oldwood · Aug 14, 2020

Shimmel I saw somewhere had no butt plate , instead , it had a large , rusty , barn door nail in the top butt side of the stock. I thought the nail very appropriate to protect the top point of the butt when loading the rifle. Haven't built a Shimmel barn gun lately , but one's in the future and will have a door nail in the butt.........oldwood

Muddly · Aug 14, 2020

That is the one thing that troubles me. I was thinking, a simple plate made of cow horn might be interesting. Really don't want it to get all chewed up. At the range I use a piece of rug to protect all my rifles. In the woods, it the top of my boot.

tallpine · Aug 14, 2020

My kind of rifle, there is a certain kind of beauty in well executed simplicity. The builder nailed it.

D.Summers · Aug 14, 2020

A truly lovely rifle!

D.Summers · Aug 14, 2020

how about pics of your fancy rifle you traded??

Carbon 6 · Aug 14, 2020

Works for me, I like plain guns.

Boston Bill · Aug 15, 2020

Muddly said:
No offence taken Bob.
Yup. Chuck Dixon would call this a shimmel. The maker really stuck to the idea too. He didn't completely polish the lock plate and the bridle screws are a tad long.
The name " Spatz" is engraved on the top flat by the vent. On the other side is a flag, looks like a stick with a triangle ( wide base on the stick) and there is a simple line burst or star (*) behind the rear sight.
I love the simple triggerguard! Makes a HUGE difference in handling. Much more comfortable to put the thumb right on top instead of on the side or crossover.
I gave her a taste of b.l.o. and she was grateful. I'm assuming a Green Mountain barrel. Wish they'd learn how to do a proper crown. Seems the always cut patches until you round them a bit.
The inletting and shaping are superb. Looks like the wood grew around the metal. The maker obviously cared about what he was doing.
Hope she shoots as good as she looks! Will keep the powder modest. Hope she likes 70 grains.
She is a rather petite girl...

b.l.o.?

Notchy Bob · Aug 15, 2020

Boston Bill said:
b.l.o.?

Boiled Linseed Oil

I had to stop and think about it, also, but I'm pretty sure that's what it means. Muddly takes good care of his guns... The stock as well as the hardware.

Notchy Bob

Muddly · Aug 15, 2020

Finish wear and the odd ding from passing years, and honorable service, are to be cherished.
Damage from neglect is shameful. Just one man's opinion.
I also keep a notebook of range reports, round counts and loads tried, maintenance, hunts and odd thoughts for all my rifles. Future generations will think me mad, but they will know the history of " Pappy's old rifles"
Can not stop grinning about this one! Plain or fancy, there's something about a long rifle.
Pics of the fancy one are in my post " new 50 flinter"

mushka · Aug 15, 2020

Your rifle is the epitome of what I think a rifle should look like. Absolutely elegant with it's lines and fixtures. You are a lucky man and I am somewhat envious of your find.

2 shots · Aug 15, 2020

sorry my post above when to the wrong op. i could not delete it.

pamtnman · Aug 16, 2020

Real pretty wood

My new ginger flintlock

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