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Pics, The Rifle Shoppe M1800 Harper's Ferry Rifle

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tsmgguy

36 Cal.
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This rifle was built for me by The Rifle Shoppe. The wait was two years, and well worth it. Linked below is an excellent article about these rifles. It's kind of a dull day here, and I had trouble imaging the lock markings, which are deep and crisp.

https://greatwar.com/wwi-links/lewis-and-clark-short-rifle/
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I've been in contact with Dan & Rick of Man At Arms about the rifles photographed for the article linked in my first post above. The rifles were a collaboration between Cowan and Keller, and Jess Melot of The Rifle Shoppe. This is a fascinating story in itself and I hope that an article is written about the effort someday.

While Man At Arms has no plans to produce any rifles other than the 15 already made, you can buy a parts set from The Rifle Shoppe and build one for yourself, or have it built.

The rifle pictured in the article's detail images is Rick's personal M1800, serial number 1. It's not currently for sale.
 
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Love the Proof Marks on your gun. I just scored a nice old 1975 Zoli replica 1803; not as nice as your custom gun, but excellent assembly and detail nevertheless. Nice photos, thanks for posting about this interesting rifle.
 
Those proof marks are from Harper's Ferry Arsenal.
Jess got them decades ago.
When I had my barrels made by green Mt, they shipped them to Jess, he stamped them and then sent them on to me.

I browned my lock, the case hardening looks way more professional.
 
Beautiful! But damn, 2 years!?! I don’t think I could wait that long. Enjoy!
 
Back before 2004 or well before the 200th anniversary of the start of the Corps of Discovery on their epic quest to explore the new Louisianna Purchase, I had decided to make a rifle for that. Maybe even try to get acquainted with the people who were building boats and planning to go on the journey. I bought the Track of the Wolf's 1803 advanced projects kit, translation: Rifle Shoppe Parts sold as a Track of the Wolf kit. Things slowed considerably as I ordered the lock to be assembled by the Rifle Shoppe. Really slowed as it took about 2 years for the lock to be built and delivered. Also, the controversy was building as to what exactly was the rifle that was carried. This was before the research into the 1800 rifle and the publishing of the finding of the converted prototype rifle. The 1800 Rifle was not carried in the Rifle Shoppe catalog at that time. My Der(r)inger rifle would have been close to the 1792 Contract Rifle, but it was built along the 1809 pattern. The final stall occurred when I was putting the lock into the stock. The breech plug as supplied with the Colerain barrel was too long for the fence and the lock didn't really line up by about a 1/4". The barrel was tapered, and the stock was preinlet for the lock and barrel. It took about a year or better to accept advice from the Mad Monk and others, that I should just go ahead and notch the breech plug and continue the assembly. Now I finally have my 1803 Harper's Ferry Rifle and am very happy with the performance. I have still about 1/2" fully engaged threads in the breech plug after the notch. I did an inside cone for the touch hole. The lock is very fast. It is great that research has come up with more insight as to the equipment carried by the Corps of Discovery as Lewis did not describe the rifles carried as well as the airgun and the collapsible boat.
 
I understand that The Rifle Shoppe has stopped building rifles and will be supplying parts and kits only.
 
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