Beginner +. What to build?

[BigJay]

Hi all. I know this has been asked and answered several times, but I'm hoping to get a suggestion based on my specific wants and situation.

I am a long time C&R license holder and am no stranger to refinishing/rehabbing/restoring a firearm. My experience however tends to the milsurp side of things. I am by no means an expert, but I would say I'm competent when it comes to jobs like stripping sanding dying and refinishing wood, to cleaning rusted metalwork, crowning a muzzle, slicking up actions and with cold bluing, etc...

But I've never built something from a box of parts. And I'd like to.

I've looked at "kits" like the Lyman Great Planes, but I'm wondering if there's a slight step up from that in terms of the work needed to complete the project. I'm hoping to learn lots, for this to take lots of time (Im in no rush whatsoever) and to end up with something I'll be proud to own and shoot, knowing it took just a little bit more to make happen than your basic assembly project.

With all that said, I don't want to break new ground yet either. Dump a bunch of parts on me with no instructions or YouTube vids to follow, and I'd be lost at this point.

Thoughts? I'm thinking caplock, but definitely open to flintlock. Also I'm thinking pistol, but I'm not at all against the idea of rifle.

Thank you for your time!

 

[44-henry]

If I were you I would look at a plain southern mountain rifle in percussion. Pickup the book Recreating the American Longrifle and read it cover to cover before ordering your parts. Than make sure to use this forum and ask lots of questions along the way.

 

[kaintuck]

If I were you I would look at a plain southern mountain rifle in percussion. Pickup the book Recreating the American Longrifle and read it cover to cover before ordering your parts. Than make sure to use this forum and ask lots of questions along the way.

ditto!...and you have to love tools....and taking your time on things..........

 

[AWsaddles]

I'd also recommend getting a good book like The Gunsmith of Greenville County or one the many others that explain the building process. Let's you know the tools needed and what's going to be involved in putting one together.

 

[BigJay]

Great! I'll start with the book(s) and go from there. Thanks!

 

[tenngun]

The books are all great even if you don't build.Southren rifles(tennesse guns)northwest trade fusils,pennslvana "plain rifles" and simple plains rifles such as leman are the "easist"The fun is the building,you got a few mounths of a blast ahead of you.

 

[jdkerstetter]

....a plain southern mountain rifle in percussion....

A flintlock is easier for a first build. I agree on reading as many building books as possible before even thinking about buying parts.....DVD's a are a good idea too.

Enjoy the journey, J.D.

 

[Birddog6]

I suggest ya get a Isaac Haines parts set from Wayne Dunlap & build it. Build it plain & no patchbox, and it will make you a nice comfortable rifle with really nice piece of wood. And of course definitely build a Flintlock for the first several rifles.

Keith Lisle

 

[BigJay]

Wow. The wood on some of those Haines builds is incredible!

But I'm looking at that, and I don't mind admitting I feel very intimidated. I have never worked with wood to that level of detail before.

I had forgotten but I bought and started Recreating the American Longrifle a few years back. I'm through chapter 3 (again) now and I remember why I didn't finish: it feels like its written for the scratch builder who's built a dozen or two kits already. It feels well over my head...

Is that a fair assessment? And am I getting a little ahead of myself in all this? Maybe I need a little more hand holding still? Or perhaps I just need to keep reading and fight through this feeling of being overwhelmed...

Thoughts?

 

[chuck-ia]

I would say it is normal to feel overwhelmed if you look at the whole gun at once. I think a lot of people (like me)look at each component as a job all in itself, such as inletting the barrel, don't worry about the buttplate or whatever just concentrate on the job at hand and do the best you can. When that is done the best you can, then move on to another component. flinch

 

[44-henry]

You might want to consider purchasing a few videos on the process. There are some good ones out there that people here can recommend. I have both Hershel House and Mike Miller's video, Turpins also I guess. Only problem is that they can make some of these processes look deceptively easy, but they do show a lot that you won't necessarily get from the books.

I would also consider a flintlock as well, the percussion recommendation was based on your original post. Most southern mountain rifles were also percussion, but getting them right with all the plumbing an be a pain.

 

[Supercracker]

Chambers has a very good instructional DVD for building a rifle from one of their kits. I highly recommend it. Their kits are also probably about as good as it gets. I'm just finishing up the finish on a NE Fowler stocked rifle for a buddy of mine. Very high quality. Still a lot of work, but very high quality.

 

[MSW]

as it says in the good book, "be ye not afraid..."

if you can rehab a centerfire firearm, i'd say the chances are pretty good that you can tackle a 'kit' (i'd say 'parts collection' s a better description) ... get The Gunsmith of Grenville County
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/321/1/BOOK-GGC

... worth the forty bucks, especially when you count the parts you don't ruin and the mistakes you don't make.

also, don't feel intimidated by all this stuff ... if you can visualize the steps, you should have little trouble 'making it happen.'

I would start with a southern mountain style - they are pretty straight forward and they'll serve you well.



should we warn him of the highly addictive nature of this building business?

na - another one turned to the dark side...

 

[BigJay]

Thank you guys. Glad to know the overwhelmed feeling is to be expected

Supercracker, I kind of love the idea of watching a DVD that walks through the steps of the actual gun I would be building. Do you have any specific recommendation or links to specific DVD/kits?

Thanks again!

 

[MSW]

check out American Pioneer
http://www.americanpioneervideo.com/index.html

also look at Hershel House's DVD, here: http://www.amazon.com/Building-Kentucky-Rifle-Part-DVD/dp/B0028IMO1U/ref=pd_sim_mov_2

also, try the search feature at this website ... there are some good tutorials.

 

[BigJay]

Awesome, thanks MSW! I just ordered the Hershel House DVDs (Part 1 and Part 2) as well as the companion book. Can't wait to watch!

 

[Col. Batguano]

My first build was a naval carriage for a cannon. That was more of a woodworking project than an art project, which is what a LR build is. Rifles and pistols take almost the same amount of work to build.

 

[Black Hand]

Big J,
Build a smoothbore Trade Gun. They would be an excellent "intermediate" step in the building curve (in my opinion). As a matter of fact, an Early English trade gun from Northstar West was my first build.

Was it perfect? Not by any means.
It did teach me many important lessons and has been a dependable gun for many years. I have toyed with the idea of re-working it, but keep it as a reminder of where I started.

 

[crockett]

If you have not yet obtained a Track of the Wolf catalog ($10) do so. They have a number of kits and they will do some work (like fitting a breech plug, etc for you for a slight extra fee.
Note- by "kits" these aren't the 95% GPR type kits, you get mostly the parts and finish everything. The forestock is square but the ramrod hole is drilled (saves buying a tool) and the barrel channel is often inlet.

 

[tenngun]

just finished a northwest kit from tack,Took about 100 hours.All my rifles and smoothies have been plain from just parts to buying a kit like tracks.Just be careful and take your time,dont beat yourself up from mistakes.Lot of old guns had big mistakes.The fun is the job.