This Northumberland Boys Rifle was made for small game hunting.
I felt that I needed a small lightweight gun and the idea of making a boys rifle fit the bill.
I wanted something a fairly wealthy father might buy for his son. High quality but rather plain and a joy to carry and shoot all day.
With this in mind I decided on a .36 caliber 13/16 octagon straight Green Mountain barrel cut down to 37 inches. The lock is a "John Bailes" (ref TOTW Catalog) or "Small Manton" English style Flintlock. The trigger is a regular simple curled style, not a set trigger.
It is a scaled down rifle in all respects except the pull is 13 1/2 which is still long enough to be easily shot by an adult.
The stock started life as a Pecatonica Reading Co. precarved in #2 Curly Maple. (This is a good example of developing a story like building a plain boys rifle and wishing after it was finished that it was a fancy boys rifle with a #3 CM stock.)
With the idea it would be used for rabbits the butt has 5/16 cast in it so it almost points itself when brought rapidly to the shoulder.
Although I call it a Northampton it has a lot characteristics
from a number of central Pennsylvania counties. In other words I didn't follow a School.
I also departed from the traditional carving, deciding instead to think freely and carve Oak leaves with Acorns. The break with tradition also includes German Silver Furniture.
I felt that I needed a small lightweight gun and the idea of making a boys rifle fit the bill.
I wanted something a fairly wealthy father might buy for his son. High quality but rather plain and a joy to carry and shoot all day.
With this in mind I decided on a .36 caliber 13/16 octagon straight Green Mountain barrel cut down to 37 inches. The lock is a "John Bailes" (ref TOTW Catalog) or "Small Manton" English style Flintlock. The trigger is a regular simple curled style, not a set trigger.
It is a scaled down rifle in all respects except the pull is 13 1/2 which is still long enough to be easily shot by an adult.
The stock started life as a Pecatonica Reading Co. precarved in #2 Curly Maple. (This is a good example of developing a story like building a plain boys rifle and wishing after it was finished that it was a fancy boys rifle with a #3 CM stock.)
With the idea it would be used for rabbits the butt has 5/16 cast in it so it almost points itself when brought rapidly to the shoulder.
Although I call it a Northampton it has a lot characteristics
from a number of central Pennsylvania counties. In other words I didn't follow a School.
I also departed from the traditional carving, deciding instead to think freely and carve Oak leaves with Acorns. The break with tradition also includes German Silver Furniture.