A little about the Franklin:
If your interested, it's a .50 Green Mountain barrel, Syler Precussion Lock Kit (castings, screws and springs). #3 Pecatonica CM stock that started off as a "Verner", which I modified.
I styled it after Franklin County School which is very similar to the Bedford except stouter. By that I mean it has the same radical drop of the comb as the Bedford but the lock is not the traditional very slim and long lockplate of the Bedford. It uses a more traditional lock. I used photos of a Schwietzer gun for reference.
This gun represents a 1800-1815 era rifle which was converted to Precussion. Yes, I know the German Silver wasn't used then but I like the looks of it.
The contrast of the stripes I attribute to the Lye Water treatment I posted about and several coats of Walnut and Colonial Brown water based stain. That explains the reddish cast to the color.
As I recall (I built it is 1998) it has over 16 coats of True Oil on it which I polished out with Silver Polish.
It represents the type of gun owned by the very wealthy people who could afford all of the extras.
I really went nuts when I built this gun and installed over 32 German Silver and Sterling Silver inlays plus a pierced Patchbox. (In fact, I got so damn tired of installing inlays on it, the next gun I built only had 3! I call it a Southern because of it's style and its lack of frills like inlays and a patchbox. It is brass mounted and it's a .54 Flintlock).
I guess it's a combination of the caliber and the stock comb drop but this Franklin is the most unpleasent gun to shoot of all of the guns I've built. It gives a good whack to the cheekbone under my right eye every time its fired. Good enough to leave a light bruse.
