Half-stock Barrel Ribs

[JOHN L. HINNANT]

Greetings All,

Does anybody know where I can get a longer than 24 inch barrel rib for a 1-1/8" barrel? Am building a heavy 42"barrel Hawken for "chunk gun" and "X- stick" shooting.

A standard 24" rib is just too short. Makes the stock fore-arm too long and out of proportion to rest of the stock.

Thanks and best regards, John L. Hinnant

 

If you cannot find a rib long enough for your application do not dispair. Wooden ribs were common in the old days and acceptable as "traditional" on a chumk gun. I have used several for just such situations as you mention.

I usually plan these moves in advance and obtain stock blanks from companies that include the slab they saw off of the barrel channel as a reinforcement strip for shipping. That way my rib is from wood that matches the stock in curl or stain absorption.

You may also consider stopping the rib well short of the muzzle, leaving a "flat" for the barrel to rest on the chunk. The rules only say that a gun must be fitted for a ramrod, not that it has to be present while the shot is fired. Many of the full stock guns have wide flat areas at the fore end just for this purpose.

Many of the origional chunk guns from my neck of the woods started life as 3/4 stock guns. That pattern was popular in the TN hill country, though not coppied by the repro builders. They were made just like a half stock, except that the rib was only in the last 12" or so of a 44" barrel.

You have lots of options, and your gun dosen't have to look just like the next fellow's gun to shoot well or fit the rules.

:m2c:

 

[Donny]

::John, why even put a rib on it?? don ::

 

[Ohio Joe]

John,

Try, www.trackofthewolf.com

They have a 32" - under rib for the 1 1/8" barrel. I think it's about $25.00 dollars? Anyway, go to Gun Parts, then to, Under Ribs. You'll find them. :thumbsup:

 

[Ohio Joe]

John,

One other thing. If your planning to use this rifle for cross stick competition you may want to keep in mind that the weight limit is 14 pounds for the NMLRA Buffalo Cross Stick Match. Muzzle Loading Clubs usually uphold this rule, but that is not to say all do. If the National Shoot's are in your thoughts, the weight of the rifle should be considered. There is no weight limit on the Chunk Gun. Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[JOHN L. HINNANT]

Greetings ghost, Donny, Ohio Joe,

Thanks for your suggestions, and my apologies for not getting back to you guys sooner.

Ohio, I did find the long 32" inch rib at TOW. Thanks.

I am a long time Hawken fan, ML hunter, and competition shooter. My latest Hawken project is to replicate one of the long 42-44 inch barrel Hawken rifles. Some of the original's were obviously for target shooting, but others were for hunting. Anybody that could handle one of those rifles with a 42-44 inch barrel 1-1/8 to 1-3/16's inch across the flats for hunting, was some kind of a man.

My rifle will be used primarily for X-Sticks shooting. figure if I just miss the 14# limit, then I will remove the rib and put it back on for "chunk gun" shooting.

Anyway, that is my plan.

Thanks again for the help and suggestions.

Best regards, John L. Hinnant