Patchbox for Chambers early Lancaster

[CWC]

I'm building an early Lancaster from a Chambers kit. I'd like to try to make my own patchbox from sheet brass. I've got several books that show how to make one, but I'd like some advice on picking a design. I plan to try to replicate the patchbox based on a picture. My main concern is to keep the design true to the early Lancaster design. Can anyone point me towards a specific picture I can reference? Thanks!

 

[Birddog6]

Call Jim Chambers & ask him what rifles it closely replicates. He will know what would be most fitting for that particular rifle.

:thumbsup:

Keith Lisle

 

[Vaino]

Have built a few Chambers' early Lancasters and am presently building another using his hardware but from a blank. I really like the Lancaster architecture but the carving and Pboxes are similar on many original LRs of this area. I don't like the "Daisy Head" design so it's always a chore to make a differently designed Pbox. Shumway's RCA., vol. 1 displays many Lncasters and some don't have the "Daisy Head". Shown below are some Pboxes I made that avoid the "daisy Head"....

Good luck on your build....Fred

 

[Vaino]

For some unknown reason can't post this along w/ the others. Chambers' early Lancaster is similar to a LR by Isaac Haines which is pictured in RCA., vol. 1.
The engraving on all these Pboxes is by Tim Adlam

 

[Herb]

I built a Chambers Mark Silver early Virginia rifle and had the same problem. Here are some I considered. Kindig's "Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in its Golden Age" (you should be able to get this through an interlibrary loan for free) has a lot of good photos. I considered J. Haga on page 144, a Lancaster Daisy. Also p 239, N. Beyer. Also p. 249, J.P.Beck, a similar one also shown in the book "Steel Canvas" on page 45. And Muzzle Blast magazine cover for March 1989, a Chambers Lancaster. MB Jan 2004, a Gusler Lancaster. Feb 2000, a Mark Silvers Virginia rifle. Also consider the rifle from the movie "The Patriot". See thread on this forum, "Rifle from Patriot", dated around 08/19/04, http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/php?tid/30444 (I think - if wrong, someone please correct). Also get the books Rifles of Colonial America, vol I and II, you'll find many good photos there. Someone on the above thread said the Patriot rifle was based on the rifle shown on page 526 (Vol II).I designed, sawed and engraved this box.

 

[CWC]

Calling Chambers to find out what he based the gun on is a great idea! Not sure why I didn't think of that....

All the pics you guys posted show some great looking p-boxes. If mine looks half as nice I'll be thrilled. Most of the posted pics show domed lid boxes. Domed lids require silver soldering skills and equipment, correct? If so, I think that's beyond my skills at this point.

 

[Vaino]

I dome the lids w/ form dies made from oak blocks but the form lines have to be "sharpened" w/ steel parallels. Silver soldering the end caps isn't that difficult. Again...good luck w/ yours....Fred

 

[Herb]

I think the book "The Gunsmith of Grenville County" by Peter Alexander (I hope, mine is loaned out) shows how to make a domed patch box lid. You should be able to get this book from an interlibrary loan, or for about $50 from Scurlock Publishing, I think. Or buy the blank kit with formed hinge and domed lid from Chambers for $75(!) like I did.

 

[Vaino]

MBS has a nice Pbox kit w/ a domed lid and neat hinge for under $25. Normally I make my Pboxes but did use this kit one time when time was short. Really nice but the crease lines still have to be sharpened. Nice work on the Pbox....Fred

 

[Stophel]

What constitutes "early"?

The neatest one, I think, is the earlier Dickert-type box lid. One is shown in Rifles of Colonial America, and I think it shows the inside of the box lid also (it's just a lid by itself, sadly, the gun is long gone), so you can see how it was constructed. :wink:

 

[Herb]

I forgot the best book,"Gunsmiths of Lancaster County, PA" by James Whisker. Many good patch boxes here, like J.P. Beck on page 176. You should be able to get this book from Interlibrary Loan. This .50 early Lancaster is one I built. See it on this forum 1/26/10, "Custom .50 Early Lancaster Flintlock" by Herb.

 

[Herb]

Here's another one I have in process. Based loosly on John Hagy, p120 in Gunsmiths of Lancaster County by Whisker. This box is from Muzzleloader Builders Supply, they have a lot of nice boxes. The screws are for fitting the box, they will be replaced with correct straight slot screws.

 

[trdigger]

I have an early Lancaster kit in the works, and called Jim and asked the question. He said it most closely resembled a Dickert,like the ones in RCA 1.I will be doing a wood patchbox on mine per their reccomendations. It is my first build, and they said it would be much easier, and more representative of an early rifle.

 

[tg]

Wood would be the best bet, but for brass I would go with a single piece with no side panels for an early gun and not used "Golden age" guns as patterns, there are some brass patchboxes in the RCA books there are some early ones on pgs 313,333