Re-creating an early longrifle

[rich pierce]

This is based on rifle #19 in Shumway's Rifles of Colonial America volume 1. The original is walnut stocked, has an octagon to round smoothbored barrel of .54 caliber or so, has no particular "school" features, and no parts or features that would necessarily date it to after 1770. Shumway thought it was likely made in the 1750's-1760's but it could have been made later, obviously. I had John Getz make me a custom barrel profiled off the original, and he rifled it for me (I wanted a rifle). I agree 100% that having an octagon to round, rifled barrel is not normal" or "common" for the period. The stock is Michigan walnut, the lock a Chambers germanic, reshaped a bit to have less curvature, with a little filework on the tail. The furniture is highly modified from commercial castings. I pretty much replicated the original dimensions with a little tweaking to have it fit me perfectly. I'll also post this under the historical area for discussion there. Critiques are welcome. Years ago Ron Luckenbill did a stellar re-creation of this rifle and that served as inspiration for me.

 

[Mickc01]

WOW, she's a beaut! Beautiful worksmanship and just as I'd imagine an early longrifle to be. Great job!! Thanks for sharing... :hatsoff:

 

[rabjr]

Woowza! :bow:

Whats the length of barrel Rich and what it end up weighing? Very nice, I like that! :thumbsup:

 

[Roy]

I like it.. Nice job :thumbsup:

 

[rich pierce]

Woowza! :bow:

Whats the length of barrel Rich and what it end up weighing? Very nice, I like that! :thumbsup:

The barrel is 40" and it weighs about 7 and a quarter (close as I can tell). Light for target work but great for woodsrunning.

 

[tg]

very well done Rich a welcome change from the norm
did you slip and make those long scratches along the forestock and lower butstock? :rotf: :rotf:

 

[54ball]

Wow Rich,
You nailed it. That is the quintessential example of the "plain colonial era rifle". In the future when that topic comes up, this rifle should be shown. It's plain but it has incised lines, molded lock panels, carved cheek molding, simple carving behind the cheek and it even gas a small amount of engraving on the butt plate. Nicely done and they did not get much plainer than this. On the other hand very few were fancier.
When I see this rifle I think of similar rifles produced by the hundreds for the deerskin trade. I can also see a similar rifle in the hands of Morgan's men or being toted through the Cumberland gap.
All in all a great job. :hatsoff:

 

[hoochiepapa]

Nice work, Rich!! And light, too!

 

[lonehunter]

Very nice looking rifle Rich.

 

[smo]

Great job Rich, :thumbsup:

 

[Keb]

Nice job.

 

[Vaino]

Truly meticulous work and your rifle begs to be held. You did a nice job w/ the walnut especially the low sheen. When's the next one and what will it be?....Fred

 

[msuspartan]

BTW Rich, Happy Birthday!!!! :hatsoff:

Love the rifle. Very clean lines and nicely done.
Beautiful wood and lines.
Would be proud to have that in my collection.

Cheers, DonK

 

[rich pierce]

Thanks, all. Fred, I have parts for about 6 guns. I am leaning towards either a Hudson Valley Fowler (54" round 12 ga by Ed Rayl, TRS lock, Reeves Goehring furniture and a real piece of Hudson valley curly maple, a Kentucky fowler based on a Fainot gun with a 52" Getz 20 ga, or a 1740's-1750's American stocked rifle with an extremely humpy-breeched custon barrel, either in .54 or 62 based on the "tulip rifle".

 

[rootsy]

So many options to build... So little time... What's a person to do?

Nice #19 rendition too. There is something to be said for clean simplicity in artistic endeavors. Not that the venture was simple by any stretch.

 

[sutherland]

That's a beautifully crafted rifle, Rich! Congratulations on a job well done. Let us know how it shoots.

 

[ehoff]

Fantastic job!

 

[Robby]

Rich, Beautiful job on #19 :thumbsup: I'm finding out just how hard it is to capture that early look with an Andres Albrect type gun I'm working on. I'd say you nailed it pretty darn good. Thanks!
Robby

 

[Tatonka]

Beautiful work. I own the original no. 19 rifle. It is being copied by another maker as we speak as part of a historical presentation he is developing. I think it is probably my favorite gun of all time. It's not fancy or anything, but you can just feel history when you are holding it.

I didn't see a photo of the bottom of the trigger guard on your gun. The original has a unique engraving there.

 

[MSW]

tremendous looking rifle! congratulations on a really nice job!