Weird Fullstock Rifle

[BigSkyRambler]

Has anyone ever seen a "wrap around " forestock like on this fullstocked percussion rifle? Looks like last 6" before muzzle completely encloses ramrod.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I'm going to move this to antique firearms, and YES THAT IS WEIRD

Intriguing too... thanks for the post!

LD

 

[Mulebrain]

That appears to be a chunk gun stock, with that bulbous nose

 

[BigSkyRambler]

OK.

 

[BigSkyRambler]

That appears to be a chunk gun stock, with that bulbous nose

Hadn't thought of that. I will have a better idea when in my hands.

 

[Rudyard]

Looks a bit flash for a chunk gun, but yes its a chunk gun ide say . Many had a build in' reverse vanity' the uglier the better , warts an all , scale still on the barrel ect . Chunk gunners are a fine group of fun shooters. That I know for sure .
Regards Rudyard

 

[TDM]

Even for a chunk gun that’s a new one for me. Interesting.

 

[Rancocas]

Nothing weird about it. It is a "Chunkgun". Sure. Usually they have a heavy, target barrel, as the one you pictured appears to have. However, a heavy barrel is not necessary, so some chunkguns just have a standard dimension barrel.
See the one on the bottom here. The bulbus end of the forearm is called a "cant block". They can be placed at the very end of the stock, as is the one you pictured, or further back as this one is. Sometimes a cant block is a separate piece, detachable from the stock. In chunkgun shooting matches (aka over-the-log shooting matches) the cant block rest on the log (chunk) when shooting prone.
"Cant", as in "hold at an angle".
Chunkgun/Over-the-log matches are fired prone, with round ball and real black power, open iron sights, and usually from a range of 60 yards. This type of shooting matches are mainly popular throughout the midwest.

 

[beardedhorse]

Rancocas. Are all those rifles left hand or right hand with image reversed? Without a cant block, would resting the rifle on the log for multiple shot relays against the ramrod pipe, ramrod or forestock with the ramrod out scuff the pipe, rod or stock? For shooting one shot at a tethered golf ball on a tee or a "hole in one" novelty shoot there is little damage to a conventional full stock without cant block.

 

[Rancocas]

Rancocas. Are all those rifles left hand or right hand with image reversed? Without a cant block, would resting the rifle on the log for multiple shot relays against the ramrod pipe, ramrod or forestock with the ramrod out scuff the pipe, rod or stock? For shooting one shot at a tethered golf ball on a tee or a "hole in one" novelty shoot there is little damage to a conventional full stock without cant block.

Yes, they are all left handed. They are my "main battery" and I'm a lefty.
I suppose that a standard type rifle, resting on a hard surface could result in some scuffing. However, the cant block is not meant to protect the stock from recoil over a hard surface. The cant block is merely a flat, level steadying device that is permitted on the special target rifles generally called "chunkguns".
You can see in the picture above that there are two brass "knobs" on the cant block of my chunkgun. These do protect the wood finish. I did not ask for them when a friend made the gun for me. He is an experienced chunkgun shooter and builder, and he added those brass knobs on his own. The stock of my chunkgun is a real nice piece of maple. Many, if not most chunkguns are rather plain.
Many competitors in over-the-log shoots do use their deer rifles. In fact, I used my percussion deer rifle, pictured at the top, for several years before I got the chunkgun. A purpose made chunkgun is too heavy to carry around in the hunting fields, and too heavy for off hand shooting.
My chunkgun, pictured above, weighs 16 pounds. Some are much heavier than that. For comparison, my fowler pictured just above my chunkgun only weighs 6 pounds.

 

[Secesh]

Has anyone ever seen a "wrap around " forestock like on this fullstocked percussion rifle? Looks like last 6" before muzzle completely encloses ramrod. View attachment 227844

What is the length of the barrel on this one?

 

[Rancocas]

What is the length of the barrel on this one?

Don't know about the one that started this thread, but my chunkgun, pictured above, has a 46" barrel, 1 1/8" across the flats, .50 caliber. The other three have 42" barrels. The top two are .50 cal. and the fowler is .62 (20 ga)