What IF you were a gun builder in 1770's?

[m-g willy]

I was thinking that out of the longrifles that I shouldered (not many) that the ones that fit me best are the Lancaster styles.
And the one muzzleloader that fits the Best of all is the TC New Englander.
So I was thinking that if I was living back in 1770 and I was to design a rifle for me, That I would have the deminisions of the butt along the lines of the TC New Englander with a wider butt.
So I was wondering what some of you guys that build rifles thoughts would be for the perfect stock designs if you wasn't copying another builders.
What changes would you make from what was being made in the 1770's?

 

[44-henry]

One thing to remember is that builders in the 18th century did not have the benefits of Internet and other media outlets. Most would have been relatively unaware of styles outside their immediate regions. Given this they would have built guns similar in style to whatever they had produced in their apprenticeships with perhaps some flavor of the particular region they chose to work in.

 

[rich pierce]

I'd build guns my customers would buy and like.

As far as style for shooting and carrying, for me nothing beats an early Christians Spring style or other very early rifles like the Faber rifle, etc. In the 1770's, a Dickert Lancaster rifle would be great for handling and shooting, but so would many other rifles of that time frame.

 

[nchawkeye]

One thing to remember is that builders in the 18th century did not have the benefits of Internet and other media outlets. Most would have been relatively unaware of styles outside their immediate regions. Given this they would have built guns similar in style to whatever they had produced in their apprenticeships with perhaps some flavor of the particular region they chose to work in.

But, people moved around...Suppose you were a wagon driver for Braddock in 1755 as Daniel Boone was...This gave you an opportunity to compare guns from different regions...He also moved from PA to NC in 1750, bringing his gun with him...There were gunsmiths down here at that time...Suppose he needed a main spring, then the gun ended up in the hands of a gunsmith...

Once the Revolution started, guns were moving around all over the Colonies...I suspect that's why brass patch boxes spread so fast...

 

[rafterob]

What IF you were a gun builder in 1770's?

I'd Be dead.

 

[Vaino]

Early on probably most gunsmiths made LRs as per their apprentice "master". Many original makers' works can be tied to the "master" they served under. Some 'smiths went to other areas and modified their style to suit the tastes of that area and some, after moving, didn't change at all. Of course the "evolution" of the MLer caused by "who knows what", had a lot to do w/ the final product irrespective of training and areas. Most of the time, changes didn't happen suddenly and good examples of this are why the first cars looked like wagons which they replaced. The Lancaster stock design persists today in modern rifles whereas the "fads" died off. Seeing I'm enamoured w/ the "curvy" Bucks County LRs which by the way, are very comfortable to shoot, I'd build them. It's surprizing how many "styles" of MLers evolved and many were uncomfortable to shoot, but evidently people still bought and shot them. In MLers it seems that the American LR stock designs early on were more sound from a shooting standpoint than the later stock designs. I don't think that any early gunsmiths had a radical, new idea for a LR and immediately started making them according to his "new design". Things developed very slowly in "those good old days".....Fred

 

[wayne1967]

What IF you were a gun builder in 1770's?

I'd Be dead.

:grin: I'd be broke. Too long of a build time and too many mistakes.

 

[Lonstar]

I was thinking that out of the longrifles that I shouldered (not many) that the ones that fit me best are the Lancaster styles.
And the one muzzleloader that fits the Best of all is the TC New Englander.
So I was thinking that if I was living back in 1770 and I was to design a rifle for me, That I would have the deminisions of the butt along the lines of the TC New Englander with a wider butt.
So I was wondering what some of you guys that build rifles thoughts would be for the perfect stock designs if you wasn't copying another builders.
What changes would you make from what was being made in the 1770's?

The way I read the question is; what if I had never seen a LR before?

Very interesting question. I have thought WHAT IF, :hmm: I forgot what little I know about building a long gun based on history or had never seen one at all and just created one. I wonder what I would come up with. It is a scary thought but I may do it. Found a very large supply of fair to excellent quality Walnut free for the asking. (I would be taking advantage of the gentleman so I would pay him well for it) It would be tough to do cause most parts or patterned after one school or another. I would hope I could come up with something that would resemble a long gun. This just sounds like fun. Now, if I can ever get done with this d#$* Virginia :cursing: I will get going on it. One thing after another.

 

[Elnathan]

My ideal rifle right at the moment? Wide (over 2"), flat, swaged buttplate, long barrel with a fairly stout breech, slim forestock, moderately long, slim, straight wrist, subtle stepped wrist (maybe 1/8"), wooden patchbox. Decorated with chip carving around the buttplate and a lion behind the cheekpiece.

I'll probably come up with something entirely different next week.

 

[jhenry1728]

I think about this pretty much every single time I'm working at the bench.

I bounce back and forth between the Lancasterian schools, Jaegers, and fowlers.

I imagine back then I'd be working for my uncle Bill (the one on the Declaration of Independence) and working my hinder off to fill the order from the Continental Army. So it wouldn't be a choice...