would this at least sorta fit?

[longcruise]

A plains rifle of the late flint period 1835 to 1845, fullstock, straight barrel and a late ketland lock?

pins or keys?

 

[rusty]

I would say a Late Lancaster plain maple some were walnut ,barrel straight or swamped .50 or 54 cal,I would get a swamped barrel myself.a single trigger,and three barrel keys,Chambers Late Ketland lock,butt plate etc. are brass.hope this helps you out..d

 

[frogwalking]

If you use a hooked breech, use keys.

 

[rich pierce]

A plains rifle of the late flint period 1835 to 1845, fullstock, straight barrel and a late ketland lock?

pins or keys?

Yep. Pins on a less fancy rifle.

 

[longcruise]

Yes, not to be fancy. An everyday everymans rifle.

 

[54ball]

Research Leman and Conestoga Rifle works

 

[rusty]

If you look at pictures of original trade rifles,you notice that most appear to have keys,but pins will work too,I personaly like keys because it is much easier to take the barrel off. about 5 years ago I wanted a typical 1830's trade rifle as well after looking at pictures.I got what I wrote above..oh and a four piece patch box,but any plain
Late Lancaster would be fine.Leman rifles did not show up until the very late in the western fur trade,late 1830's.It seems like the J.J Henry trade rifles were the most common trade rifles;

 

[longcruise]

Had not thought about the Lemans. A good source for construction techniques, etc. That said, I once shouldered a Leman replica that Jack Brooks was showing and it turned me from the thought of aLeman replica. Would fit a small frontiersman or a small plains Indian, but they are a terrible fit for a 6' 2" modern man!

my main concern is the appropriateness of the lock. Guess it will basically be a late Lancaster built simply and adequate to hard use in the mountains of the west. Cause that's what it's for😊

 

[galamb]

A plains rifle of the late flint period 1835 to 1845, fullstock, straight barrel and a late ketland lock?

pins or keys?

Yes - perfectly viable. I personally believe that if a "flint Hawken Plains/Mountain rifle" ever did turn up it would more likely have a Ketland lock on it than the Ashmore (Late English) style that Track sells with their kit.

If you are using a hooked breech keys just make more sense.

If you are using a fixed breech there are numerous examples of either keys or pins.

I personally prefer a fixed breech with pins, but a Hawken style hooked flint breech, with the liner screwed into the plug and the barrel held with keys would be totally acceptable from a "correct looking" point of view.

 

[54ball]

Was the Leman too short on you? Or was it other factors like drop?
A Leman pretty much is a Late Lancaster. You can get a stock with a longer length of pull. There is more to it than that but if it does not fit it does not fit.

I suggest you try as many longrifle styles as possible. If you have to, you may want to make a try stock out of plywood to get your length of pull and drop.

I was going to suggest a Dickert as he was a very prolific maker and one was supposedly used at the battle of the Alamo in 1836. Dickert usually used the Germanic style lock and all the Dirkerts I have seen have had that type of lock, but I have not studied Dickert in depth.

 

[longcruise]

The leman was both too short and had too much drop. Jack told me that my reaction was pretty typical. Nevertheless, he prefers to build them to authentic specs. I think setting off one of the Track builds in .58 would be a real attention getter!

So, I have on the bench the lock, .54 dehaas 40" barrel, and a blank with barrel channel and ram rod groove. The basic ingredients needing only a few choices to be brought to life.

The input you fine folks have provided has helped me to decide that a Lancaster style would be a good choice. The architecture is shooter friendly and hopefully will make a good elk rifle.

 

[hoochiepapa]

That's what mine is, a late Lancaster with a 42" Getz swamped barrel in .54. Someone else said get a swamped barrel, and I agree. Much better weight distribution.

 

[longcruise]

Mike, I thought about the swamped barrel but in the end, I have the straight barrel on hand. I may shorten it up but need to do some weight calcs first. I don't mind a rifle on the heavy side. OTOH, they all get heavier each year! But, each year I walk less. Eventually I'll walk a hundred yards to sit and wait. When I can't do that I'll enlist a grandson to walk me to my stand!

 

[hoochiepapa]

I know I've probably beat this into the ground, but I have two .50 cal 37" swamped barrels that I intend on building Isaac Haines style rifles on. They will be light, and probably not done until you're ready for that walk with your grandson! :haha:

 

[longcruise]

Hey, don't rush me down that road! (smiley here my phone won't embed one!)

 

[rusty]

If you would like to have a swamped barrel you could try to trade the straight barrel off.A straight barrel is fine but if it is a 1'' diameter barrel,that rifle will be real heavy.I have a 44''swamped barrel on my J.J Henry copy,I will never use a straight barrel again,just a thought.