Latest build (Update - first function test on page 2)

[jeffnles1]

A few photos of my most recent flintlock rifle build. (see my post on page 2 about accuracy potential and some general discussion.. Happy to try to answer questions. If I don't know the answer, I'll just say I don't know).
Southern style Squirrel rifle
.36 cal 44" swamped Green Mountain barel
Davis double sett triggers
Steel hardware
Chambers Late Ketland lock (slight modification on lock plate)
Walnut stock

link to some more photos of the build up process.
https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=c5be8c27031dfca2&id=C5BE8C27031DFCA2%211163&ithint=folder,jpg&authkey=!AJcliNjAC3i42Ls

Jeff

 

[gunman42782]

Beautiful!

 

[JPGLSG]

Now that is as sweet, as sweet can be. I would be proud to have talent to build something like what you have there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ncrobb]

Nice work!

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

SWEET!! nothing like a classic old Flinter.

Thanks for sharing
Terry

 

[jeffnles1]

Thanks for the compliments.

Here is a link to some more photos of the full build process:

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=C5BE8C27031DFCA2!1163&authkey=!AJcliNjAC3i42Ls&ithint=folder%2cjpg

Jeff

 

[Rumrunner]

Very nice job.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

That is absolutely beautiful! Very classy.

 

[PriseDeFer]

Lovely, lovely lines. Hit or miss, you'll look good doing it.

 

[jeffnles1]

Lovely, lovely lines. Hit or miss, you'll look good doing it.

Would take more than a pretty rifle to make me look good.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Enlighten me on what is meant by a "swamped" barrel? I have seen the term but don't know what it means. Thanks.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Jeff, it's been a while since we've seen a piece of your handiwork: this one's definitely worth the wait! Thank you, and I hope it shoots as good as it looks, too.

Rick C

 

[JPGLSG]

Jeff....Was just dreaming.....How much to build me one ?????

 

[jeffnles1]

Enlighten me on what is meant by a "swamped" barrel? I have seen the term but don't know what it means. Thanks.

A swamped barrel is one that is tapered and flared. It is wide at the breech, narrows for a bit at the middle and flares back out at the muzzle.

What is the reason?
1) aesthetics - it is part of what gives a longrifle that long graceful look.
2) puts weight at the breech end back by your hands for better balance of the long barrels.
3) the flare back at the muzzle helps keep the sights more or less even so you don't have an exceedingly high front sight.

Mainly, it is about exaggerating the long graceful lines of a rifle.

I've read the old barrels were swamped not on purpose but as part of the hand forging process. I don't buy it. If they could forge a swamped barrel, they could forge a straight barrel. I think they did it for the reasons above (balance and look).

Thanks for the compliments guys, much appreciated.

Jeff

 

[jeffnles1]

Jeff....Was just dreaming.....How much to build me one ?????

JPGLSG,
I don't build them to sell. I've sold a few to fund other projects but not something I do much of.

I'd be hard pressed to quote a price on a gun like this. To have a fellow buy the parts and build the rifle would probably be in the $1,800 - $2,000 range and that may be conservative. The ones I've sold were to very close friends and I didn't charge that much but these are shooting buddies I've known for 30 years and they are more like family.

Again, I'm hesitant to even quote a price since I'm not a builder who makes for sale rifles.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

 

[R77PA]

very nice. Wish I had time and skill. Thinking about getting a 50cal built.

 

[jeffnles1]

I had a PM from one of our members suggesting I should make a brief write-up about accuracy and potential of these rifles.

While not the world's greatest expert, I have been shooting flintlocks for about 30 years and a hobbyist builder for about 20 years.

Accuracy potential:
Shooting from a bench, a run of the mill flintlock hunting rifle like the one I've posted here will give between 1/2" and 1" groups at 50 yards. Eyesight is the limiting factor. If one were to put a scope or high grade target sights, at 50 and 100 yards, a flintlock target rifle will give a modern center fire rifle a run for its money.

Looking sporter flintlock hunting rifle vs. sporter center fire bolt action rifle, at under 100 yards, accuracy potential is pretty much equal. If shooting offhand, there's not much difference at all.

At 100 yards; however, wind drift and drop with a round ball starts to take a toll. 100 yard groups will range between 1" and 5" with 3" being a good average. Eyesight and open "V" sights are a limiting factor. If one looks at these groups and compares with, oh, let's say a Marlin 336 with similar buckhorn sights, you're going to see about the same kind of groups. Said differently, "minute of deer" accuracy is well within reach of any shooter with even moderate skill shooting a rifle.

OK, you may ask about killing power. Ballistics tables, feet per second, kinetic energy charts don't really tell the tale here. From muzzle to about 100 yards, a .50cal or .54 cal roundball shooting flintlock is about as effective as a 30-30. In fact, most of the deer I've shot or seen shot with a .54 or .58 round ball (my favorite is these 2 calibres) drop like they were hit by the hammer of Thor. Really anything .45 up to about .58 is potent deer medicine. Over .58 in a rifle or .62 (most common caliber smooth bore) and you're getting into diminishing returns. More recoil more lead more powder for very little improved terminal performance.

.40 muzzleloaders are an interesting breed. Every .40 (and .54 for that matter) I've ever shot has been tremendously accurate. The .40 is a good small game / medium game caliber (squirrels, coyotes, fox, coon, etc.) and I know guys who hunt deer with them and say they drop fast. Below .40 and you're getting into squirrel rifle. Yes, lots of deer were killed in the old days with .38 or so rifles but I prefer to hit them with something bigger.

The stories we read about Daniel Boone and the guys "barking" squirrels by hitting the branch right below the squirrels head thus killing it with the bark are probably true. The question I have is did old Daniel just shoot low?

Probably more than you all wanted to hear.

Jeff

 

[WendyZXZ]

That is very nice work!

 

[jeffnles1]

Wendy, thanks.

Regarding load, what kind of load would one shoot in a flintlock?

Like any rifle, each is a thing unto itself and no 2 are the same. A traditional load for a round ball shooting muzzleloader is to place a roundball in the palm of your hand and cup the hand then pour enough powder in your hand to just cover the ball. On an average size hand, that will come out to be about 1gr weight powder per caliber (i.e. about 35gr of powder for a 36 caliber round ball). If you have hands the size of an NBA player, well, this doesn't work so well so just figure about 1gr powder per caliber as a good place to start and then go up or down 20% or so to find the most accurate load for your rifle. One thing to remember is you don't need to stoke 150gr of black powder down the barrel under a .54 caliber round ball to bring down a deer or most any other critter that a round ball is going to kill for that matter).

OK, more info than any of you all ever wanted to know, I'm sure.

Jeff

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Jeff,
Just OUTSTANDING. I have a couple of kit guns I built in the mid 70s. I friend of mine was building very nice ones from scratch at the time. I was going to build a swamped barrel similar to yours, but never did. I still have the ones I built a Lyman Plaines Rifle percussion and a Pennsylvania flint both in 50 cal. Also built a couple of pistols.
Some of the Ruger Guys shot the flint at the last Rugerfest
Keep up the great work.
Jim

 

[tom black]

Jeff,
Just found your post. Very nice indeed. I am constantly amazed at you guys who can build something like this. Thanks for posting.
Tom Black

 

[jeffnles1]

Thanks all.
I took her out over the weekend for a function test. Not really looking for accuracy and didn't do any load development. Mainly shooting shots into the hillside just to see how she went bang.

This is the first group I shot. I havent' touched the sights yet. My measurements show about a 2.5" group. This was about 25 yards offhand. Not a very impressive group but considering I wasn't really trying for anything other than to proof the barrel and be sure she went bang, I'm well pleased.

This was standing offhand at 25 yards.

Jeff

 

[ncrobb]

Fascinating reading. Thanks for posting.