Rifle Kits

I have a .36 caliber, 44-inch long barrel. I don't worry about fowling but then I do try to swab it after every 2nd or 3rd shot.

I never consider fowling as being a factor of the caliber. What type powder do you shoot? After some testing, I shoot Pyrodex Pistol powder in my small caliber rifle.
Because it's a flintlock I shoot 3F black powder .
 
Just made my first trip to the Smoky’s in Tennessee in May. Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge. We came back to MD via 40 to 85 in NC. Beautiful rugged country out there. Never associated mountains to NC before that trip.
You are in Maryland? You might want to come up to Gettysburg this coming weekend, there is a Civil War Show at the Eisenhower Center as well as multiple living histories. My group, 2nd MD Co C CS will be at Pitzer's Woods on Confederate Ave Sat & Sun and we have individuals who carry kit made, originals and repros, if you do come up, ask for Ray at Pitzer's...…..
 
Hi all. This may get long and I apologize but here goes. I’m an avid hunter and I love shooting and hunting with my 50 cal flintlock. I also have been looking hard recently at Model 1861 Springfields. I found a “build it yourself” kit that Traditions makes. I guess ultimately my question is can anyone just build it? I’m no woodworker but I can sand paper or file if needed for final fit and finish. Has anyone ever built a rifle kit? Could a complete novice build a rifle successfully? Thanks in advance for any replies!
Just looked at the kit and it doesn't look bad, I particularly like the weight, it is correct for the '61 which many of the repros are not, being almost 3lbs too heavy. Personally, I would make one from original parts, but that's just me and you would/should have the barrel Xrayed or otherwise proofed (double load and rest weapon in a tire and pull trigger with a cord from a safe distance)……...
 
I agree. This is my experience with a .58 caliber rifle.
I bought a .58 caliber Zouave rifle off of a co-worker years ago and bought all his ammo and powder and primers. I tried a patched ball and it was extremely tight, especially after some fowling had built up. I almost had to hammer it down the barrel. The Minie' ball was much easier but I tend to believe it was too loose.
The previous owner had installed a vernier peep sight mounted further back on the wood grip. I used the production sights but never worked up a load to get a good grouping. So I just fired it to see what damage it could do. I never even really tried to get the peep sight to work.
I sold it less than a year later as it was just a waste of too much lead and too much powder with litter return on the fun of shooting it. I recently had the opportunity to purchase another one at an estate sale but I didn't even think about it.
Instead, I bought this Dixie Gun Works .50 caliber long rifle. It isn't pretty---which makes me think it was a kit build --- but it is fun to shoot.

View attachment 313014
Yeah, that’s a Dixie Gun Works Mountain Rifle.

I bought the same kit in ‘84. I wanted something fun and dependable to shoot but also wanted something that would work for the French & Indian War, Rev War, and up to and including the War of 1812. First endeavor in gun (kit) building. As you say, “not pretty” but I maintain that it wasn’t meant to be pretty. It was a working man’s gun, meant to bring home food and to be used as defense if need be.

A3950C05-804D-43A0-A8AC-A10707EEB87D.jpeg
 
Yeah, that’s a Dixie Gun Works Mountain Rifle.

I bought the same kit in ‘84. I wanted something fun and dependable to shoot but also wanted something that would work for the French & Indian War, Rev War, and up to and including the War of 1812. First endeavor in gun (kit) building. As you say, “not pretty” but I maintain that it wasn’t meant to be pretty. It was a working man’s gun, meant to bring home food and to be used as defense if need be.

Actually DGW calls it a Tennessee Mountain Rifle. What I meant by "not pretty" is that it has gaps in places that it shouldn't. I will most likely have to remove the lockplate to clean the fowling under the drum.

I used to read some Mountain Men reenactor materials years ago. I know they made "trade rifles" used by fur traders and traded with the Indians. But was there such a design as a "Tennessee rifle"? I suppose if it was made in Tennessee then there was a thang.

I remember reading one article about a Mountain Man reenactor that included a photo of his hunt and his equipment. The patch bore of his rifle had a nick cut out of it. He said it was caused by mice chewing on the grease left in it from his lubed patches he kept there.
 
Yeah, that’s a Dixie Gun Works Mountain Rifle.

I bought the same kit in ‘84. I wanted something fun and dependable to shoot but also wanted something that would work for the French & Indian War, Rev War, and up to and including the War of 1812. First endeavor in gun (kit) building. As you say, “not pretty” but I maintain that it wasn’t meant to be pretty. It was a working man’s gun, meant to bring home food and to be used as defense if need be.

View attachment 313394
I wasn't brave enough to buy the kit and got the assembled rifle . The barrel came browned which I really like . I love flintlocks , but it takes a long time to clean them properly .
 
My very rudimentary, simplistic impression is that these type of rifles started in Pennsylvania with German gun-making immigrants. The gun style was then taken into the frontier with the pioneers (Kentucky, Tennessee). My understanding is that the fancier rifles with much adornment (inlays) are usually referred to as Pennsylvania long rifles while the plain looking, unadorned rifles are generally referred to as poor man’s rifles or southern rifles.
 
The heavily adorned Pennsylvania rifles are post American revolution. Before that they were much plainer . The so-called Roman nosed stock may have appeared very late in the Revolution , but was not around as shown in the movie Last of the Mohicans . The mountain style rifles were made with minimal adornment to keep the cost down for the poorer backwoods folk . Generally iron mountings instead of brass , a simple hole for the patch grease instead of a patch box , etc. Functional but not fancy .
 
But was there such a design as a "Tennessee rifle"? I suppose if it was made in Tennessee then there was a thang.

Yup. Enjoy the read.
http://americansocietyofarmscollectors.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/B023_hALE.pdf

Many collectors think of the typical Tennessee rifle as one which is relatively plain, is iron-mounted, and has a banana-shaped patchbox or sometimes a grease-hole in the buttstock. This is true regarding many of the rifles made in the upper East Tennessee counties and to a lesser extent, or rifles made elsewhere in East Tennessee. To consider this style of rifle as typical of all Tennessee rifles, however, would be like considering the distinctive Bedford County rifles as typical examples of Pennsylvania "Kentuckies." Later on, we will look at photographs of a number of rifles from East and Middle Tennessee, including some which vary from the able common to the upper East Tennessee region.
 
My buddy may be giving me a Springfield barrel. If he does, I'll have to shop for the parts (locks, bands, sideplate, screws, buttplate, trigger guard, trigger). I've got the walnut for the stock.
 
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