halfstock in 1812

[Hammerhead]

have a friend who wants to start reenacting with me he wants a flintlock but a halfstock is cheaper but i dont know if halfstock is pc for 1812 and thats all thats around here

[DEADDAWG]

1803 Harpers Ferry was a half stock. There may have also been broken half stocks repaired to a half stock instead if making a new stock.

[Hammerhead]

so a halfstock would be ok

[mongrel]

Unless your friend wants a rifle that looks like a damaged fullstock, the only real halfstock option for an 1812 time frame would be the Harper's Ferry Model 1803. None of the halfstocks commercially available are remotely correct for the early 1800's, not even in flint configuration.

An 1803 isn't an inexpensive rifle. It's also a very unique-looking gun and none of the commercially-made halfstocks even vaguely resemble it. Whereas a number of different types of fullstocks could be built to reasonably historical correctness using different types of wood, locks, barrels, and hardware, the Model 1803 military rifle came in two major and several minor variations that to anyone not an expert on the guns are pretty much identical. The barrel alone to replicate one of these guns is an over $200 item. The stock has to be shaped to precise dimensions and it has to be walnut, which runs half again as much as maple of similar quality. In fact all the parts on an 1803 are very distinct and there really are no substitutes that could be used to lower the cost of having one built.

There is a commercially-produced Harper's Ferry rifle. How good or bad it is as a precise copy, I don't know. The 1803 is a gun I'm familiar with but am far from an expert on. The retail cost of this gun, from Dixie Gun Works, in their 2009 catalog was $995. Dixie tends to be high on their stuff but you still get the idea that this is far from being an inexpensive gun.

A bit of advice on putting together an outfit for portraying a certain time period -- when you start having to come up with detailed stories explaining why you're carrying a certain type of gun or other piece of gear, and the motive behind that is simply to save money -- over the long haul you'll become dissatisfied with having to justify your gear and you'll probably end up replacing most of the stuff you originally acquired with saving money in mind. What that boils down to is, by the time it's all said and done, you (or your friend) will have ended up paying for two rifles in order to get the one you needed/wanted to start with.

[msuspartan]

Also since the 1803 HF was a military issue rifle you would have to explain 'why' you have it. It was only issued to the 1st Indiana Regiment (as far as it was known) but you could go to Mississinewa re-enactment this OCT. 7-9th and Tippecanoe 200th Commemorative in Lafayette Nov 4-6th for better info. 1812 is a very specific time period with some VERY unique reenactment issues.
I noticed earlier that you would be a 'mountain man' living with the Miami.
In the Old Northwest Territory that would most likely not have happened at least around 1800 to much later. Indians and Indian behaviour was not sociably acceptable. As were mountain men as the really did not exsist at this point.
Read 'Mr. Jeffersons Hammer' about William Henry Harrison and the Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis has John Tipton's accounts and writings. Very interesting insights. And VERY bigoted attitudes and dealings toward Indians and their doings. It is quite the eye opener on what we did for land.

Hope that helps.
Cheers, DonK

[Pete Stines]

Do yourself a favor and stay away from the factory made 1803 Harpers Ferry rifle. (A) It is NOT a correct replica.
(B) The lock is a piece of junk (C) As stated above, this was a military rifle so it was not available to civilians except as surplus in the 1820's-30's. Now, you could carry a half-stock smoothbore like a fowler which were being made in England, etc. and these were imported into America but this was a more expensive gun than a mass produced trade gun/rifle. If you must carry a half stock, go for the Kentucky style and that is probably a custom option. Forestocks could be damaged and were cut off and replaced with a rib. The original tennons could be used to pin the rib in place.