Canoe Gun COMPLETED....

[Razor62]

You know, when one get's bitten by the gun building bug they don't feel a thing. It just kinda' sneaks up on ya' and before you know it your a crazed lunatic who can't seem to stop dreaming up ways to chew up lots of time and build things that go bang.
I've decided to adopt the term canoe gun as Gunmaker referred to this type of short barreled smoothbore. It seems that this is most likely the best category under which to list a gun such as this.
Started with a .670" bored barrel blank originally destined to become an L.C. Smith shotgun, a grade 3 curly maple blank, a left hand Queen Anne Flint lock and assorted furniture. This will be my first flintlock so if you see me doing something bad please let me know.  
I began today by cutting out my fowler pattern from the maple blank, removing the barrel lump and then drilling and tapping for my breech plug.




Blank saw out:





Breech PLug Installed:








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[gunmaker]

Way to go.  These little ones are fun to make.  After finishing mine in .570 I've ordered 2 more of those LC Smith tubes a .570 & .670. They'll have to wait until this long fowler is finisher tho.  Keep us posted, we live for this stuff.  Oh, and there's no known cure for "Gunbuilditis" ....Tom

[Razor62]

While I'm thinking of it I want to throw this question out there...What size round ball and what patch thickness would you folks recommend with this bore diameter .670" ?

[Hanshi]

I do like those "canoe" guns.

[bowcrazy]

Looking forward to watching this one in progress.

[gunmaker]

1 dozen .30 cal. RB, Well I don't really know- YET.  That's close to 16 bore, .662 maybe-- TOW has 'em....Tom   

[Razor62]

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Thanks Tom. I'll just experiment.

Got the barrel inlet last night. I'll try to inlet the tang this evening if I can sneak away to the workshop.


Barrel Channel:

[gunmaker]

Looking good Razor62.  I'm seeing some curl on that block, gonna turn out "perdy sweet". One slight point--be carefull of those magic markers, they leave a wide line.  I use an automatic pencil sharpener powered by a small beaver. HC/PC....Tom

[Razor62]

That's good advise Tom. I'll invest in one of those beavers. Thanks!  Kevin

[gunmaker]

Don't get a tame one whatever you do, they won't work.  ....Tom 

[Razor62]

With a little coaching from Gunmaker I was able to file a flat on my barrel and inlet my lock plate. Got a bit scared when I realized that my rear lock bolt was going to be a bit too far forward. Gunmaker helped me out though and I think I'm still in good shape. Thanks Tom!!!
This is my first flintlock and it's nice to be able to lean on the experience of guys like Tom. As long as I'm allowed to make a pest of myself I might as well exploit it.

[William]

Maybe if I keep watching other folks building their own muzzle loaders I will work up the nerve to try it myself someday.  For now, my hat is off to you Sir, keep up the good work.

[Razor62]

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Thank you William. Success comes to those of us who are too stupid to know that we not capable of success.  The point being that you just gotta' gather as much info as you can absorb and then simply dive in head first. Take each step slowly and consider all considerations and you'll learn as you go. Works for me.

Here's another question for anyone who'd care to provide an answer...
I've been approaching this project as I have in the past with other builds and I'm going back to my books when I need help. The long rifle gun building books that I have recommend that I begin shaping the buttstock & installing the buttplate even before I inlet my lock. I obviously opted not to use this advice. To my mind I need to know exactly where my lock will be in order to know where my trigger will be which in turn will give me a point at which I can measure back and cut my blank to the correct length of pull. Once I've got my proper length determined I can adjust for cast off and then proceed to shaping the buttstock and installing the buttplate. Doesn't this make sense or am I overlooking something? How do you guys approach your builds with regard to sequence?

[mongrel]

I either build things with no buyers lined up, and install whatever length of pull the Voices instruct me to, or I build to order, in which case the LOP is (hopefully) established before any work begins. Which doesn't answer your question but leads me into saying that, in either case, I'm liable to start the butt shaping before the lock goes in, but I'm just as liable to wait. If I might explain:

On many guns (most of my "on spec" pieces, a fair number of commissions) I'm using either CVA or Siler locks. In both cases, I know precisely how far back from the breech end of the barrel the trigger will end up being, because the placement of either the vent liner on a flinter or the drum on a caplock seldom varies more than a tiny fraction, assuming a breechplug with the standard threaded shank approximately 5/8" long. Therefore, on these rifles (or smoothbores) I know where the trigger is going to be located, and from a simple line drawn on the squared-off stock profile I can determine where the buttplate will likewise be located, and install it. Likewise cast-off -- once the buttplate location is determined, cast-off can be established, cut, and shaped into the butt in relation to the centerline of the barrel. I can shape the butt all the way up to a bit shy of where the lock and sideplate panels will begin, before I ever inlet the lock.

Where I have learned NOT to go this route is when I'm using a lock I'm unfamiliar with. Even with Track Of The Wolf's excellent full-sized pictures of both outside and inside views of nearly every commercial lock known to humankind, there is a bit of what I believe is called "perspective error" that can cause a fractional difference between dimensions in the picture and dimensions of the actual lock, and rather than chance it I wait till the lock is in my possession and (since it's right there anyway) go on and install it before moving back into the butt area.

The builder for whom each project is 100% unique and new (in other words who doesn't semi-mass-produce as I do or hasn't done so many guns that lock placement is second nature) is well-advised to stick to the formula of installing the barrel (with vent liner or drum placement established), then the lock, then the trigger, and then establishing the dimensions necessary to proper buttplate placement. And, for what it's worth, if for some reason it ever became MANDATORY to follow a certain sequence, this would be the one I'd recommend and follow myself.

[gunmaker]

I do it both ways, mostly I wait until the tgr. is in tho & go off it to get LOP.  You can determine where your sear is, then unless you want a 25 lb tgr. pull layout the tgr. pivot no more than 1/4" to 5/16" ahead of sear and if possible above sear. This'll give a light smooth release, making it easier to keep sites in alignment.  Most a my guns have 1/4" cast-off as well.   One point---To keep lock plate tight in mortise plane down panel to within maybe 1/16" above lock plate.  Having to go deep into wood can cause tools to wander & cause mortise to get loose.   ....Tom