Anyone here build their muzzleloader from scratch?

[Bigbore.729]

Hey guys, so to be frank, I've never done anything like this before, but I think it's doable given time and research.

So for all my adult life I've been collecting big bore rifles. I started out with a 45-70, got bored, and then moved on down the line to 458 lott. The lott kept my interest for a while until I built my 12 gauge from hell. Now, that cartridge will absolutely never get old to me, but there is one caliber in particular that's been at the top of my "need to have" list. And that would be the mighty 4 bore.

A few years back, I inquired on having one built and was quoted $5k+ not including materials and a several year long wait. Needless to say, I'm not quite that "baller" and a few year wait makes me shiver.

I figured my best bet for getting to own my dream big bore would be to make it myself. So the other day I commenced to doing some research and priced a barrel. To my surprise, a 4 bore barrel is actually very cheap. I was thinking it would cost over $1k, but actually I can get one for around $600.

While I'm not a machinist, I have access to a machine shop (and machinists) that can help drill and tap items with a mill. If there is something complicated (like installing the breach) I can just send it to a Smith for that process. I figured the hardest part (and would take the most time) would be making and inleting a stock from scratch. I've done some small inleting tasks before, it's a pain but doable if care and patience is applied. In my mind, I would guess getting the lock and trigger put in place correctly will be the hardest task at hand.

I've ordered two books to help me get some knowledge on the subject which are "The Art Of Building The Pennsylvania Longrifle" and "The Gunsmith of Grenville County: Building the American Longrifle". People seem to reccomend them a lot.

So I guess my question is, to those that have built their own, what was the hardest process for you? What are some tips that can make the process a little less intimidating for a novice? General tips will also be very much welcomed as well.

Like I said, I've never done anything this in depth before, but I am a good fabricator, I learn fast, and I know when to ask for help. I think it's entirely possible for me to do this, though it will be challenging. Thanks for any advice given!

[Winger Ed.]

You'll do well.
The pros that built them 300 years ago didn't have a fraction of the tools we have access to now.

I've done a couple projects where I could do almost everything, but one or two things.
Like installing a Rem 700 barrel- for a one time thing, I didn't want to get the tools and teach myself how to do it.
So I had a gunsmith install and chamber it. It cost less than the tools, was done right the first time, and was several weeks faster.


Your biggest challenge might be building a stock from a fence post rather than something semi shaped and inletted.
If you do either one, I'd get a couple basic tools from Brownell's or somewhere that are made just for doing stock work.

[Eddie2002]

I built a matching set of smooth bore .50 caliber pistols from a real old, maybe 1780 rifle barrel that had the breach blown out. I used commercial flint locks and hardware. Drilled the barrels out on my big metal lathe and pretty much made the rest except for the breach plugs. It was fun but a lot of work. If you decide to go that route it's going to take a lot of time, effort and frustration. Kinda fun once everything gets together though.

[kens]

I guess you need to look into muzzle loading suppliers
track of the wolf
http://www.longrifles-pr.com/
and the others that supply parts and accessories
colerain barrels
rice barrels
oregon barrels
and then all the lock makers.......

[RU shooter]

You'll most likely have to carve the wood yourself never seen a precarve stock for anything much bigger than about a 1.25" dia barrel at the breach . Not exactly sure how big a 4 bore is but assuming the barrel dia at breach will be substantial

[bosterr]

Look into Jim Kibler kits. I think the price compares favorably in price to Track of the Wolf and other suppliers and a lot less work since they use CNC machinery to make the stock. A lot less chance of making a mess of it.

Sorry... I missed the OP's looking for 4 bore.

[Bigbore.729]

You'll do well.
The pros that built them 300 years ago didn't have a fraction of the tools we have access to now.

I've done a couple projects where I could do almost everything, but one or two things.
Like installing a Rem 700 barrel- for a one time thing, I didn't want to get the tools and teach myself how to do it.
So I had a gunsmith install and chamber it. It cost less than the tools, was done right the first time, and was several weeks faster.


Your biggest challenge might be building a stock from a fence post rather than something semi shaped and inletted.
If you do either one, I'd get a couple basic tools from Brownell's or somewhere that are made just for doing stock work.

Yeah I figured the biggest hurdle would be carving a huge chunk of wood. Finding a giant piece of dried wood that can handle the abuse a 4 bore throws will be challenging. Will have to be a tight grained wood. Not gonna be really pretty.

[Bigbore.729]

You'll most likely have to carve the wood yourself never seen a precarve stock for anything much bigger than about a 1.25" dia barrel at the breach . Not exactly sure how big a 4 bore is but assuming the barrel dia at breach will be substantial

Yep, again, I think the wood carving will be absolutely the worst part.

[Bigbore.729]

Look into Jim Kibler kits. I think the price compares favorably in price to Track of the Wolf and other suppliers and a lot less work since they use CNC machinery to make the stock. A lot less chance of making a mess of it.

Sorry... I missed the OP's looking for 4 bore.

Unless they have a 4 bore kit I doubt they have anything I can use other than locks and hardware.

[Winger Ed.]

Finding a giant piece of dried wood that can handle the abuse a 4 bore throws will be challenging. Will have to be a tight grained wood. Not gonna be really pretty.

That's part of the challenge and reward of doing it.

I met a guy once that made his own stocks.
He would seek out old gate or corner posts on farms.

Hey, check out the thread about the guy with a walnut tree, you might make a deal

[kens]

I got a few big pieces of black walnut
it is in big rough blanks

[Bigbore.729]

That's part of the challenge and reward of doing it.

I met a guy once that made his own stocks.
He would seek out old gate or corner posts on farms.

Hey, check out the thread about the guy with a walnut tree, you might make a deal

True. Hard work that kicks your butt and tests you is always rewarding.

I got a few big pieces of black walnut
it is in big rough blanks

It will be some time before I start looking for wood. I want to read my books front to back first and get the barrel work done first.

[Winger Ed.]

When I was building a new carriage for a Civil War era replica cannon, I dug around on the net and found
a lumber place or mill in the Carolinas that sold cut to order hardwood planks & such probably to custom furniture makers.

They have all the different kinds of wood you'd want, and the little brown truck will bring it to ya.
It wasn't cheap, but the prices were realistic for what they had.

If you want to go all out-- there's a fella up around the Great Lakes that recovers old sunken logs
from ones that sank when they rafted them down from the forests a couple hundred years ago.
He's set up to properly dry them out and mill them.

I've seen pictures of stocks made from it on muzzle loaders that will make ya wet your pants.

[LAGS]

Back when I was 16 years old , I made a matchlock Hand Cannon from a Baseball Bat and a section of 3/4" ID 1/4" was Chrome Molly pipe.
It was fun to shoot.
But I watched my grandfather a few years before build all his Muzzle loaders from Scratch.
That included the barrel ,lock and stock.

[Bigbore.729]

From my experience with inleting, the barrel itself will be the easy part to get inlet. Getting the lock and trigger to all line up correctly and fit snug will be challenging. Will likely solder a recoil lug (or two) to the barrel and glass bed everything in to help save the wood from recoil. Mainly concerned about the wrist. Will also likely epoxy a bolt in the wrist for extra strength. Old gunsmithing trick for safari guns

[RU shooter]

From my experience with inleting, the barrel itself will be the easy part to get inlet. Getting the lock and trigger to all line up correctly and fit snug will be challenging. Will likely solder a recoil lug (or two) to the barrel and glass bed everything in to help save the wood from recoil. Mainly concerned about the wrist. Will also likely epoxy a bolt in the wrist for extra strength. Old gunsmithing trick for safari guns

Actually for me anyways inletting the lock and other parts aren't that difficult if you can inlet a barrel you can do the others no problem . Limiting factor for me is trying to make a stock blank (big long rectangle) look like a rifle . One of the reasons I use a precarved stock with only the barrel inlet and ram rod hole drilled . I would see if I could find some pictures of original large bore guns and see how big a stock blank you would need

[waksupi]

I'm not sure how many I've done over the years. I'm just finishing a poor boy plank build. Probably my last build, as time on my feet in the shop is too hard on me now.
For a 4 bore, I would ask the maker to go ahead and breech it for you.
For a massive gun like a 4 bore, you won't find a pre-shaped and inlet stock. To me the trickiest part is to get the ramrod drilled properly. Leave a bunch of wood on the bottom of the blank, drill the hole, then drill a small inspection hole and use a piece of wire
for a depth gauge through the barrel channel to locate the bottom of the ramrod hole. That will help avoid cutting through the channel when final shaping. Everything else is fairly simple if you take your time.

[Bigbore.729]

Actually for me anyways inletting the lock and other parts aren't that difficult if you can inlet a barrel you can do the others no problem . Limiting factor for me is trying to make a stock blank (big long rectangle) look like a rifle . One of the reasons I use a precarved stock with only the barrel inlet and ram rod hole drilled . I would see if I could find some pictures of original large bore guns and see how big a stock blank you would need

Hey thanks. I didn't even think of the ramrod hole. That does sound like a daunting task. Especially since the ramrod will need to be around 3/4" in diameter. Getting brass fittings for the rod might be an issue too.

[Bigbore.729]

I'm not sure how many I've done over the years. I'm just finishing a poor boy plank build. Probably my last build, as time on my feet in the shop is too hard on me now.
For a 4 bore, I would ask the maker to go ahead and breech it for you.
For a massive gun like a 4 bore, you won't find a pre-shaped and inlet stock. To me the trickiest part is to get the ramrod drilled properly. Leave a bunch of wood on the bottom of the blank, drill the hole, then drill a small inspection hole and use a piece of wire
for a depth gauge through the barrel channel to locate the bottom of the ramrod hole. That will help avoid cutting through the channel when final shaping. Everything else is fairly simple if you take your time.

Getting the barrel breached by the barrel maker is likely not an option. The barrel I found is from Krieger Barrels. Here is the specs on the barrel



And thanks for the tip for the ramrod hole! That's clever

[waksupi]

Getting the barrel breached by the barrel maker is likely not an option. The barrel I found is from Krieger Barrels. Here is the specs on the barrel



And thanks for the tip for the ramrod hole! That's clever

Try contacting Ed Rayl, W.E. Rayl, Box 91, Gassaway, W.V. 26624 . Ph 304-364-8269. Do some Googling, I think there are other suppliers for big bore barrels. I think there is a place in Oregon. You might also try Xcaliber barrels, Kalispell, Mt.

You wouldn't want or need that large of a ramrod. It would interfere with inletting a lock. The guys around here with 4 bores are using a standard 3/8" I think.

You could also go to the American Longrifles forum and ask. The gun building section is also a good place to learn.