Has anyone built a Ferguson Flintlock Rifle?

Status
Not open for further replies.
By all means, please post them. I don't mind one bit if you recreate your build thread in this thread. After all, I was asking if anyone had built one, or owned one. I'd really appreciate any and all experience you'd like to share.

I'll look up my pictures and maybe start a new thread so as not to hi jack yours.

SC45-70
 
Nice work SC-4570. Did you examine or see the Ferguson at Morris Town (sp) in NJ or at the Milwaukee City Museum?

Thank you
The only Ferguson rifles that I've seen and handled were reproduction military rifles. I built my rifle with a military print from the Rifle shoppe to get the scale correct and a photograph of a sporting Ferguson that I found online to get the right look.

SC45-70
 
By all means hijack it. That was what I was asking.

OK I'll hijack your thread.

First of all I want to state that I have no intention of reproducing this project. It was built simply to see if I could do it. I will be happy to answer any questions about the process, but I do not want to do it again.

I thought the simplest way was to build an action and thread it to a barrel.

The first thing I had to do was find out how to duplicate the breech thread. No one I talked to knew how and there was no real useful information on line.

On the Ferguson rifles I had examined, I saw that the breech thread was 1 thread per inch with 10- 12 threads.

It took me 8-9 months of trial and error and some lathe modifications ( including making 2 threading gears) to get an acceptable thread rate.

I was able to come up with a thread pitch rate of 1 turn in 8/10 inch which I figured would be acceptable as I would only have to turn the breech screw a little over 1 turn to open the action. I chose 10 threads as it would be easy to index the threads 36 degrees apart (360 divided by 10 = 36).

I had a large circular brass plate that I got at the salvage yard. I drill and taped 10 equally spaced holes in the plate and numbered the holes 1 through 10. I made a bushing in the center of the plate that fit the center hole in my lathe face plate so that the brass plate would rotate on my lathe face plate. I drilled 2 holes 180 degrees apart in the face plate corresponding with the 10 threaded holes in the brass plate.

I made a holder to hold the action to the brass plate and bored the hole for the breech screw.

Now I could bolt the brass plate to the face plate and using hole #1 and #5. I cut one thread then moved the plate to holes #2 and #6 and repeated the process ect. ect. until I had all 10 threads cut.

After I had the action threaded I mounted a round bar between centers and used a lathe dog bolted to the brass plate to cut the breech screw thread.
I bolted the lathe dog to bolt hole #1, cut one thread then moved the lathe dog to hole #2 cut that thread ect. ect. until I had all 10 threads cut.
The process of threading the action and breech screw only took about 4 hours.

SIMPLE RIGHT!

I started with a print from the Rifle Shoppe, a Colerain Jaeger 50 cal barrel, a 2 3/4 inch and a 7/8 inch 8620 round bar.

I figured with the 50 cal barrel with a .012-.016 depth rifling I should be fine with a .535 round ball.

36806419421_a935034c32_z.jpg

I'll post pictures and explanations as I get a chance.
SC45-70
 
Last edited:
Can you explain how he managed that rate of fire. When was he priming the rifle? Did he just brush off the powder from closing the breach?

Before he started, he put all the balls in his mouth. (Did not show doing that)
He first opened breech, then from breech handle moved his hand up and opened frizzen then cocked the hammer. Then changed hands holding rifle and then took a ball from his mouth, dropped it in breech then poured powder first in the pan then the breech in one motion. Closed frizzen then the breech and fired.
 
Inlet the lock.
Although a Durrs Egg lock would have been correct, I had a Chambers deluxe Siler on hand so that is what I used.

36550127910_861bb84609_c.jpg

With the lock in place I inlet the trigger plate.
36550128230_684a0cfff0_c.jpg


Fit the trigger guard-breech lever.
36774818532_a26c85d141_c.jpg

Did a little rough shaping on the stock.
36758640446_3465f96df4_c.jpg

The rear of the trigger guard-breech lever is cut at an angle to fit a dove tail in the trigger plate.

36946073855_c9390df702_c.jpg

SC45-70
 
Finally
The finished rifle.

View attachment 857949

View attachment 857950

View attachment 857951

View attachment 857952

View attachment 857953

View attachment 857954

It shoots as well or better than any other flintlock rifle I've ever fired.
There is no noticeable blowback from the breech screw.

Feel free to ask any questions.

SC45-70

HIJACK COMPLETE!

Thank you so much for doing that. Unfortunately I can only admire the skill and craftsmanship you've demonstrated, because it's so far over my capabilities. But admire it I can. Thank you!
 
4v50 Gary

I remember seeing a Ferguson rifle reproduction at the NRA Museum in Virginia. have always been fascinated by how the Ferguson rifle worked and if I had the money I would definitely see about getting one built.

I have a couple of financial priorities that are inline. But I'd very much like to try building one of the kits from the Rifle Shoppe. There is no way I have the skill, or equipment to do what SC45-70 accomplished. But I might be able to build one with a parts kit.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top