We're in striking distance of our new home being built. I think. Anyway, I'm in Tennessee and would love to put a Kentucky long rifle under the mantle. But since I spent all our money on the house I think all I got left is enough for a wall hanger. Where would you go to find one and what would you put there?
wall hanger help please
- Thread starter CANNONMAN
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Officers'Wife
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Perhaps you would be better served with a "quaker" long rifle made of wood? They are easily made with a minimum of talent in woodworking.
Officers'Wife
Member
A certain unnamed idiot that shall remain my brother took it over, he uses it as a ball mill to powder aluminum.
AlexanderA
Member
Putting a junker in a place of prominence in your living room is worse than putting nothing at all. On the other hand, if it's something worthwhile, proximity to a fireplace is not good for it (dries out the wood, tends to rust the metal, etc.). I would rethink your plan.
I don't think I'd put a firearm with any significant value on the mantle because of damage to the firearm or it's a grab-and-run theft waiting to happen. I have a "junker" on one side of a double-sided fireplace just for grins. It's a $49 Turkish Mauser of 1938...I'm sure worth a little more now; it is operational and deadly if loaded so not really junk but bought at a "junk price". It's not black powder of course but just wanted to point out that if it's cheaper than a standard decoration then no harm, no foul. Now, that WWII Japanese army sword above it is another story and perhaps should not be on top of the mantle.
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Malachi Leviticus Blue
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A wall hanger that has worked hard and earned it's retirement can still be a worthy work of art in my opinion.
Officers'Wife
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about half the size of glitter. And it's not so much put into the paint as "blown" onto the fourth or fifth layer of clear lacquer while it is still tacky.
Considering your attention to detail, I would suggest the lumberyard. A rasp, a lot of sandpaper, maybe even a Dremel tool with cutters, a dowel rod or two and a bit of paint. Since it's only for decoration, the lock could be shaped from wood or if your time is more important the money any good gunsmith could get you the lock assembly. Exploded drawings are easily found on the net. The skills necessary are easily learned and as I mentioned before are mainly attention to detail. I'm confident that you could build a reasonable facsimile easily and save your long-suffering wife from the indignity of having her cookware stolen for melting lead.
OOohhh! Update for all those who chastised me for the use of a cast iron skillet for the purpose of producing lead cannonballs. Whilst antiquing with above noted "long-suffering Wife", I came across a cast iron pot and ladle. Who knew walking endlessly through mountains of junk would produce the proverbial diamond in the rough!
Officers'Wife
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Now if you can just find someone willing to make you a wrought iron fireplace crane for the pot you would have a far more interesting addition than the "wall hanger." I mean the flintlock over the fireplace has been done to death. A cooking pot & crane is new and innovative. To that end I would suggest the Amish blacksmith at Berlin Ohio.
Yeah, true that. I recently made a couple of hand cannons. I set the mill and lathe up in my rental but I don't have my wood shop set up yet. But when I do I think I might want to make a couple of them for me. The guy I made them for is far brighter than I and has help me with numerous issues in the past. If he doesn't mind I'll post a few pics of them. He's a well known member here. One is mostly original and the other is my concept of what one might look today. The stock and ignition system would elude me until I have the rest of my shop. Lots of great hardwoods were milled from the site and I can hardly wait to use the supply for cannon parts and about everything else that's made of wood.
Go for a kit...ask wifey, I'm sure there's nothing on your honey-do list. 
https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index...0+Traditions+Kentucky+Rifle+Kit+-+.50+caliber
https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index...0+Traditions+Kentucky+Rifle+Kit+-+.50+caliber
John L Venable
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Try a non firing replica... look on gun broker https://www.gunbroker.com/item/771059263
Loyalist Dave
Member
Actually, that "over the mantle" piece is a Hollywood-ism..., one would not hang the flinter loaded with black powder, plus the filled powder horn, over the fire source within the home, eh? It's also very drying for the wood. (Archaeology shows that the flint rifles, and later caplocks, were hung over the door on the inside of the home with the muzzle canted slightly downward.) If you ever see a preserved log cabin, even when they've been moved to a preservation site, sometimes you can see the holes for the locust wood pegs on the inside of the lintel over the main door.
You might find an inexpensive, used rifle here that fits your bill : http://www.thegunworks.com/custprod...2ID=228&do=list&Cat1Name=Used Production Guns
LD
You might find an inexpensive, used rifle here that fits your bill : http://www.thegunworks.com/custprod...2ID=228&do=list&Cat1Name=Used Production Guns
LD
John L Venable
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Here's another https://www.gunbroker.com/item/771415193
springer99
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If an original Kentucky(actually Pennsylvania) long rifle isn't in the cards, how about a Trapdoor Springfield. Some are still pretty reasonable. Another option is to go WAY back and pickup a Brown Bess musket from IMA.
Just feeding the fire a bit!!!
Just feeding the fire a bit!!!
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
Have you considered an Airsoft replica? They make very realistic Airsoft versions of just about every long gun ever made from muzzleloaders to Mauser's to belt-fed machine guns.....
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