Build Track's Early Tennessee longrifle kit,
flintlock, traditional iron trim,
with 15/16" octagon barrel in popular calibers

Build Track's
Early Tennessee longrifle,
easy to assemble rifle kit,
36 or 42" octagon barrel,
traditional iron trim,
plain or fancy maple stock




This attractive South Mountain flint longrifle is trimmed in iron, and stocked in curly maple. Often referred to as a Tennessee style, this Southern rifle is fitted with a correct English Durs Egg flint lock, by L&R. Original Tennessee flint rifles were often equipped with imported English locks. This fine rifle was assembled by John F. Bergmann, and was sold on our website.

Fine locks, set triggers, and good wood are standard features of the so-called Tennessee rifles, even though the furniture may be forged iron, or abbreviated in "poor boy" fashion by omitting the buttplate and entry pipe. Our top view shows the long lollipop tang, of the breech plug. Two tang bolts, with fire blued heads, are neatly fitted, with slots aligned with the barrel, a nice touch.The bottom view reveals the long iron toeplate. The toeplate is retained with two iron screws, fire blued, with slots aligned. The toe plate is well fitted, with a very simple Tennessee style finial at front. A single lock bolt is retained by the iron sideplate, on this well dressed Southern flint longrifle. Made of iron, to match the other hardware, the sideplate is mounted flush, and burnished to a grey patina luster. Not a finished as a poor boy style rifle, this is a full dressed best Southern rifle. Tiny barrel keys retain the forend.

Order our early Tennessee longrifle parts set, and use your imagination. Plain or decorated, with double set trigger, many options are available. Each part is offered separately, so you can create your own custom rifle. Select the parts you need for your project in traditional iron (steel) furniture. We recommend plain or fancy maple.

Colerain Barrel Company offers a select few calibers in 15/16" straight octagon barrels. Offered in .45, .50, or .54 caliber, Colerain straight octagon barrels are threaded to accept the breech plug. Colerain rifle barrels are the favorite choice of today's best muzzle loading gun makers, because knowledgeable shooters demand Colerain's accuracy, inside and outside. Founded by two entrepreneurs, Scott Keller and Scott Kelly were tutored by Bob Paris, the famous rifle barrel maker who was first to perfect the technique for production of correct swamped barrels.

Colerain rifle barrels are cut rifled, with fancy radius groove rifling geometry, in correct twist rates for round balls:
Colerain rifle barrels are drilled from solid steel. Each barrel has six "round bottom" grooves, called "radius groove rifling". Colerain eliminates the sharp inside corner that accumulates fouling. Radius groove rifling cutters are a bit more expensive to make, but Colerain's customers agree that the accuracy, easy loading, and easy cleaning are worth the cost.

Stocks, for our early Tennessee fullstock are late flint era, early for the area of the Southern Mountains. Pre-inlet for any 15/16" octagon barrel up to 42" length, drilled full depth for a 3/8" ramrod. Cut for an L&R Durs Egg flint lock, trigger inlet will accept either our #TR-DST-4 or #TR-DST-6 double set triggers, our #TG-TN-2-I triggerguard, and our Tennessee lollipop tang plug. Trigger reach may be adjusted up to 15", with 4-1/2" drop, from the line of sights. The butt end is about 5" x 1-1/2", not cut for the buttplate.

We offer a complete set of iron (steel) furniture, to fit this rifle. Furniture includes the buttplate, triggerguard, toeplate, forward and entry ramrod pipes, sideplate, ramrod, and ramrod tip. As cast, the castings need to have the casting gates removed by filing or grinding, and must be polished, then drilled for mounting screws, as needed.

Perhaps London's most innovative lock and gun maker, Mr. Durs Egg immigrated from Switzerland, setting up shop in London, the world's arms making center in his time.

Actually, "Durs" was a nickname, but Mr. Egg adopted it as his own. We are glad he did. Once you have used this lock, you will never confuse the "Durs Egg" with any other. Better American guns were stocked around such finer locks, after about 1800, when our makers could import them.

Much more complex than the large Siler lock, yet it is about the same size. Cock jaws direct sparks into the semi-waterproof pan with rain gutters. The fancy frizzen pan cover flange seals the pan. The fancy "frictionless" tumbler and sear have raised bearing rings turned around screw holes, preventing moving parts from rubbing the plate or bridle. Sometimes called a "ghosted" lock, since you can see through the frictionless parts, when viewed from above.

A fly detent prevents the sear from snagging the half-cock notch when fired. Ideal for use with set triggers. Nearly as large as the large Siler lock, it will work well on any 15/16" octagon barrel.

Notice the "cut away" tumbler and "swing out" link, which greatly simplify lock disassembly. These are fine English innovations. This tumbler has a lower arm, made to catch the mainspring if the tumbler arm or link should break while being cocked. But even if this "weakest link" has failed, this fine lock will fire one last shot. You can depend on this nice lock, in good weather or bad, to spark well. English rifles fitted with such a fine lock invariably have a flash hole liner fitted, for fastest ignition. Refer to our reprint of Henry Nock's Patent Breech patent drawings for details of original flash hole construction.

This frizzen is a snug fit to the pan. The lock plate is polished bright inside. Exterior parts are grit blasted to a matte gray.

Flash Hole Liner, touch hole liner, or vent liner, is an essential part of our kit. Our standard vent has the popular 1/4-28 thread. We also offer the Jim Chambers White Lightnin' vent as a option. The special 1/4-32 fine thread allows an extra large concave cavity inside, for use on swamped octagon barrels. Made in the USA, stainless steel, with removable lug for easy installation. Order our #TAP-1/4-32 tap and drill, if you prefer this special vent.

Concave inside, the White Lightnin' vent liner brings the main powder charge very close to the incandescent heat of the priming flash. Position the vent on the center of the pan, slightly above the pan to frizzen joint, sometimes called the "sunset" position. Covered by the frizzen when closed, the hole is a window centered on the heat of your priming flash, for instant ignition, without the whoosh-bang delay, seen in many flint guns.

Typically only the better quality London made guns were factory fitted with vent liners, but nearly all flint guns were later fitted with vent liners, after the vent hole in the barrel became worn from flash erosion, corrosion, or the aggressive use of a vent pick.

Patchbox, although not required, a Tennessee iron banana patchbox is very correct for this style of rifle. Shown in The Kentucky Rifle by Merrill Lindsay, and typically found in iron. Copied from a rifle by J. G. Gross, Sullivan County, Tennessee. Patchbox door spring, and full installation instructions are included. Typically retained with two 6 x 1/2" steel screws. This patchbox has a overall length of 7-1/4".

Gunsmithing Labor Options are a popular low cost method of speeding assembly. Our gunsmith can install the plug (#LABOR-BP) front and rear sights (2 #LABOR-DS), and underlugs (3 #LABOR-UL) at small extra cost, with prompt delivery.

#LABOR-BP: Our gunsmith will install your breech plug, in your barrel, with the front face of the breech plug tightly sealed against the inside shoulder of the breech thread, and the barrel maker's name indexed to the bottom flat. Threads are lubricated with Birchwood Casey's Choke Tube Lube anti-seize, so the plug may be removed, even after decades of use. Never remove a breech plug, unless you have a compelling reason. The plug is never removed for cleaning, and should only be removed by a skilled gunsmith, who has the correct tools to avoid marking your polished and finished barrel and plug.

#LABOR-DS: When you buy the sight from us, we will remove any burrs, gates, or parting lines, and hand fit the sight to the dovetail slot, ready for you to finish and use. Many of our rear sights are cast with an oversize base, to allow these to fill oversize slots. It is wise to allow us to trim these to a standard size, before installation in a new barrel. We must install the breech plug before installing sights, rib, or pipes.

Front sight slots are centered 1.5" from muzzle, unless your clearly specify another location. Do not embed special instructions within lengthy text of a letter. Place special instructions immediately after your written order for that item, or in the comment field of our on-line order form.

Rear sight slots are centered 8.5" from the breech end of the barrel (not including plug), unless your clearly specify another location. Do not embed special instructions within lengthy text of a letter. Place special instructions immediately after your written order for that item, or in the comment field of our on-line order form.

#LABOR-UL: When you buy the lugs from us, we will remove any burrs, and hand fit the lug to the dovetail slot, ready for you to finish and use. Allow our gunsmith to determine the best location for lug. Typically these rifles require three lugs. We require the breech plug to be fitted before performing this operation.

We strongly recommend Recreating the American Longrifle, by William Buchele. The late William Buchele was recognized as a true master longrifle maker. But his greatest contribution to muzzle loading must be this book. He shares the step-by-step details of his craft. His work has been enhanced by the editors. This book does not assume that the reader is an expert stock maker, but begins with illustrated explanations of the basic concepts. Buchele shows several alternate approaches to most tasks. This newly revised edition includes full scale plans for a carved flint longrifle, and fullstock flint pistol. Over 250 photos and drawings, within 176 pages, 8-1/2 x 11" format, soft cover.

Discussed in Recreating the American Longrifle, Track's underlug staples are authentic, stronger, easier to install, and they remove less metal than dovetail lugs. Not suitable for thin walled barrels, staples work well for keys, pins, or for supporting a sling swivel.

#TOOL-105-P: Align our double punch with a centerline drawn on the bottom flat of your octagon barrel. Strike it to prick punch the exact spacing for our staples. Very handy for quick and accurate staple location.

Lay your key or pin in the open staple. Measure the staple leg extending above your key or pin. Drill your holes exactly that depth. Select a drill bit to match the staple foot diameter (about 7/64"). We recommend using a drill press. Set a quill stop to avoid drilling too deep. Hole depth determines key slot thickness.

#TOOL-105-S: Insert one end of our staple into your hole, and seat it with a light hammer blow. Place the semi-circular slotted end of this tool around the staple's seated end. Strike it with firm blows, to stake the staple permanently in place. Seat the opposite end, and stake it. Malleable staples allow bending. Stake one end securely, before attempting to seat the other end. Straighten after staking.

We also recommend our new catalog, which describes this kit in great detail, explains the options, and shows most individual parts in exact full size photographs. Prices may change, over the years, but the technical data, dimensions, instructions, and precise photos will make this 432 page book an essential too on your work bench.

Gun building is fun! View our prices and options, to select your favorites. Same day shipment.
Track of the Wolf, Inc.
18308 Joplin St NW
Elk River, MN 55330-1773

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