Bethelehem - LeHigh County

The beautiful contemporary rifle above by Dane Lund was made in the style of the Lehigh County, Bethlehem School. The elegant fine lines of this early style of Lehigh County rifle are sleek and handsome to the eye. These early guns were much heavier in the buttstock but transitioned quickly into thin wrists and fine forestocks.

Makers located in the Lehigh and Northampton Counties were considered in the Bethlehem School: The Albrights (Nazareth), Rupp (near Allentown), John Moll (Northampton County), Isaac Berlin (Easton), John Young and Nicholas Hawk of Northampton County, and Peter Moll were of this area. All were considered Bethlehem School makers.

Our pre-shaped stock is closest in design to the work of John Moll or John Rupp. Recently I received a picture of an original piece requesting me to reproduce one of the most elegant John Rupp ca 1800 patchboxes I have seen on such an early style gun. I present it here as a recent addition to our growing line of custom patchboxes. Although very ornate in its design, this box flows around the arch in the buttstock of these unique Lehigh longrifles. We are also currently adding a patchbox from a Nicholas Hawk longrifle and a Jacob Kuntz with 6 piercings, as well.

STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS
Straight Octagon barrels….......13/16 or 7/8”
Drilled ramrod hole ..........….....5/16”or 3/8”
Barrel Channel Length ……………........42”
Butt width x height……….......1-13/16” x 5”
Lock area ……………….…......1-1/2” x 8”
Width across the lock face …...........1-9/16”
Drop at the heel ……………………........5”
Trigger Pulls up to 15”

PRE-SHAPED STOCK with
STRAIGHT BARREL & RAMROD CHANNEL
30894      Grade Curly Maple CM3
30895     Grade Curly Maple CM4

Optional Inlets
30820      Inlet Lock (for Silers only)
15975      Swamped barrel inlet(38" and 42" A-B weight only)

STANDARD FITTINGS & PARTS
14925      Siler Flintlock or LK-DSiler
TR-RUPP      Rupp Trigger
BL501442C      7/8” x .50 caliber Barrel
16080      Flared Tang Breech Plug 5/8-18
21180      1/4”-28 S.S. Touch Hole Liner – Slot Head
19630      2 ea, Oval Head 8-32 Lock Screws
16450      1 ea, Tang Screw 8-32
27661      3 ea, Underlugs for Pins
16395      1 Pkg of 10 Oval Head #5 Wood Screws
16400      1 Pkg of 10 Oval Head #8 Wood Screws
PINSTOCK      1 Pkg of 5 Pieces Pin Stock 1/16”o.d.
25450      1 Pkg German Silver Nails for Inlays
16795      3/8 Ram Rod w/ 8-32 Brass Tip

MOUNTINGS
BP-RUPP-B  Buttplate (Brass)
TG-RUPP-B  Triggerguard (Brass)
13610 Rear Thimble (Brass)
13670 Upper Thimbles (Brass)
SP-LEHI-B Sideplate (Brass)
11436  Rupp Toeplate (Brass)
12860  Nosecap (Brass )
10320  Patchbox (Brass)**
16495 Front Sight (Silver Blade)
RS-LH  Rear Sight
25830 Wrist Inlay (German Silver)
25850  Cheek Piece Inlay

This stock is a very close copy of the work of Nicholas Hawk, Jacob Kuntz or Jonathan Rupp.
The hardware that I have listed is best for a Rupp style rifle. If you chose to build a Hawk or Kuntz rifle, change the buttplate to one with a sharper heel and a little narrower width. Also a trigger guard with a little lower profile. Right-hand only.