We're back!
For those who have emailed with requests for a Faeton, I am happy to inform you that I am now able to again offer my beloved Faeton rifle to you. Contact information is at the bottom of this page.
Are you the Thinking Man?
The Thinking Man will take the time to read and appreciate what we have to share with you. We believe that there still exist those who understand that the journey has as much value - maybe more - than the destination. If the journey matters, perhaps you are the Thinking Man for whom we designed and craft our rifles.
Through the years we have offered several designs of underhammer rifles that are unique in their blending of modern technological advances with old-world design and craftsmanship in a way that does not sacrifice the aesthetic appeal of these time-honored designs. They satisfy our demand for a perfect blend of form and function and are, in fact, high performance art.
Faeton™
On occasion, a new idea emerges which defies that which has gone before it - that which has been accepted as conformant wisdom. The underhammer Faeton™ challenges that conventionality with innovation of design and quality to satisfy the demands of the most discriminating hunter. Each Faeton™ is crafted to a standard of heirloom quality that will render a slender and graceful rifle that with care will last for generations to come. It is for certain, a Trophy Rifle.
The standard Faeton™ is a high-quality, American-pattern underhammer rifle.
Clicking on any of the photos will enlarge them.
Click the White X in the upper right corner to return to the text.
Click the White X in the upper right corner to return to the text.
So called "traditional" and conventional designs require that the rifle start as a single piece of wood, incised into which is a channel to secure the barrel. More wood is removed to accommodate a large and complex lockplate and its protuberances and mounting screws. Further weakening this frail arrangement, yet more wood is removed to allow for fitting of a bulky trigger mechanism and its mounting screws. It can be readily discerned that this antiquated method of construction results in a rifle of very dubious strength and integrity. One which is prone to breakage at that most critical point of union of its functional components.
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The so-called "traditional" lock on the left is far too complicated and prone to breakage. |
One observes immediately that the Faeton™ is utterly simple in design,
there being only two moving parts - the hammer and the trigger. These
are mounted into its solid metal receiver on tool steel axles. There are
no small or fragile parts to be broken or easily lost. In honoring the
theme of simplicity, the Faeton's triggerguard also serves double duty
as the mainspring to power the hammer thereby firing the rifle. As a
long, lightly-stressed spring it is far less prone to breakage than the
short, highly-stressed mainspring that is employed in conventional
gunlocks.
The barrel and the buttstock of the Faeton™, however, are solidly mounted to a "receiver" fabricated of the finest steel or gun-making bronze (traditionally know to as 'gun metal'), thus producing a rifle of very exceptional strength, finest accuracy, and slender gracefulness. It should be understood that the receiver and buttplate are not fabricated of mere brass, but rather an alloy of silicon bronze that is as tough and durable as some grades of steel. We think of it as "golden steel."
The barrel and the buttstock of the Faeton™, however, are solidly mounted to a "receiver" fabricated of the finest steel or gun-making bronze (traditionally know to as 'gun metal'), thus producing a rifle of very exceptional strength, finest accuracy, and slender gracefulness. It should be understood that the receiver and buttplate are not fabricated of mere brass, but rather an alloy of silicon bronze that is as tough and durable as some grades of steel. We think of it as "golden steel."
A separate forearm of half-stock configuration is secured directly to the barrel and is fabricated in a manner that renders it solid and immune to cracking or warping such as is typical with traditionally-designed rifle stocks.
The Faeton Underhammer Philosophy
Mounting the hammer below the receiver, where it swings upward to the barrel, offers several logical advantages over traditional designs. First, the View of both the sights and the target is not interrupted by the distraction of a hammer protruding into the field of view. Second, this system keeps the cap flash from the eye and provides a greater margin of protection to the face from cap shrapnel.
So designed, the Faeton™ is naturally ambidextrous and provides equal ease of operation to those favouring shooting from either the right or the left side of the rifle.
Mounting the hammer below the barrel also allows placement of the nipple directly into the barrel without need of a separate bolster or snail. So arranged, the cap flash is projected directly into the powder charge in a very consistent burn pattern resulting in Instantaneous Ignition. Additionally, the Faeton™ underhammer design provides some of the fastest lock times of any percussion action.
It should be noted that the Faeton™ barrel and receiver are joined by an extra long breechplug which is screwed into the barrel. The barrel is then tightly screwed into the receiver. The resulting stiffness provides the utmost in durability in the finished rifle as well as accuracy to the shot.
It should be noted that the Faeton™ barrel and receiver are joined by an extra long breechplug which is screwed into the barrel. The barrel is then tightly screwed into the receiver. The resulting stiffness provides the utmost in durability in the finished rifle as well as accuracy to the shot.
The Faeton™ breechplug, as seen in the diagram above, brings barrel and receiver into tight union allowing placement of the nipple directly into the breechplug thus reducing ignition time while also forming an enclosed nipple pocket thus protecting the shooter and bystanders from cap shrapnel. Additionally, the Nock-style high-pressure chamber provides an intensely hot ignition impulse to completely burn the powder charge and provide consistent shot-to-shot ignition and accuracy.
Further, the bottom-mounted nipple is granted greater Protection from inclement weather and greatly reduces the possibility of the percussion cap being inadvertently displaced by passage through brush. Both features being much touted by proponents of the more recent "in-line" designs.
The cap will not fall off the nipple.
Contrary to what one might think, or what may have been an unfavorable experience with an ordinary underhammer rifle, the percussion cap will not fall off the nipple of the Faeton™ rifle. This is due in part to the special design of the musket cap nipple which we use on our Faeton™ rifles as well as the heavier construction of the musket cap itself.
The large, sturdy musket cap provides a much hotter flame that more assuredly ignites even most modern blackpowder substitutes. One will notice in the illustration above that the cap flash is directed into a high-pressure chamber and a coned breech which provides an amplified ignition impulse due in part to the shaped-charge principle. The result is clean and complete burning of the charge which translates as less fouling in the bore and ease of loading subsequent shots. In one test, twenty consecutive full-power rounds were loaded and fired without cleaning, yet the Faeton™ rendered good accuracy for each shot.
Barrels and Rifling
Fitted with a tapered barrel of the finest steel and of medium weight, Faeton™ is blessed with snap-to-your-shoulder perfect balance and good accuracy. Each barrel is bored and reamed to a fine smoothness, then the rifling carefully cut to our precise standards. After planing to the final configuration, each barrel is then expertly draw filed by hand with a mill file and plenty of pure gypsum chalk.
Genuine Forsyth Rifling™
Our large-bore Faeton™ rifles, that is, those of .58 and larger calibre, employ Genuine Forsyth Rifling™ which serves several purposes and results in attributes unique to Faeton rifles. Accordingly, the rate of twist in the Forsyth barrel, at a mere 1 turn in 100 inches, is very slow and the grooves wide and shallow by conventional standards.
While seemingly too small to be effectual, Forsyth's narrow lands and wide, shallow grooves provide high velocity and good accuracy to large round ball projectiles.
While seemingly too small to be effectual, Forsyth's narrow lands and wide, shallow grooves provide high velocity and good accuracy to large round ball projectiles.
In addition to providing the fine accuracy we demand, it has further
been observed that our slow rifling provides the highest velocities to
the large patched ball with very little stress imparted to the rifle.
High velocity equates to flat trajectories over unknown distances which
provides a rifle with Superior Ballistics for a longer point-blank range.
It can readily be seen on the chart above that Faeton™ shoots extremely flat to 120 yards
and accurate shot placement to 150 yards can be easily achieved.
Projectiles for the Faetons
Today's muzzleloading hunter has a plethora of bullets from which to choose. And while we prefer to craft big-bore round ball rifles for hunting really big game, we understand that it is the customer's need that comes first. Whether the target be rhinos, rabbits, or just paper, we can provide a Faeton™ which will always render the highest performance for you.
.58 Calibre - 24 bore
This is, in our opinion, the smallest round ball that will still provide the benefits of Forsyth rifling with sufficient knockdown power for medium to smaller big game such as antelope, mountain sheep and goats and most species of deer, boar, and African game up to 500 pounds.
The Faeton™ can drive the 265-grain round ball nearly 2000 feet per second (fps) from the 30-inch barrel. The Taylor Knockdown Value of this projectile is 41 at the muzzle.
We have recently added a new projectile to our menu - that being the Forsyth Minie™ bullet described further down this page. It is now our belief that when considering the tremendous weight and penetration capability of the .58 Forsyth Minie™ projectile, the .58 Faeton™ may garner the award of being the most versatile of all our Faeton™ calibres for game weighing up to 1000 lbs.
When loaded to 1200 fps, the 478-grain .58 Forsyth Minie™ will generate a Taylor Knockdown value of 47. While this figure may not seem significantly higher than the .58 round ball, the 80% increase in weight of the Forsyth Minie™ provides greater mass and momentum to penetrate thick hide and tough muscle to break large bones to kill very large game in its tracks.
.62 Calibre - 20 bore
We have always tried to provide a variety of calibres to suit most any need of our customers. However, after years of field testing we have arrived at the inescapable conclusion that the 20-bore (.62 calibre) as a round ball rifle is far and away the best choice for hunting most North American game up to 700 pounds, including large species of the deer family, black bear, and Russian boar within the distances of fair chase.
Our 20-bore Faeton™ will drive the 320-grain round ball at about 1800 fps from its 28-inch barrel. The Taylor Knockdown Value of the 20-bore ball is 49 at the muzzle.
Today's muzzleloading hunter has a plethora of bullets from which to choose. And while we prefer to craft big-bore round ball rifles for hunting really big game, we understand that it is the customer's need that comes first. Whether the target be rhinos, rabbits, or just paper, we can provide a Faeton™ which will always render the highest performance for you.
This is, in our opinion, the smallest round ball that will still provide the benefits of Forsyth rifling with sufficient knockdown power for medium to smaller big game such as antelope, mountain sheep and goats and most species of deer, boar, and African game up to 500 pounds.
The Faeton™ can drive the 265-grain round ball nearly 2000 feet per second (fps) from the 30-inch barrel. The Taylor Knockdown Value of this projectile is 41 at the muzzle.
We have recently added a new projectile to our menu - that being the Forsyth Minie™ bullet described further down this page. It is now our belief that when considering the tremendous weight and penetration capability of the .58 Forsyth Minie™ projectile, the .58 Faeton™ may garner the award of being the most versatile of all our Faeton™ calibres for game weighing up to 1000 lbs.
When loaded to 1200 fps, the 478-grain .58 Forsyth Minie™ will generate a Taylor Knockdown value of 47. While this figure may not seem significantly higher than the .58 round ball, the 80% increase in weight of the Forsyth Minie™ provides greater mass and momentum to penetrate thick hide and tough muscle to break large bones to kill very large game in its tracks.
.62 Calibre - 20 bore
We have always tried to provide a variety of calibres to suit most any need of our customers. However, after years of field testing we have arrived at the inescapable conclusion that the 20-bore (.62 calibre) as a round ball rifle is far and away the best choice for hunting most North American game up to 700 pounds, including large species of the deer family, black bear, and Russian boar within the distances of fair chase.
Our 20-bore Faeton™ will drive the 320-grain round ball at about 1800 fps from its 28-inch barrel. The Taylor Knockdown Value of the 20-bore ball is 49 at the muzzle.
Hard temper lead balls
While the soft lead ball, when properly loaded and fired from the Forsyth bore, will be suitable for taking most any game animal with humane effectiveness, there may be times when a ball of harder temper will provide greater advantage with deeper penetration to break large bones. Because our Genuine Forsyth Rifling™ bore does not require an extremely tight fit of ball and patch to provide hunting accuracy, the shooter may use hard lead balls if the occasion calls for it.
The Forsyth Minie™ ( pronounced Min-yay' )
For those who need even greater stopping power and speed of loading from our Faeton™ rifles, we would like to recommend the Forsyth Minie™. Due to it's extreme weight-forward design, it is sufficiently stabilized by either our standard Forsyth twist or our new Fast Forsyth™ twist.
The Forsyth Minie™ projectile is a bore diameter cylindrical bullet which provides an easy-loading, self-centering projectile which delivers bone-smashing energy for clean, quick kills on heavy game. Unlike the standard pointed ogive military Minie bullet, the Forsyth Minie™ ogive is shaped more like the round ball with a large flat nose (meplat) which better transfers the available energy into the target rather than merely punching a narrow hole through the target.
While initially intended as a quick-loading coup de grace, the quicker loading and greater weight of the Forsyth Minie™ has resulted in its use as the primary projectile by some Faeton™ owners.
Presently the Forsyth Minie™ bullet is available .58 calibre Faeton™ and Peerless Faeton™ rifles. While still experimental, moulds are available as an option to our customers who may also wish to develop the concept further. Contact us for more information.
In pursuit of that Quick Second Shot
While we all like to believe that we won't need a follow-up shot, history teaches us that the best laid plans of mice and men are still subject to the whims of the Fates. And while our Forsyth Minie™ will certainly provide the means to deliver a quick and decisive blow, there are those who would rather stick to the tried and true round ball.
Making Tapered Paper Cartridges
For them we offer for consideration a new twist on an old concept - the Tapered Paper Cartridge. Paper cartridges are nothing new, however we believe that the Tapered Paper Cartridge has great merit and is worthy of serious consideration.
A bit of history...
In days of old a ball was lubed with tallow and placed into the end of a straight paper tube which was then filled with the powder charge. The open end was then tied off with string to create a "cartridge." In use, the tied end was bitten off and a small amount of powder was dispensed to prime the pan if a flintlock was in use. The remainder was poured down the barrel and the ball end of the cartridge was pushed into the muzzle. The excess paper was then torn away and the ball was rammed onto the powder charge. These pre-made loads were much quicker to use than the old method of pouring and measuring powder, then pouring into the barrel, then patching and seating, and finally, ramming the ball.
From Straight to Tapered
An improvement over the straight paper cartridge is one which is tapered and can be loaded by simply biting off the pointed end and stuffing the point into the muzzle. While the ramrod is being drawn, the powder is pouring from the cartridge down into the breech of the gun. All that remains is to thumb start the remainder of the cartridge into the muzzle and seat it upon the powder with the ramrod. The crumpled paper acts as a wad while the ball is still wrapped in the paper which acts as a patch.
Accuracy
Obviously, we are very concerned with the accuracy of such a follow up shot. Testing indicates no appreciable difference in impact between the regular cloth-patched round ball or the tapered paper cartridge reload as can be seen on the 75-yard target below. The tapered paper cartridge reload shot within 1 inch of the first shot. Repeating this test three times produced the same results when fired from a clean bore.
Speed of Loading
With a bit of practice and proper management of the loading components, the rifle can be loaded and ready to fire in 8 - 12 seconds under hunting field conditions. Another advantage of this system is that the ease of loading allows the hunter to keep one eye on the game while reloading the rifle.
If you would like the full story and would to experiment with the Tapered Paper Cartridge concept, please click this link: Making Tapered Paper Cartridges.
In the pursuit of Fair Chase and Sportsmanship
In addition to choosing a calibre appropriate to the game you are hunting, we would like to offer that one must also consider...
Placement of the shot
While some attribute the accuracy of the muzzleloading ball as subject to the whims of the Fates, and if successful, that of a favour of Heaven, the Faeton™ affords sufficient accuracy to call one's shot to the limits of distance prescribed by the precepts of Fair Chase and Sportsmanship.
However, it is in the interest of good Sportsmanship, and yes, even our own Moral Duty, that we take every advantage to ascertain that the First Shot exacts a Killing Blow upon the game. It is, unfortunately, all too common that we hear hunters who, in their attempts to impress others with the tales of their prowess, describe "the chase" of wounded game in which they boldly follow up the beast and proceed to kill it off, blow by blow in a cruel sort of cat and mouse chase. This practice is despicable and is nothing more than callused and blatant brutality.
It is difficult to imagine that anyone with any degree of honour and respect for the wondrous miracle of Nature's gift of Life in all its various forms would brashly relate such tales which betray his lack of morals and good judgment, or his affliction of poor nerves, and such poor marksmanship that would result in less than a quick and humane dispatch of the game. Of worse consequence is that the animal, once shot, completely eludes the hunter to live in excruciating agony for hours or days until the mercy of death finally overtakes it. Those subscribing to such reckless methods of shooting are simply barbaric and have neither honour nor place among the ranks of sportsman and gentlemen.
Now, while it is true that we may be able to exact a "hit" on game at the extremes of distance, the guarantee of just a "hit" disabling the game - on the spot - is, indeed, very slight. Such foolhardy shooting results in a long and arduous chase that deprives the game of a quick, peaceful, and dare we suggest, a humane death. We simply cannot tolerate those who derive some twisted pleasure from inflicting undue suffering and death upon lesser life forms. Even the most primitive of history's peoples understood the precious value of Life as evidenced by their offered blessings of gratitude to the spirits of those animals which they took from Nature.
Are we any less enlightened in this matter than our ancient forebears? We afford a quick and humane death to even those most hardened criminals among us. How much more, then, are we obligated by good conscience and common decency to extend such a basic courtesy to these grand and magnificent beasts of which we demand the ultimate sacrifice for our own sport and sustenance?
Although the Faeton™, when loaded to maximum charge, is more than capable of cleanly dispatching game at extremes of distance, it is in the vigilant pursuit of the above-expounded ideals that we recommend that the shot not be taken beyond 100 yards. But rather that careful approach to the game is made in the stalking manner of the panther.
Once the distance has been closed, then Placement of the shot should be made directly To The Shoulder. There are some of considerable repute and experience who are apt to disagree with this position, arguing for the classic shot behind the shoulder, the argument being that such a shot tends to render less meat to uselessness.
However, practical experience, and post mortum examination of wounds in game have brought us to the inescapable conclusion that a shot of sufficiently large calibre directed to the joint area of the shoulder is the most effective in immediately disabling the game. It certainly is the only shot to be taken at beasts of dangerous reputation.
The cause of this Greater Effectiveness of shooting directly into the shoulder joint is the creation of secondary missiles resulting from the impact of the large diameter ball upon large bones. This not only severely limits locomotion, the resulting missiles of bone will also inflict greater shock to the game by penetrating the heart or lungs, or both, thereby either killing it outright, or leaving it with only the wish to peaceably expire.
We ask who among us is of such destitute means that he would take the lesser aim and chance losing the animal and good standing among us for the sake of a few pounds of meat?
It is our contention that we must remind one another, in good faith and gentlemanly manner, of the Creed of Saint Hubertus, the Code of Fair Chase, lest we find greater disfavour among those who would have us more regulated according to their own profound ignorance.
A most fitting conclusion to this subject is the following poem, entitled "Waidmannsheil"
or "Hunter's Salute," by Oskar von Riesenthal, as it appears,
unattributed, on every bottle of Jägermeister.
"Das ist des
Jägers Ehrenschild,
daß er beschützt
und hegt sein Wild,
weidmännisch jagt, wie sich’s gehört,
den Schöpfer im Geschöpfe ehrt."
weidmännisch jagt, wie sich’s gehört,
den Schöpfer im Geschöpfe ehrt."
Which
literally means:
"This is the
hunter's honor shield,
which he protects
and looks after his game,
Huntsman hunts, as
it should be,
the Creator in the
creatures honor."
Or, a bit more
poetically as,
"This is the hunter's badge of glory,
"This is the hunter's badge of glory,
That he protect
and tend his quarry,
Hunt with Honor,
as is due,
And
through the beast to God is true."
"The Conversion of Holy Hubertus" by Wilhelm Rauber (1849 - 1926)
The most accurate rifle is only as effective as its sights will allow. With that truth in mind, and because most of our clientele are experiencing challenges in clearly viewing rifle sights of most any type, we have pursued the development of improved sighting systems which will allow those with tired or weary eyes to extract the most accuracy from the Faeton™ rifles we craft.
It is common knowledge that a "peep" sight is generally more accurate than is the simple "U" notch rear sight and based upon that premise we have designed a "peep-sighting" system which we are pleased to offer.
We begin with a fine-blade front sight of German Silver and our exclusive Adjustable Peephorn™ at the rear. This is standard fare and allows great ease in acquiring the sights and extracting the utmost in accuracy from the Faeton in the event that a long shot may be taken.
While praised by all who have used it, those with aging or weary eyes will especially appreciate our exclusive Adjustable Peephorn™ rear sight. This unique sight provides the advantage of quick sight acquisition in low-light conditions. Its use is instinctual and consists of viewing the front blade through the “aperture” which is formed by the semi-circular arms which suggest a buckhorn sight. A horizontal center-line is inscribed across the back face to indicate the center of the aperture and affords quick and accurate sight alignment. Elevation adjustment may be made by the simple and positive stepped elevator seen above.
The Peephorn™ principle, as depicted above, provides several reference points that allow the shooter to instantly sight in at a pre-determined distance based upon the loading of the rifle. For example, the Fig. A sight picture may represent a 75-yard zero, while Fig. B may be a 100-yard zero, Fig. C a 125-yard zero, and Fig. D could be 150-yard zero. This is just an example and may vary depending upon the loads you shoot.
The Adjustable Peephorn™ will provide great ease in acquiring the sights and accurately placing the shot for those shooters who experience difficulty in using typical iron, aperture, or ghost ring sights. Because we also are of the age where eyesight can sometimes be tricky in the field under changing light conditions, we are constantly working to provide sights that will accommodate the needs of our more seasoned clientele. We believe our new Adjustable Peephorn™ rear sight will do so quite readily.
Graduated Adjustable Aperture Sight™
The optional Graduated Adjustable Aperture Sight™ or GAAS, allows one to pre-set the sight to a specific distance. The GAAS features an adjustable aperture element as provided by The Merit Corporation. Simply turning the knurled front disk will open or close the aperture within to suit the individual or the shooting conditions. Turning the inner knurled ring - the sight body - allows the sight to be adjusted for elevation. A leather washer holds the sight setting securely yet is easily loosened for quick adjustment.
When combined with the aforementioned Adjustable Peephorn™, a three-sight system is created which makes precise long-range shots sure instead of merely hopeful, and close shots can be made with the finest precision. Viewing the sights through the GAAS aperture also sharpens the sight picture for those with aging, fuzzy eyesight.
Faeton Telescopic Sights
Although we have been hesitant to affix optical sights to our Faeton™ rifles, the fact remains that many of our clientele are unable to clearly distinguish sights of most any configuration. It is in consideration to those of us shooters who need the advantage of a telescopic sight that we now offer two telescopic sight options.
We are pleased to present this period-appropriate high-quality telescopic sight made for us by Montana Vintage Arms. The telescope provides 3X magnification with a simple crosshair reticle which can extend the point blank range of the Faeton to 150 yards when loaded to the top end of its performance spectrum. Clean-killing shots are possible to 200 yards for the shooter who is able to manage his nerves.
The scope is 15 inches in length and adds a mere 13 1/2 ounces to the rifle. While the mounts for the telescope are of target configuration with external adjustment knobs, they are sufficiently sturdy for light to medium field duty.
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| Click the photo for close-up view. Click the White X in the upper right corner to return. |
For those who are active hunters, those who hunt hard over hill and into vale with rifle in hand, the MVA scope depicted above is not recommended. It is better suited to the stand hunter who travels little and does not subject the rifle to the rigors of hard hunting and handling.
However, for the hunter who faces more challenging conditions, we also offer a more modern option, although now classified as "vintage" or classic by virtue of its era - and its solid simplicity. For the hunter who is not overly concerned with purist's aesthetics, we are pleased to say that we have collaborated with a collector of vintage rifle scopes who will provide us with excellent condition classic scopes which will work well within the dimensional parameters of our Faeton™ design. These are the classic Weaver K-2.5 and K-3 designs. The K-3 model is depicted with the Faeton™ below. These fixed-power scopes provide crisp, clear optics in a rugged steel-tube package that will stand up to the rigors of most any hunting situation. Such optics provide the hunter with surgical accuracy in placing shots to the extremes of the effective range of your Faeton™.
Please contact us for more information regarding the new Faeton™ Telescopic Sights.
Although our Faeton™ may be non-conformant in its philosophy of Design, its fit and finish strictly adheres to the Code of Fine Craftsmanship. Our regimen of finishing includes careful hand polishing of all metal parts. Each barrel undergoes a proprietary browning technique that requires days to achieve the durable finish demanded. The browned metal is then finished with carnauba and beeswax.
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| Click the photo for close-up view. Click the White X in the upper right corner to return. |
The Faeton™ Hercaloy bronze receiver and buttplate is finely hand-polished and finished with our elegant and exclusive Damascus Bronze™ finish. The Peerless Faeton features a steel receiver and buttplate.
Polishing and fitting completed, the hammer, trigger, triggerguard and all screws are carefully prepared for the Nitre bluing process which renders them into jewel-like pieces of deep cobalt-blue colour.
Presentation-grade English walnut, as seen above, is also available.
After perfect fitting to barrel, receiver, and buttplate, each high-grade walnut stock and forearm is carefully shaped, finish-sanded and polished by hand after which it receives our Proprietary Mixture of organic oils, resins, and beeswax that effectively seals the beauty of the grain from the elements. To finish, each stock and forearm is then diligently rubbed to a soft glow.
Faeton™ loading rods are fitted with brass tips at each end which will accommodate standard shotgun bore brushes and mops. If the customer chooses, the rod can also be striped to provide good contrast which many feel makes spotting it much easier in the event that it is inadvertently dropped into grass or brush during the heat of a quick reload.
While the standard Faeton™ is fitted with a crescent style buttplate, it must be understood that the Faeton™ buttplate is not like ordinary plates of this type. The Faeton™ buttplate was specially designed to be wider, taller, and flatter than that which is typically used in the trade. These features provide great comfort to the shooter by dispersing the moderate recoil over a much larger area while lending a graceful aesthetic element to the finished rifle.
It should also be noted that all Faeton™ buttstocks are secured to the receiver by a 1/2" x 6 1/2" hardened steel drawbolt by which the buttstock is torqued tightly to the receiver like the headbolts on a diesel engine. While some would consider such a practice to be "over-engineered," as the industry standard for such a drawbolt is a mere 1/4" in diameter, we understand that the resulting stiffness in the Faeton™ is one of the reasons for its amazing durability and accuracy.
Where others fail, Faeton™ will prevail.
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Engraving and Damascus Barrel Finish
While the standard Faeton™ is finished with our beautiful and exclusive Damascus Bronze™ finish, (click on photo of the Faeton™ action above for a closer look), for those individuals desiring a touch of exclusivity, the Faeton™ receiver and buttplate lend themselves well to further embellishment with multiple facets upon which the engraver may ply his art. Also available is an optional steel receiver and buttplate which lends itself well to engraving and full Color Casehardening.
Grade "C" custom pattern
The addition of fine custom engraving, as seen here on our earlier first model pattern, will produce an exclusive one of a kind underhammer rifle that will satisfy the most discriminating tastes.
Even our basic "A" engraving pattern, seen here on the
optional steel receiver, produces a beautiful custom Faeton™.
When engraving is chosen for enhancement of the receiver, we recommend our exclusive Damascus finishing of the barrel. Such combination of these finer finishes produces a unique one-of-a-kind rifle unlike any other underhammer arms.
Faeton™
Often mimicked - Never Equaled
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Faeton™ Specifications*
Action: Advanced underhammer percussion
Weight: 6.5 - 9 lbs depending upon model and caliber.
Length: up to 45 inches depending upon model;
Barrel length: 30 inches in .58; 28 inches in .62 - call for options
Calibres: .58 (24-bore); .62 (20-bore) call for options
Rate of Twist: 1:100 inches for Genuine Forsyth Rifling™; 1:72 inches for Fast Forsyth Rifling™
Sights: German silver front blade and Adjustable Peephorn™ sights are standard. Standing blade and flip-up leaf rear sight for Peerless Faeton™.
Stocks: American black walnut for Faeton™; with upgrades available.
Finish, barrel: rust brown or blue, beeswax finished
Finish, stocks: Hand-rubbed proprietary oil and beeswax
Accessories: bullet moulde, powder measure, nipple wrench and instructions
Options: Options vary in price and can include upgrades in wood, sights, engraving, special metal finishes, and custom checkering as the customer prescribes. Also, an English fitted fine wood presentation case is available for Peerless Faeton™.
Call for pricing.
For more information please email: rjrenner@protonmail.com or phone 775-453-9355.
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Archived Designs
Through the
years we have crafted many different muzzleloading rifle designs in
addition to our Faeton rifles. If you are seeking one of our earlier
works, they may be viewed by clicking this link: Archived Designs
MY OTHER WORK...
RENNER-RUGER NO.1, NO.3, and BOLT ACTION TROPHY RIFLES
For a look at my custom No.1, No.3, and Mauser-Pattern Trophy rifles please visit: www.rjrenner.com
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We thank you for your consideration of our services and hope that we may be of service to you.
We thank you for your consideration of our services and hope that we may be of service to you.
We would be honored to craft a
Genuine Renner Rifle
for you.
Genuine Renner Rifle
for you.
Copyright 2024 by R.J. Renner
