Fresh Rifle

[djpleathersmith]

Thought I would post a pic of my latest build. Its a .50 caplock in the southern mountain style. All scratch-built except the barrel and lock. Which are Green Mtn. and Siler respectively. The stock is native Missouri wild cherry. Glad to answer and questions. I'm new to this posting stuff so I hope the picture comes

through. Thanks.

 

[jeepwj992002]

That rifle looks great! :thumbsup:

 

[djpleathersmith]

Many thanks. This one is number 17. They are rather addicting to build.

 

[jeepwj992002]

I can imagine. I am figuring out what it will take to do my first build. I am planning on an Ohio Rifle in .58cal.

 

[djpleathersmith]

Good choice. Pecatonica River offers some nice Vincent style stocks and some nice pictures to give you ideas.

 

[Craig]

The rifle looks great. I really like the wood's color. How did you finish the stock?

 

[George Holton]

Oh Happy Day !!!! So glad to see someone that eschewed the kit rifle and made his rifle his own! Congratulations on your scratch build. It looks like an old rifle should.Very old Bob

 

[Roy]

:thumbsup: Looks good

 

[djpleathersmith]

The stock is hand scraped. No sandpaper used. I used a walnut stain on it and Waukon Bay gunstock oil finish, hand rubbed. The browning is Laurel Mountain Forge. Here's one of the other side of the gun.

 

[50cal.cliff]

Really nice! The stock is a beaut!

 

[Teach]

Now that is one nice looking rifle :thumbsup:

 

[Headhunter]

Outstanding job. How does it smoke?

Headhunter

 

[djpleathersmith]

I haven't had time to test fire this one yet. But I plan to do so soon. I intend to offer it for sale as soon as I talk my wife into letting it go. She has taken quite a shine to this one for some reason. I would rather sell it to someone who will get some use out of it.

 

[rabjr]

Very nice djpleathersmith! :thumbsup:

 

[cptleo1]

The stock is hand scraped. No sandpaper used.

Last couple I did were hand scraped, i really like it.

I haven't tried it on cherry yet.

Nice clean piece.

 

[guncobbler]

Hey - If your wife has taken a shine to that rifle why not present it to her. Make a nice rack for it where she sees it often and remind her every so often how nice that rifle is. Whatever you get by selling it will not match the mileage you'll get by making her happy For those of us who have wives and daughters in the house there is nothing greater than getting to share the sport with them. GC

 

[PitchyPine]

Beautiful :thumbsup:

 

[tom hargrove]

out standing, i have a tenn 1/2 stock kit ordered,i hope i can get it. to look that good. :bow: what do you use for scrapers ,i have never done that mabey ill try it on mine .how do you do it.

 

Yea, How do you hand scrape?
Excellent work, :hatsoff: :hatsoff:

 

[djpleathersmith]

Scraping a stock is not hard but perhaps a little more time comsuming than sanding. There are ready made scrapers available through gunsmithing supply and hand tool companies. Or you can make your own using a piece of high carbon steel or an old knife blade. The edge has to be either squared or beveled only on one side. A blade that is beveled on both sides doesn't work well. Simply file down your surface as smooth as you can. Then start scraping with moderate hand pressure and always with the grain. That means with wood that has swirls and waves in the grain you will have to change directions frequently. Experiment with the angle you hold the blade until you are producing nice, thin little curls of wood. Don't expect a totally smooth-as-glass finish like with sandpaper. Your finish will have some little ripples in it here and there. But that just gives it character like an original. Original guns didn't have Browning-like gloss finishes either. When your scraper stops producing little curls of wood easily, its time to sharpen or square up the edge again.