Here it is!

[hoochiepapa]

thanks, Fred!! Thanks everyone!! TB, you missed your chance. Maybe when I get my fowler done?

 

[Twice boom]

thanks, Fred!! Thanks everyone!! TB, you missed your chance. Maybe when I get my fowler done?

Nahhh. The fowler will be nice too. I'll get my chance when you get in to the knife business... :thumbsup: :rotf:

Enjoy your new toy and shoot it straight.
Twice.

 

[tallbear]

Mike
You have made a very nice rifle and done well for it being your third one.Since you asked for some advice I will give some.Study originals as much as you can.Two places to pay attention to that I see are the lock panels particuarly the transition to the beavertails and the cheek piece.The books Rifles of Colonial America is a great place to start if you don't have acsess to originals.Hope this helps you and most of all enjoy yourself!!!

Mitch

 

[hoochiepapa]

Ok, don't just tell me where, but tell me what. I don't understand what you mean. I look at books a lot, and am not seeing what your driving at. Are you saying the beavertails are too high? Or don't flow with the wrist correctly? Like you say, I don't have access to originals, and it can be hard to translate an old fuzzy, dark pic to what you're building.
Help me. :surrender:

 

[tallbear]

Mike
I will email you a couple of pics that I think will help.
Mitch

 

[rich pierce]

First of all, enjoy your rifle and be proud you tackled such a task and did so well. It's sometimes tough to hear critiques after a rifle is finished. It's good to post "in progress" photos so you can consider others views (that's what critiques are) and decide which you agree with.

If you got the precarve at Dixon's, check out some originals there.

Precarves are difficult for me as it's hard to break away from the architecture already present. They are made so there's a lot of extra wood to give you some freedom, so a lot of wood has to "go". In this case, the comb to wrist transition is pretty high. The cheekpiece shelf is perhaps a little robust and flat. I know it comes like that on the precarve, but as I mentioned, they leave a lot of extra wood so you have some shaping freedom.

 

[Short Arm]

Very Nice, Clean :hatsoff:

 

[BillinOregon]

Mike: You sure do have a right to be all swelled up with pride over that gun. You have talent! And I'll bet she shoots, too. I'd hate to be a careless rabbit on one of your bunny hunts!

 

[hoochiepapa]

Rich, there are so many knowledgable folks here, and I appreciate all the praise AND crticism. But not having the formal training to build these things, it's hard to see what you are saying. My dad used to say,"you look but you don't see". I probably need to get some more books to study, but to me, this is the best way to get to learn how to with out going to school.
When I am filing to form a stock, I go slow, afraid to make a mistake, it may take me several months to get a certain part of the stock down to where I think it belongs. And then when I move to another part, I realize the first part isn't quite right. This rifle has been in the works for 1 1/2 years, because of my fear of screwing it up.
Maybe my problem is learning to tie it all together, and instead I concentrate on pieces.
Don't get me wrong, I am proud of this piece, it being only my third.
I WILL get there, just gonna make more mistakes than I wanted.
Thank you everyone!!

 

[Roy]

Heck I think my first guns were just repairing mistakes :haha: There are things I am sure that we would all do different.. but that comes with time and experience. Over all nice job. :thumbsup:

 

[Rusty Spur 82]

Wow,now I could cozy up to that rifle.It is beautiful.I really like the red rubby too. :wink:
Really nice work.I wish I had that talent.
Rusty Spur.

 

[tallbear]

Mike
No one has ever built a gun with out makeing mistakes :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Maybe my problem is learning to tie it all together, and instead I concentrate on pieces.

You hit the nail on the head with this quote.the things I have suggested to you are things that will help with the overall feel (or flow)of the rifle.

Mitch

 

[hoochiepapa]

Rusty, you do have that talent. Go back and look at the rifle you refinished. It's gorgeous!

 

[longcruise]

This rifle has been in the works for 1 1/2 years, because of my fear of screwing it up.

I have that same problem. Things lay on the bench while I think it through. Too much thinkin though and not enough doin. So, I've been making a few basic little guns mostly from pieces parts. When it's a $10 piece of wood and a $20 dollar barrel a lot of that pucker factor goes away.

Just my way of lookin at it. Got some higher dollar parts here waiting for a start. Would like to hunt with it this year. We'll see!! :shocked2:

 

[rich pierce]

Mike, I made a little sketch to illustrate my comments. This is just for clarity, not to argue- and these things are a matter of taste. If you ever want a laugh, I'll show my first longrifle, a Bucks county rifle (supposedly).

 

[hoochiepapa]

Thanks, Rich, I appreciate the comments, whether I like them or not. I've learned a lot from all of you. :bow:

 

[Glenfilthie]

Wow! Good job Mike! :thumbsup:

How many hours did you put into that heavy metal war machine? I hope it shoots as well as it looks!

 

[sutherland]

I like the craftsmanship on your rifle. I'm in no position to critique your work because I'm building my first rifle, which will be a Bucks. Someone, I think it was the late Turner Kirkland, said that a longrifle builder needs to make six rifles before he really gets consistent quality and knows what he's doing. Measured by that standard, I'd say you're well on your way. Congratulations!

 

[ryzman]

number 3 eh... i have my work cut out for me. im on two and nowhere near your talent. great job and happy hunting!

 

[hoochiepapa]

That's why things take me so long. Get to work on your rifle! Nothing is more satisfying than harvesting an animal with something you made.
Mike