Lipstick on a pig

[Moleman]

Well I pretty much finished the facelift on this old .40 cal. that I built nearly 40 ago.
I was young, naive and not much patience and made a lot of mistakes, so I decided it was time to make it more appealing.
It's been a lot like putting lipstick on a pig...it's still a pig.....but no longer a 2 bagger.
One thing I've learned is it's harder fix than to get it right the first time.

 

[Stykbow]

To quote Charlotte, “That’s some pig!”.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I can relate to this! I re-did a 32 caliber that I built in 1976 that had a lot of mistakes. Now, it's a lot better with its more recent mistakes!

 

[Moleman]

I've built several rifles since this one and still make mistakes but now I use less lipstick.

 

[snakebit]

I dunno, Ms. Piggy was pretty hot in her day. Just sayin. If it shoots as good as she looks, you are doing great.

 

[snakebit]

Looks like you're a stickbow shooter as well

 

[Moleman]

Yes sir, every chance I get.

 

[Sean E Bug]

I have given away the rifles I have made so far. keeps me from constantly being reminded of my mistakes and shortcomings. also don't have the temptation to redo things. I don't like to look back.

 

[IanH]

Bob Ross said he never had any of his own artwork displayed in his house because it would drive him nuts picking apart the mistakes every time he looked at it.

Moleman, I would have reshaped the lock panels and put the front sight on the other way, but it isn't my gun and the whole thing looks pretty good to me. I did some dumb things to my guns when I was much younger and have enjoyed putting a few of them right again, for example I thought the Marlin bullseye was where you were supposed to drill for the rear sling stud...and it came out so I doweled the hole and glued it in. I found out the plastic bullseyes can be bought and replaced it a few years ago, inletting a two-screw European mount behind it instead.

 

[Commodore Swab]

Well I pretty much finished the facelift on this old .40 cal. that I built nearly 40 ago.
I was young, naive and not much patience and made a lot of mistakes, so I decided it was time to make it more appealing.
It's been a lot like putting lipstick on a pig...it's still a pig.....but no longer a 2 bagger.
One thing I've learned is it's harder fix than to get it right the first time.

I just got back my first pistol now it looks crude as can be. I'm torn whether to rebuild it or keep it original as built.

 

[WALT53]

Well I pretty much finished the facelift on this old .40 cal. that I built nearly 40 ago.
I was young, naive and not much patience and made a lot of mistakes, so I decided it was time to make it more appealing.
It's been a lot like putting lipstick on a pig...it's still a pig.....but no longer a 2 bagger.
One thing I've learned is it's harder fix than to get it right the first time.

Well it s a pretty good looking pig I gotta.say

 

[BillinOregon]

And such a lovely piece of wood she sits in.

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

You need a better brand of beer though!

 

[Eric Krewson]

I agree on the lock panels, lots of extra wood could be removed.

 

[Edm]

My first is Much worse. I did the same thing with the front site too. A friend asked why I put it on backwards. Can’t flip it around or it just about sticks off the barrel though. Still works for what it is supposed to do.

 

[reddogge]

My very first scratch built rifle was not a thing of beauty and had mistakes like the wrong style lock. However, it was one of the most accurate shooting rifles I've ever owned and I won so much stuff with it at shoots it isn't funny.

 

[mikesto44]

I still have the first three rifles I built an all from scratch. For me when I look at them it gives me an appreciation of accomplishment. Not that their great builds but the fact I tried an kept at it. Also how much I learned a long the way.

 

[MAC1967]

That's a nice looking rifle . . . only major flaw I see from a distance is the thick lock panels, but the overall shape of the rifle is good and the wood is nice. . . I prefer a nose cap on a rifle, but to each his own.